Welcome to another book about web design! Well, actually, this one’s different. This book will also delve into the creative side of designing for theWeb, including a look at art history and some sources of inspiration for the intrepid web designer. In the main, we’ll be discussing the phases of the design process and how to incorporate them into your workflow. 

Some of these stages are tried-and-true, industry-strength sweet magic that the majority of designers use, even if they fail to realize it. We’ll talk about these stages in great detail because they’re going to be your bread and butter as a web designer. Much of what a web designer does is industry-specific and requires a great deal of technical knowledge (so you’ll need to know some HTML), but the process is far more important as the vehicle that allows us to complete complex tasks without pulling out our hair. 

Each step of the design process laid out in this book is something that you can adopt, change, or ignore. I personally believe that designers should work in whatever way best suits their skills. Some prefer to work in the browser with HTML and CSS. Others use Fireworks and create their wireframes and designs in the same project document. Some designers sketch thumbnails, while others don’t. 

I want you to be able to communicate your ideas, so that you can interact effectively with clients and the rest of your team. What I don’t want is for you to treat this book as a step-by-step guide for how to be an “awesome-sauce” designer. You already have the awesome sauce. I’m just here to talk about the details. 

I hope you enjoy the book, that you learn something new, and that you continue to grow as a designer. Many people have helped me reach this point. My only desire is to give something back.