When to Design in the Browser (& When Not To)
By Joshua on February 03 2010
Thanks to their excellent articles in 24 Ways, Meagan Fisher and Andy Clarke have kicked off another round of controversy about designing in the browser. While many web designers are excited about this "new" way of working, others seem to fear an invasion of blocky, boring sites will result.
Though I prefer working in the browser, the truth is that designing in Photoshop is also a good way to work, depending on the sort of design required and the skills of the designer. The only question is, which tool is best for the task at hand?
When to Design in the Browser
- When you're proficient with HTML & CSS
- When you're not that great with Photoshop
- When the site is interaction focused
- When the site is type-based
- When you don't need identical experiences across browsers
- When you can design in an agile/iterative fashion
When Not To
- When you're a Photoshop ninja
- When you're not that great with HTML & CSS
- When the site is graphics-heavy
- When you're aiming for identical experiences across browsers
- When the design is part of a waterfall process
Of course, this list isn't exhaustive, but hopefully it will help you figure out the best approach for your next project.
What's your experience with designing in the browser? What do you like or dislike about it?
What our readers said
As one who designs from sketching and Photoshop first, it is a hard pill to swallow that someone would design in the browser first, but I realize this is an option that some can do very well. I find to design a great website the use of sketches, Photoshop, and the browser (in that order) gives me the best chance. I think both waterfall and agile methods work in my web design process. Using these two process methods can and does work together when practiced. Just my two cents. :-))