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Here are a few things I've learned which help shape my design philosophy.

  1. Figure out the purpose of the website before you begin - It may be hard to believe that anyone would attempt to have a website built without first understanding why they need it, but unfortunately it's true. Before you begin, give a lot of thought to who your targeted visitors are and what you want them to accomplish on your website and you'll be off to a good start.
  2. Plan. Plan. Plan. (just don't over plan) - The old adage "Measure twice, cut once" holds true for building websites just as well as it does for everything else in life. Once you know the purpose of your website, save yourself some headaches and plan everything out before you begin... Just don't take too long. The internet is dynamic by nature and therefore you have to get going or your target will move before you begin.
  3. Keep it short, and keep it relevant - The typical internet audience is hungry for information, but they are also very finicky. Give them small, tasty bites or they'll look elsewhere.
  4. Subtle details are highly visible - It sounds contradictory, but it's true. In general, using subtle details in your design is a great way to achieve a big visual impact, giving your site an extra depth that really makes a difference.