After spending a frustrating day yesterday working with a client, their web site overload issues, and the hosting “advanced support” I am worn out. The issue: extremely high traffic database driven web site - when moved into the production environment on a dedicated server - would spike the processors’ load to 100% and would then need to be restarted. I got called to help solve the problem. The “advanced support” blamed it on the CMS and that is where I stepped in. The first thing I wanted to see were the server logs. (Apache and MySQL to start) After a long and frustrating time on the phone with the “advanced support” they were finally convinced I knew what I was talking about and gave me shell access to the server so I could tail (tail -f logname_log) the log in order to see what kind of error messages were generated. Mind you - my client had been dealing with the “advanced support” for two days at this point and not once did they look at the log files. Within a few seconds I was able to see the errors that were causing Apache and … [more]

I have been busy working on an excited project that uses some pretty complicated layouts. I was originally hired to optimize and clean up the XHTML/CSS so it would work in IE 6, IE 7, Safari, and Firefox, but now am busy working on producing the clean XHTML/CSS from the start. I needed to brush up on my understanding of how z-indexes work, and I found an excellent tutorial that I wanted to share: Understanding CSS z-index.

When every hour you spend impacts your bottom line, I have learned a few tricks to working smarter.

Do not be a slave to email. When I am working on projects, email can be a continuous distraction. “I will just see what x client wants really quick” can easily turn into a mental distraction as I try and work out the issue. Worse, I will drop everything that I am working on to address the issue. In the past few months I have learned to focus on one task or a group of tasks at a time, then break, check email, and move onto the next task or group of tasks. I also pick an hour or two to just focus on answering email messages. This allows me to stay focused and get tasks completed and off my plate.
Pick a work schedule and stick to it. Start work and end work at a reasonable and consistent time. If I know I will work from 8am-4pm, I can budget my work and play time accordingly. I may not want to always work at 8am, but I know I do not want to work … [more]

Yesterday I finally broke down and bought Parallels and Windows XP to run on my MacBook Pro so I could do my CSS debugging and testing on IE 6 and IE 7 for Windows. After the ridiculously long Windows install and then security updates (74), I was pleasantly surprised with the speed and performance of Windows and IE within Parallels. I was quickly able view all my work in a Windows environment while also using my Mac browsers at the same time. This is awesome and I am quite excited to have this as an option.

If you do not have a lot of time or experience with CSS, here are some quick ways to save yourself headaches down the road. If you have read my blog before, this is nothing new, but I cannot stress these points enough.

Validate your code. By simply validating your code, you can learn a lot about CSS, as well as find picky errors which might wreak havoc on your code (missing closing bracket, etc).
Look at your site in more than one browser. I have been a part of several projects that have been built to “look ok in Firefox” but are a disaster in Safari and IE. Usually if you check your work in two browsers (IE and Firefox) or even just Safari and Firefox (for the more advanced developers that are aware of IE issues) you will save much frustration later.
Look at your changes often. I will generally make small changes, then check out the changes in IE, Safari, and Firefox. If all looks good, I move on. If not, I at least know the problem lies in a small chunk of code.
Use background colors to troubleshoot. In … [more]

If you have thought it through and tried to make small changes but you are still unhappy with your site, here are some things to consider:

Existing successful web sites. The first thing that I do as a web developer/consultant is ask my clients to list three-five web sites they like and find easy to navigate. This not only makes them think about what they consider good practices, it also helps me to create a “best of the best” web site for them based on real usable web sites and not abstract design thoughts.
Color/Branding. I also ask to see their letterhead, logo, or anything else the individual or company uses. I feel it is very important for companies to set a consistent and professional tone for their users and visitors. Brand recognition is key in most markets. There are a number of web sites that can help you choose a good color palette - use them. (Adobe Kuler is a good example)
Purpose. I recommend really thinking about what users are looking for when they come to your web site. If your site’s purpose is to provide information to the users, … [more]

I have had a number of people ask me to help them with their web site redesigns/re-development because they are unhappy with how their current site looks. Usually I hear one of two comments:

“I have been using this design for x years and I need a complete redesign.”
“X in the company is complaining he cannot find anything on our web site.”

What most people fail to realize is that there are a lot of ways to revive aging web sites that are quick and easy - and best of all - do not require the users to completely relearn an interface. Successful web sites are successful, not because they constantly change, but because they constantly improve and build on their existing layout - and there is a big difference.

Two successful web sites in my opinion:

Amazon
Apple

Why are these web sites successful? They have a strong foundation (navigation, general layout, content placement) and instead of doing complete redesigns, they have made tweaks, added new features, and addressed any problem areas over time. When users go to either of these web sites they know exactly what to expect - and users like that. … [more]