I have seen several posts over the past few days regarding template designs which are not working in IE or Firefox, or don't line up etc.

What stands out is that none of these sites have content yet, they are just designs. This is not the right way to begin a site development!

The first thing you should be doing is getting your content structure in order. How are level headings going to be used, where is my navigation list going to go, do I want forms? Have I got any table based data.

Even on a dynamic site getting content structure is important. Even if you have to create some test data, get it up and get is semantically marked.

You should know the following before you even decide the colour of your site:

• How many levels of heading is each page going to have
• Where in the content stream will navigation go
• How many sections is the page going to have e.g. header, main, footer, navigation etc.

Once you have all your content marked up, then and only then should you start writing your CSS sheet, start by adding block color, logo images and background images to your current sections.

If you decide to opt for a more complex design then start wrapping your content in divs and spans, keep this logical and minimal, if you need an example of how to do this check out CSS Zen Garden, while the markup is sometimes more than needed it is still strict and readable.

As you start adding CSS check every step in both browsers to help see where and when any changes take place.

Javascript

So you want to use some AJAX? Maybe have a few interactive sections?? No problem, but first, is your site functional without it? Can I do everything I want to do without Javascript? I can? Great!

Go ahead and start adding some nice javascript, make sure you don't touch the html, if you have to touch the html to get something working it isn't good JavaScript. All of it should be done in the javascript, no inline events. This can be hell to get working in all browsers, but your going to check for that arn't you?

Flash

Not enough power in javascript, want a more "flash" display? No problem but make sure it is in addition to the content already there.

The Aim

I should be able to use your site without looking at an image, javascript or flash file. All I should see is text. Of course if your site is an image gallery or likewise application then a few exceptions apply.

Jamie

Jamie I agree. I overlap some of these divisions between tasks a little depending on the nature of the project, but I'm amazed too by people who design without any idea of the business goals or what content will be on the site.

Most of the time for me in developing a new site is the planning that goes into it. Once I have that set the design and development tend to go quickly.

I agree, Jamie, but it's not always that easy.

I'm quite often given a logo and expected to come up with a design off the logo...so I usually just "square it in". You're right though...it would be ideal to have the content first.

Me too.. 'make it look like my logo' is something I hear frequently.

My page structure is fairly consistent as is my navigation, but that's the nature of the types of sites I build. It's very rare for me to have content before I work up the page structure though. I go from design to code - but I almost always have structure worked out, if only in my head, before I start anyway.

This IS a good starting point for newbies who haven't worked out a process yet. I've been at this a long time though and I've developed my own process.

I hate having to start with a design because I feel it cheapens the content. Mock-ups and concept art are fine, but I always like to start with a plain text view of the site and design the CSS around it. This way if the design changes, only my style sheet is altered.

It also means that I can prototype a few different designs site-wide with just a change of style sheet, which is really useful in demo scenarios.

However, I do have to accept that most of the world hasn't yet grabbed onto the idea of content before style. All I can do is push it to my clients and hope that others do the same.

Jamie

Jamie, that's a great idea in theory...but like a lot of things in theory, reality sets in. Content arrives in bits and pieces and you have to have a site ready 5 minutes ago once you get it; most of the time the client hasn't even thought about it; they change their minds about content, etc.

I'm not trying to criticize your post, either. If you can convince your clients to come up with the content first and then you can plan your design around it, then that's the way to go. But that's a 50/50 if at the best of times, and sometimes you have to go with next to nothing.

I even had to plan a site around a photograph once. Not a logo. A photograph. It's no longer online, but I did it (it was for a not-for-profit that closed its doors a year later.)

Wow a photograph, now that must have been great fun.

Whats that quote "In theory, theory and practice are the same. In practice they are not" And yeah, web developing would be so much easier without clients

Jamie

LMAO!

I've never heard that before, but dammit I like it.

Ladies and gentlemen, I believe Jamie is WMT's newest SUPAHSTAH! All hail his Teen Prodigy...ness...issism...well, his brains, the kid's smart.

That is a good quote. Nice blog you have there too Jamie. I see Adam has already been and commented too.