Web design takes as long as you give it

The time it takes to design a web site can vary hugely. The main reason for this is that design is so subjective:

• everyone has an opinion
• something can always be improved
• there is an infinite number of possible solutions - how do you know the right one?
• the more you look at it, your perspective changes!

While I really enjoy diving into a design project, sometimes I can find it extremely hard to stop designing!

I think that those endless projects have been those where I've not been clear what I've been doing. In other words, when I don't know what my goal is.

(Note: "Designing a nice web site" is NOT a goal! It's an activity, and activities can go on for ever...)

You can only achieve what you aim for.

If you don't know what your goal is in very clear terms, how do you know when you've achieved it?

What is a goal?

A goal is a state, not an activity. You create your own vision, so when you focus on activity (like 'designing a nice web site'), that's what you'll get - lots of activity!

When you focus on your end point, that's where you'll get. When you focus on the path, that's where you'll stay.

A goal should be described in the present tense, such as: "This site is complete. It communicates a compelling message of capability and expertise."

How to evaluate your work

The act of designing places you too close to be able to analyse your output with objective clarity. In my opinion, developing this skill is the most important differenting factor for any successful designer or creative worker.

The best way to evaluate a web design is - Get someone else to do it. (Or, develop a split personality.)

Failing that, these steps will help:

• Do it from fresh - take regular breaks from a job, and come back to it with fresh eyes
• Ask: "What did I miss? What's hard to look at? What draws my eye?"
• Trust your first reactions: write down action points without being tempted to dive in and fix anything.
• Then, do exactly what you've written down, as quickly as possible, without re-thinking.
• Repeat (from fresh).. In the meantime, maybe work on something else, say another page or section of the site.