Web Design

I have been designing web pages since the early years of the World Wide Web in 1993. Most of my web design is done by hand editing the raw html /xhtml. I believe that this gives me a lot more control and flexibility in laying the pages out. I have used some specialist web design tools and this site has been designed in Dreamweaver (the updates are made using a raw html editor).

I have a number of principles that I try and apply to all the websites that I design these are:

• Browser and client operating system independent
• Adheres to html standards
• Formatted using Cascaded Style Sheets (CSS)
• Accessible and compliant with the Disability Discrimination Act (allowing for CSS overriding and working with screen readers etc.)
• Javascript used to provide additional functionality where appropriate (avoided where it may hinder those with disabilities)

I believe that there are good reasons to try and meet these standards. It is particularly important not to exclude people from visiting the website just because their personal choice of browser or operating system differs from mine. If you are running a online store this would be the digital equivalent of having a customer car park that didn't allow 4 wheel drive, or MPV vehicles. Visitors may still be able to get to your store, but with the additional inconvenience they are more likely to visit your competitors instead. In the UK then there is a more pressing argument based upon the Disability Discriminations Act which came into full force from the 1st of October 2004. If your webpage can't be read in the second most popular browser, then how is it going to work with a screen reader?

I test all my sites using at least two browsers and often using different operating systems.

There are times when these rules have to be bent or broken a little, as long as it doesn't distract from the main purposes of the website. For example on one of my sites www.firstaidquiz.com there is a crossword that only works with certain browsers. This is not the main component of the site and I have included an offline option for those unable to use the Java applet directly. The quiz however works in any browser including the text based lynx browser (except for a few non-essential features that don't work due to the lack of javascript in the Lynx browser). There is also a small part of my online C.V. which opens a new window to display a flash component. The javascript used may not work in certain browsers where javascript may be turned off, but then they are unlikely to be able to view the flash animation anyway. I always try and justify every action that is going to restrict those that can access the pages.

Examples of my work include:

• www.watkissonline.co.uk (this site)
• www.firstaidquiz.com
• Warwickshire St. John Ambulance (public site)
• Warwickshire St. John Ambulance (members site)
• Rugby St. John Ambulance

Flash

Whilst normally I try and avoid the use of flash on a website it does have some places where it can be particularly useful.

• Flash Information

Web Resources

• Accessibility Information

 

• LogInfo Simple Log Analysis for Apache

 

• Javascript photo slideshow example

Please Visit

Watkissonline.co.uk Online Baby Shop (UK)

First Aid Quiz Online Shop (UK)

PenguinTutor Online Shop (US)