Historically, there has been some resistance among web designers toward building websites in an accessible manner. This resistance has arisen not due to a wish to discriminate against people who might benefit from accessible design, but rather from a fear that accessibility will limit designers’ options in how they create their sites. There’s also the fact that accessibility seems like it will add additional work, and most people have too much to do already.

For a long time, many people thought that accessible was a code word for an all text…

Some months ago I added a poll to my web site, and I was blown away by the increase in activity to the site as well as the number of people who were taking the poll in comparison to doing other activities on the site.

I suppose I shouldn’t have been so surprised because polls are hugely popular all around the web. Entire sites are dedicated to building and displaying polls, and numerous freeware, shareware, and low-cost technologies are available to implement them on your site.

Typically, you’ll want your polls to…

There is a big trend in using ornate background patterns in the last few years. Vintage patters are also making a comeback as well online as well as in home decorating if you happen to watch How Not to Decorate or Home Heist.
So as you can imagine you can use patterns and texture in a variety of ways in your designs, as well as offline in business cards and other marketing collateral.

So here are two sites to help you find a style to go with.

Pattern Head is a lot like iStockPhoto, but…

When the web began, few people knew what to do and where to put things. But as time marched on patterns evolved in how users reacted to our websites, and out of an analysis of that came discussion on usability and accessibility. In fact there are even standards enforced by government legislation to improve accessibility and usability for less able users. But what can you do to make your site more accessible, and more importantly why would you even care to?

Usability and accessibility matter simply because if people can’t navigate…

I was approached to design an identity for the city of London for use in a web and print-based newsletter for an ongoing project in the neighborhood I live in.

The project focused on revitalizing the area that had gained an undesirable reputation throughout the city for crime and poverty. Programs developed for youth and young parents hope to create a more positive environment and lose the stigma.

Through surveys conducted of residents, two major traits were found common; the Thames river and the parks and trails surrounding the community.

Initially I focused…