Design Tips and Techniques are among the most helpful resouces available to graphic and Web designers. The design tips on Graphics IQ offer helpful hints on a variety of design practices, and are aimed at making designers more skilled and effective while saving time.
Design Tips and Techniques
Preventing online abandonments
Forrester Research offers these five tips for getting users to complete your online application processes.
Five steps to better shadows
Here are five tips for making the most of shadows in your graphic designs.
Four tips to a successful online holiday season
E-commerce application provider ATG lists four ways to ensure your site makes the most of the predicted holiday online spending surge.
Five steps to a more creative you
Try these five tips the next time you’re having trouble coming up with your next creative idea.
Why a densitometer?
Three reasons why screen printers should use densitometers.
Three steps to an ergonomically safe workplace
How to be proactive and ensure your workplace is safe.
Designing for color – on the cheap
Knowing the difference between spot and process color – both in function and price – can help you make better design choices.
Three common site design pitfalls
Don’t make these mistakes during your Web site design – or redesign – process.
Tips for tackling site flaws
Site redesigns get bogged down when all flaws are treated equally. These tips help you identify and remove the flaws that hurt the site, and your bottom line, the most.
Paper savings
Two strategies for using paper to cut your printing costs.
Printers’ alphabet soup explained
Here’s a brief look at CIP3, CIP4, PPF and JDF.
How to prep for the new IE browser
These workarounds ensure IE users can view interactive content as you intend — even after Microsoft changes its browser.
Sheetfed vs. web presses
Four features that determine which type press is best suited to your print job.
Three steps to records-retention compliance
Here are three inexpensive ways to ensure your company meets new regulatory requirements, such as Sarbanes-Oxley.
Three steps to better site navigation
Here are three easy ways to ensure users can navigate your site quickly and easily.
A P3P primer
Using P3P and clear privacy policies can help bolster online sales.
Browsers matter
Three ways to ensure all browser users enjoy your site equally.
Seven steps to better overall site design
The best sites on the Web follow these simple steps.
Flash and usability
8 dos and don’ts for making Flash usable.
Flash stats show most users can see your content
Flash reaches 97% of desktops worldwide.
Making type legible on the Web
7 typography guidelines for Web site design.
Hardware, screen resolution and bandwidth
3 factors you can’t control have a lot to do with the way your visitors interact with your site.
Visual design principles for Web Design
While none of the more interactive elements that are available for use online are inherently bad, problems arise when they are used just because they can be, rather than because they should be.
How to choose the right enterprise content management system
Forrester report says buyers need to focus on six criteria as the enterprise content management industry evolves.
Know your users checklist
Ask these questions to guide your Web development and design decisions.
Five usability principles for Web design
Guidelines to keep in mind when designing a site.
Beyond the banner
5 tips for maximizing rich media as an advertising vehicle.
5 types of rich media
Just a few of the rich media options to integrate into your online ad campaign.
Pop ups don’t have to annoy
Five tips for using pop up windows to facilitate your customer’s experience.
Archiving digital photos
These 9 tips will help you save your photos better and longer.
Image file checklist
How to avoid interrupted print jobs.
Digital images in slide presentations
Do’s and don’ts for adding images to slide presentations.
TIF, GIF, JPEG or PNG?
Our primer helps you know which file formats to use when.
Preparing images for the Web
Color space, contrast range and file size are of high importance when choosing and using photographs on the Web.
Quark and PDF
Printing a Quark file: Postscript vs. EPS.
Taking stock of your photos
Use this helpful resource to find a stock photography source that fits your needs–and your budget.
Bold and subtle: Image hue and saturation
You may be surprised to find that hue and saturation–not brightness–are the key to fixing your image’s color problems. The hue of an image is the actual color in question—Is it red, yellow, blue or a combination thereof
Prevent problems with your online forms
Five things that you can do to make sure that you aren’t losing any valuable data.
Intellectual property basics
Basic definitions of patent, copyright, trademark and more.
Making online forms user-friendly
Tips for choosing which HTML elements to use when creating online forms.
Five reasons to use Flash
Flash has seen its ups and downs, but with the release of FlashMX, the platform is now a stable, cross-platform solution for Web site development.
Six tips for creating a sticky site
It’s more important than ever for your site to entice eyeballs to stick.
Two quick color tips from your friendly imagesetter.
The following information will help you with setting up your project.
A rainbow of color choices
When deciding on what color to use, there are a variety of influences that you should keep in mind.
B2B design: The user comes first
When designing for a B2B audience, streamline the layout to improve customer satisfaction.
10 Tips for Managing Knowledge
Implementing a successful knowledge management infrastructure requires the following.
10 Commandments of Information Architecture
The 10 must-dos for making sure your Web site architecture works.
Avoid watermarking woes
Follow these pointers to make sure your images are watermarking-ready.
Helpful resources for using Linux
The free, open-source Linux operating system has much to offer Web designers.
Font vs. typeface
I know there is a difference between font and typeface… but I’m not sure exactly what that is.
Lacing up GIF Files
What is the difference between interlaced and noninterlaced GIF files?
Understanding usability
Some tips to get you started on creating usable Web sites that emphasize a quality user experience.
Design Tips and Techniques