To understand Web design it is critical to understand design first and technology second.

What is Web Design? develops design principles that will be as relevant to future technological developments as they are today. While Web design is the most celebrated area of design it draws on many other areas, and by putting it in context this book makes Web design easier to understand. Technical platforms are lucidly discussed and illustrated, and the component elements of Web design are explained and contextualised.

What is Web Design? Looks objectively at the relationship between the designer, the client and the other people whose skills and input are key to the design process, and stresses the need for designers to understand and collaborate with these partners in the pursuit of a common goal. A good idea is only as good as its final implementation and getting to this point requires mastering many processes. What is Web Design? establishes basic principles and a step-by-step approach that will increase the chances of a project being successful.

The book concludes by telling the stories of ten design projects from the perspectives of the people involved in their commissioning, designing and engineering. Among the material includes are idea maps, sketches, flow charts, wireframes, design treatments, design ideas in development (and those that were rejected. Work by Trilogy, MetaDeign, Cooper, Visual I|O, Xymbio, Contempt and Organic.

good practices to improve chances of success
A nice book that rises above the technical aspects of coding a website. It places design as the primary consideration. Accompanied by numerous screen shots and analyses of existing websites that are good pedagogic examples.

Macdonald recommends that designers and programmers work closely. So that designers have a good idea of what the technology can do. Also, web projects should still have frequent meetings of all concerned parties. He also mentions what types of shared physical or virtual workspaces might be helpful.

These and other practices mentioned in the text can greatly improve the odds of a successful website.

Simple title, sophisticated discussion
Macdonald has assembled the best compilation of how designers have approached web projects. In contrast to most books, it does not offer simple rules or critiques, but shows many facets of real projects to illustrate what needs to be considered and ways to approach good design. The book is richly illustrated, which in itself provides wonderful material to contemplate. This book looks at the web from a design perspective, not simply typography and layout, branding, or usability, but the whole spectrum of design. Even though I’m familar with all the topics the book covers, I have learned much from the discussions, which are always original.