Best Practices for Designing Usable Websites for Kids

Designing for young kids is something not a lot of designers think about until approached by a client who wants to target that age group.

But the truth is that kids in the 3-12 age group are using the Internet in surprising numbers. Ten years ago, it was rare for a child who hadn’t even yet reached school-age to use a computer. Now, there are a surprising number of websites specifically catering to them. And that number is growing all the time.

The Nielsen Norman Group, long known for their usability studies, has recently completed a study on the Internet habits and related usability issues often encountered by kids in the 3-12 age group.

The report is based on actual user studies, rather than just surveys asking kids what their internet habits and experiences are, and provide invaluable insight into the real usability issues confronting kids, and what users can do about it.

Read More..

Web Design company

Best Practices for Designing Usable Websites for Kids

10 Simple Tips for Launching a Website

The process of launching a website can be a daunting endeavor. There are many things you want to do, but not enough time and resources to do them. However, even though it might seem like a herculean task, as long as you keep some fundamental things in mind, you can ensure a hassle-free website launch.

In this article, I’ll share with you some tips for launching a website based on the experience of our own launch of Design Instruct.

Read More : 10 Simple Tips for Launching a Website

10 Simple Tips for Launching a Website

10 Usability Tips for Web Designers

A common misconception about usability amongst web companies is that usability is expensive. Yes, there are multi-national companies that spend thousands of dollars on usability tests and research, but for an everyday company usability is achievable without the knowledge of usability experts or without expensive equipment for testing.

Web designers have an even easier job to do, just by reading usability articles they can accumulate a fairly good knowledge about usability basics and how to implement them on a website.

Read More : http://www.webdesignerdepot.com/2008/12/10-usability-tips-for-web-designers/

10 Usability Tips for Web Designers

5 Easy Steps to a Simpler Blog Design

Do you want a simpler design for your blog? One that’s lean, elegant and attractive?

Well, there are five easy steps to making your blog look better and to attracting more subscribers, customers and members.

And you don’t have to be a design ninja or have worked at Apple to pull it off!

These steps are simpler than you might think. Those who aren’t sold on simplicity might ask: why would I want it?

Here are three convincing reasons that may work for many blogs:

1. Your blog will be easier to read and navigate, and visitors will stick with it.
2. Simplicity translates into strong branding. Like a clean office, a simple blog gives visitors a good impression of you and could lead to new subscribers, customers or members.
3. You’ll just plain look cooler.

1. Put content front and center.
2. Get rid of unnecessary elements in your posts.
3. Get rid of unnecessary sidebar elements.
4. Shorten the header’s height.
5. Reduce the number of colors.

Take these steps and you’ll be well on your way to a simpler blog design—one that will help you achieve your goals.

Source : http://www.webdesignerdepot.com/2010/09/5-easy-steps-to-a-simpler-blog-design/#comment-596620

5 Easy Steps to a Simpler Blog Design

55 Ways to Relax After Work

Do you ever feel like a zombie after a long day at work? You feel so depleted and tired. You hardly have any energy left at all. The only thing you want to do is eat comfort food, pop open a brewski and watch television until bedtime.

We’ve all been there. Zoning out in front of the TV can be a great way to relax, but more often than not, it just makes you feel even more useless. Sitting immobile on the couch for extended periods of time can reinforce your own sense of helplessness and exhaustion, especially if it becomes your regular evening routine.

Although it can be difficult to rally enough energy after a tough day, sometimes the best thing you can do for yourself is to get off the couch, turn off the TV and find something better to do (sorry to sound so much like your mother, but she was right). If you’re drawing a blank on what else to do with your time, don’t worry. We’ve got a few ways to relax that will help you feel less like a soulless blob and more like a happy, fulfilled human being.

