Datasheet

Gaining Some Perspective

The truth is that both methods have their strengths and weaknesses. Neither is inherently superior to the

other. In the hands of the right designer, either can be equally effective (or, in the hands of a less-talented

designer, ineffective) in a site’s design. Of course, the relative strengths of one approach can be debated ad

nauseam at the expense of the other’s faults —and as in most design communities, it is debated endlessly.

Rather than seeing either layout model as “The One True Path” of Web design, we would suggest that

the two models are tools. The true key to success in either method is applying it intelligently to your

work, with an overall sensitivity to the context of each element on your page. It’s not the relative width

of a design’s content area that makes for a successful site, but rather the thinking before and behind the

design that distinguishes it.

Summary

With this chapter, we’ve completed an overview of some of the highlights of a typical Web project. This

overview is far from exhaustive and, in fact, could be called a bit of a gloss. Entire tomes have been writ-

ten about project and client management, and we’ve dedicated only a few pages to it. However, we hope

that this sketch of an entire project lifecycle demonstrates that there is far more than well-coded style

sheets that make a site successful. In our experience, a successful project is rarely determined by process,

documentation, and deliverables as much as it is by good communication. If the designer and the client

make a concerted effort to work closely together throughout the project, then each will be more aware of

the other’s needs and expectations as both move toward meeting (and exceeding) the project’s goals.

So with a better understanding of a project lifecycle, we can now turn to two of the more critical compo-

nents of its design: XHTML and CSS. We’ll examine the relationship between these two important tech-

nologies, as well as discuss some tips for more effectively integrating them into your design workflow.

Chapter 1

03_588338 ch01.qxd 6/22/05 11:18 AM Page 28