On Content and Design
May 7th, 2008 by Noel JacksonJeffrey started a very interesting conversation today. He said:
Content precedes design. Design in the absence of content is not design, it’s decoration.
[Zeldman.]
To me, design IS communication. It helps communicate ideas. It’s a supplement to content.
I find, the biggest problem when building anything, is the human urge to try and find, “the formula.”
As Zeldman noted in his comments: “content,” does not mean “having all the copy.”
Expanding on that: there is no guidebook or algorithim for 99% of the things you do in life, or 99% of the sites you design, but as humans we have a tendency to think there is one.
The real answer: do what works for your particular instance (whether that be a house, or a Web site). Practice makes perfect, and research makes practice (more) perfect. Conventions for everything exist, but a universal handbook does not.
I’ve learned to accept that great creations come from discovery and innovation, not a handbook or strict workflow. It would be easier if that weren’t true, which, I imagine, is why I perpetually see so many people searching for “the magic bullet.”
Next time you find yourself looking for a shortcut, algorithm, or “method to the madness”, stop, let go, and embrace the chaos; however hard it is to do so. Find your own way for each of your endeavors and revel in it.