1. Just go to sleep.
2. Take a bath, soak in a hot tub or relax in a steam room.
3. Change into your comfiest clothes.
4. Listen to soothing music.
5. Cook one of your favorite recipes for dinner.
6. Go for a walk in a park or take a short hike.
7. Kick it up a notch and go for a run instead.
8. Play a sport with friends like Frisbee golf, soccer or basketball.
9. Try yoga or do some gentle stretches.
10. Visit Oprah.com for guided meditation podcasts.
11. Light scented candles.
12. Look through old photo albums.
13. Write in your journal, try art journaling or make a collage.
14. Trade massages with your partner.
15. Knit, crochet or sew.
16. Bake cup cakes or muffins.
17. Go for a drive in the country.
18. Play with your kids (if you are a parent).
19. Escape into a great novel.
20. Take a bike ride.
21. Sing karaoke.
22. Cuddle with your cat or play fetch with your dog.
23. Relax by the pool with a magazine.
24. Play tennis, racquetball or squash.
25. Spend time gardening.
26. Sit on your front porch and watch the world go by.
27. Brainstorm your “bucket list.”
28. De-clutter, clean and make your living space as comfortable as possible.
29. Start planning a vacation.
30. Window shop in a new part of town.
31. Play a musical instrument.
32. Talk to your family.
33. Invite a friend over to play video games.
34. Go dancing.
35. Play pool or shuffle board.
36. Swim laps.
37. Build your own community with a blog.
38. Take an art class or a pottery class.
39. Bead a necklace with chunky gemstones.
40. Get ahead of schedule and make a Christmas gift for someone special.
41. Pray.
42. Write a letter or send a card…just because.
43. Mail a bunch of photos of yourself to your grandparent or an elderly relative so they know what you’ve been up to.
44. Make a cup of tea or warm up some hot apple cider.
45. Enjoy some deep cleansing breaths.
46. Sit quietly by the beach, a lake or a creek.
47. Savor a meal in a local café or pub.
48. Make plans for the weekend.
49. Challenge a friend to a game of foosball or go bowling.
50. Reconnect with a favorite childhood pastime.
51. Volunteer.
52. Call your funniest friend.
53. Get your adrenaline pumping with a kickboxing or spinning class.
54. Have a picnic.
55. Watch the sunset.

Source: http://workawesome.com/general/ways-to-relax-after-work/

55 Ways to Relax After Work

Palm WebOS 2.0 beta released to developers

Palm's WebOS 2.0 beta is now available in limited release to developers, with a full public release planned for later this year.

Palm announced the Software Developer Kit today on its Web site describing several improvements, including a focus on "Stacks" for better multitasking and a "Quick Actions" way of searching or creating an e-mail without launching an app.

Hewlett-Packard completed its purchase of Palm on July 1. HP officials have said they will release a WebOS tablet computer in early 2011 , but the OS version has not been specified. Another HP tablet based on Windows 7 for enterprise users is expected this fall. And HP is reportedly working on an Android -based tablet, although some bloggers have said that device has been shelved -- something HP hasn't confirmed.

Palm launched Palm Pre and Palm Pixi smartphones based on the first WebOS version, and HP said it will continue using WebOS in smartphones, as well as in tablets and netbooks .

The WebOS 2.0 Stacks feature takes the card metaphor seen in the Palm Pre to another level by grouping related cards into stacks, Palm said. The change is designed to reduce clutter and make it easy to move quickly between tasks. A user can drag and drop cards or the OS can automatically stack them.

The Quick Actions feature is part of what Palm calls "Just Type," a new name for universal search. With Quick Actions, a user can launch an e-mail, update a social network status or do a Web search without needing to launch an app.

Developers using Just Type will be able to give users real-time suggestions as they use an application, as long as the data for the app is stored on the user's device.

Other changes include "Exhibition," which allows developers to build ways for users to see apps when a Palm phone is placed on the Touchstone Charging Dock. Exhibition can be added to support an existing app, so the day's agenda or a slideshow can be shown on a phone on the Touchstone.

HTML5 enhancements are part of the new version, too.

Palm noted that the features are "slated" for the WebOS 2.0 but might not actually appear in the first public release.

Matt Hamblen covers mobile and wireless, smartphones and other handhelds, and wireless networking for Computerworld. Follow Matt on Twitter at @matthamblen or subscribe to Matt's RSS feed . His e-mail address is mhamblen@computerworld.com .

Read more about mobile oses in Computerworld's Mobile OSes Topic Center.

Source: http://www.networkworld.com/news/2010/083110-webos-20-beta-ready-for.html

Palm WebOS 2.0 beta released to developers

Featured smashingmagazine.com Eye-Candy For The Weekend: Particle Animation Music Videos

Just like a couple of weeks ago, this weekend again we’ve got something unusual and creative to lift up your spirits and challenge your creativity over a lousy Sunday. Particle animation is a beautiful concept from motion graphics.

Read Full Story

Featured smashingmagazine.com Eye-Candy For The Weekend: Particle Animation Music Videos

Build a More Beautiful Blog

Whether you’re blogging for business or pleasure, now is the time to take your little corner of the web to the next level. Social media makes your blog more visible and valuable than ever, and the amount of resources available to beautify and streamline your blog is enormous, and ever growing.

The best part is, you don’t have to be a designer or a programmer to create a great looking blog, but you should know where to find the right resources, and how to align your blog’s design with its purpose.

Read Full Article At : http://mashable.com/2010/01/28/build-beautiful-blog/

Build a More Beautiful Blog

Web Design Trends - 2006 was rich on creative, beautiful and unusual design concepts. We’ve seen a lot of whitespace, many examples of readable and usable text-design, badges, stars, rounded corners, shapes, gradients, mirror and 3D-effects – just name it. Let’s take a close look at some of the most beautiful designs we’ve seen in 2006.

Web Design Trends for 2010

Web Design Trends for 2010