Max Riffner

The Parlor

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Building Forms

I’ve been designing mockups for a new web application/service for the day job’s website. This is the fun part for me. After all the business logic has been defined (which are painful meetings, but worth it when you actually have to build the thing), I usually receive a bare bones mockup on paper. From there, I start building basic HTML mockups which will later get incorporated into the site development. Normally, this sort of development is back-asswards, but since we’ve already planned it all on paper, we know how it integrates with everything. Getting it to production is now just filling in the blanks, so to speak. One of the blanks is what will it look like: enter, me.

I have to admit, explaining the zen-like nature of building HTML forms and accounting for usability with color choices and placement would put most people out on the floor snoring in a minute. However weird it is, I get a kick out of it. It is fun to make something attractive and useful for others.

Some career counselor would probably read the above and think I’d be good at ceramics. Not so, silly counselor, I almost failed ceramics. I built ugly cups that could “break Granny’s wrists,” as my professor told me once.

The lesson of all this: I may be able to get your information filled out faster and intuitively, but don’t count on me for earthenware. Ever.

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