This book came highly recommended by Biz Stone, author of "
Blogging"
-- I liked his book so much that I was compelled to take a look at this one. I read
it. Now I'm reading it again.
Molly's definition of "new" designer may not be what
you expected.
I have very mixed emotions about this book. On one hand it is fresh and persuading
-- in the style that Molly is known for. On the other hand I see gaps and lapses
in the portrayal of what good design is all about. It's certainly new and powerful.
But it's also troublesome -- to me at least.
It's easy to see why Biz Stone liked the book because it seems to put emphasis on many of the design practices used in today's "Blog" sites. Many of those are very handsomely deisgned -- while others fit nicely into Vincent Flanders' Web Pages That Suck.
Without a balance of technical skill and aesthetic instinct,
programmers can be severely limited in their abilities to improve web sites, and
designers may fall short of successfully making heavy markup changes. Even in a specialized
industry, those who are most empowered, most able to find good jobs and contacts,
and most able to adapt to our industry's rapid change, are those with diverse but
integrated skills.
This potent little guidebook shows the way toward developing
and refining those integrated skill sets, the ones that make you more valuable to
your clients, to your employer, to your partners, to whoever has a stake--and a say
in the success of--in your future.
In Integrated Web Design, Molly E. Holzschlag, one of the pioneers
of web development, aims both barrels of reality at her profession in a unique series
of discussions and tutorials that's long overdue, addressing:
* The state of the dualistic profession of web design/development (aka web building)
* Why the concept of integration is paramount to success
* What other leaders in the industry have to say about integrating your skills
* The nuts and bolts of working with logic and creativity as they apply to design
and technology:
* How to understand color, shape, space, and typographic design concepts from the
perspective of technology
* How to use markup, CSS, scripting, and multimedia from a design perspective
* How to become an innovative web builder and independent thinker in a rapidly changing
environment
So why am I troubled about this book?
As I read it, and go through the information, I must agree with
Molly's philosophies. However, I do not see the teachings reflected in many of the
sites she idolizes. I see examples used in the book as "good design"
that make me cringe at their lack of 'good design'. It's almost as if the author
is moving the reader away from good design rather than toward it. That's what puzzles
and troubles me.
If you're serious about broadening the scope of your design
sensibilities, then you need to get this book. While certain aspects of the book
bother me as a pragmatic designer -- there is certainly enough good information and
excellent teachings herein to make it a high recommendation.
Do us all a favor.
If you buy this book, and if you really read this book, please drop me a line
and share your opinions with the rest of us. I'm sure there will be many out there who agree and
disagree with my review.
Fred Showker
Integrated Web Design:
Building the New Breed of Designer
by Molly E. Holzschlag
List Price: $39.99
You Save: $12.00 (30%)
when you click here!
About the Author:
Most recently executive editor of WebReview, Molly Holzschlag
is also the creator of the award-winning design and development company Molly.Com
Inc, and is one of the most active authors and speakers on web design in the world.
One of the Top 25 Most Influential Women on the Web in 1998, she is renowned for
her advisory role in such conferences as WebShow 2000 and her multiple books and
articles on design and development.
* Integrated
Web Design: Building the New Breed of Designer - by Molly E. HolzschlagPaperback:
250 pages; Publisher: New Riders Publishing - 1st edition (September 16, 2002)
* from the Web Department. Keywords for this item are: Web:
Web design, Web development, html, shtml, gifs, jpgs, web graphics, layout, pages
-- You can find many other titles from this department here!
Thank you for visiting The Designers' Bookshelf at http://www.design-bookshelf.com
The Designers Bookshelf is sponsored in part by: the FOTOgraphic Department of The
Design & Publishing Center at http://www.graphic-design.com/Photographic/ and
DT&G Magazine at http://www.graphic-design.com/DTG/
Designers Bookshelf is an affiliate of The Graphic Design Network.
Other Affiliates include The Design & Publishing Center, News-Serve.net, Photo-Warehouse.com,
60-Seconds.com and The User Group Network. This is the ideal place to list your announcement
and/or news items.
Note: Please read " How
to list your Announcement " and LEGAL NOTICE documents. This file will alert you
to proprietary works that cannot be duplicated or distributed. - - Copyright 1994
- 1999 Showker Graphic Arts, for the The Design & Publishing Center , ALL RIGHTS
RESERVED. Publishers'
Warehouse is a trademark for Showker Graphic Arts &
Design, copyright 1987 - 99. Contents of Publishers'Warehouse Disks are copyright
1984 - 1997 by their various creators. Please pay shareware fees where indicated!
Thank you
