It's hard to believe spring quarter is already coming to an end... It seems like yesterday I was sitting down to write my first blog entry. As I reflect on my experience in Comm 350, I realize not only how much I've learned, but how useful these new skills will be in the future!

     Besides website building, the experience I'd like to emphasize most is with Adobe InDesign. This program allows you to create anything from personalized business cards to brochures. I was so impressed with the features of the program and was surprised how easy it was to learn. Amazingly, Adobe has an entire website devoted to InDesign tutorials which can be found at InDesign Tutorials. 

     With technology progressing faster than ever, almost everything has a website nowadays. And a great way to link a printed publication like a flyer or brochure back to a website, is to include a QR code. Here is an easy-to-follow video on how to create a QR code in InDesign.

 

     From an earlier assignment, we were required to research and become a member of a new social media platform. I chose LinkedIn because it is a great way to make business connections and find possible career opportunities. As soon as I joined, I received a flood of "friend requests" which also filled up my email inbox... In all honesty, I haven't spent any time on LinkedIn since I created my profile, but when the time comes to find a job, I'm sure I'll get familiar with the site. 

     As for blogging, I have had a great experience sharing what I have learned this quarter. Blogger.com is incredibly easy to use, and I love the simplicity of the website. Until I find something I'm truly passionate about, I'm not so sure I have the time or patience to maintain a blog. I do however understand why so many people have blogs. It's an awesome way to share knowledge and experiences, or to just speak your mind. 

    Until we meet again, cheers!

    

TOP 10 RULES OF WEBSITE DESIGN

     

     As I begin to build my personal website in Comm 350, it's imperative that I consider the "dos & don'ts" of website design. From my research, I found a couple great websites from which I will compound my own list of the top 10 rules I believe are the most important to web design. Click on the numbers to visit the original website and to view other important rules I haven't mentioned.

 

10) Simple is beautiful
     Cramming too much into each page creates confusion. I get so frustrated when a website is overly complex and busy. By keeping your pages simple, your website will be easier to use.

9) Navigation should be intuitive

     There are few things more frustrating than not being able to find certain content on a website. Pages should be well-organized and links should be clear so that visitors can easily browse through the different sections on your website. 

8) Consistency is key

     Visitors shouldn't feel like they are visiting a new website each time they open a new page on your site. Unless it is intentional, keep the theme and overall layout consistent among your different pages and visitors will feel much more comfortable exploring your site.

7) Colors are crucial

     Color selection can make or break a website. Most of us have visited websites that are simply painful to look at. When deciding which colors to use, stay away from colors that clash, but also make sure you have sufficient contrast between the background and the elements on your pages.

6) Eliminate Clutter

     Another common mistake that many people make is placing as much content as they can, on one page. Often, many people place so much information together that the visitor has an information overload. If a page seems to have too much information, try to categorize that info and organize another page under a different name.

5)  Website should work on multiple browsers

     Gone are the days where the only Internet browser that everybody used was Netscape. Today, there are various Internet browsers that people prefer to use like Internet Explorer, Firefox, Safari or Google Chrome. Test your website on other browsers so you can find errors yourself instead of receiving complaints from visitors.

4) Website should be easy to find/look up/search for 

     Due to the fact that there are millions of websites on the Internet, it becomes important for you to ensure that your website ranks high in search engine results and is easy to find. Having keywords on your website that strongly relate to your website's purpose will increase the chances of people finding it when they search for those keywords on a search engine.

3)  URL should be easy to remember

     One of the most common mistakes in website design is choosing an improper domain name. Your domain name should be easy to remember and easy to spell. Period.

2)  Have a clear indication of where the user is

     The website’s visitor should always have a clear indication of which site page they are on and how they got there. Have the title of each page defined and clearly visible.

1)  Don't forget the content

     So your website finally looks professional, but it is no more than an empty shell without content. A good website has both great design and great content. Therefore, make sure all your pages have unique, original content that makes them worth visiting, and that all your information is reliable and truthful.

    To find more information about website design, feel free to visit the two websites I used in my research at clubrunner.ca and sharpened.com

     A couple weeks ago in my Comm 350 class we discussed the basic design principles that apply to anything from creating your own website, to making homemade Christmas cards. These days we see acronyms all over the place, and when it comes to design, we're blessed with a very memorable and intriguing one known as C.R.A.P. It stands for Contrast, Repetition, Alignment, and Proximity. So the next time someone tells you something you've made looks like crap, take it as a compliment!

     Contrast may refer to any difference of size, shape, or color used to distinguish text or other elements. A good example for the use of contrast can be seen at chubbiesshorts.com. Here is what you'll see when you visit their home page:

   
     Repetition in your text can be bad, but repetition of your design elements is not only good but necessary. A site that does an extensive amount of repetition is reddit.com. You can see below how the site uses the same font, font size, and color to distinguish the titles of each article.

 

     

     Alignment is not only crucial to the appearance of a website or document, but also helps the viewer with navigation and understanding. As you can see at Netflix.com, the site aligns movies horizontally to allow it's customers to easily scroll through movie titles.

     Last but not least is proximity. Pieces of information that are meant to complement each other should be near each other. A great example of proximity is nationalgeographic.com's use of images next to their related article headers.

     

     For more information and tips on the principles or C.R.A.P, visit lifehack.org!

    Today I joined the world of LinkedIn, a social networking site designed specifically for the business community. I chose to do so because with only one more year of college left, the time for me to find a job is quickly approaching, and LinkedIn is a great way to make connections and discover some awesome career opportunities. Since the site was so new to me, I also did some research and found some useful information and personal reviews. Like most social networking websites, LinkedIn requires you to create a profile and encourages its users to include everything from education to volunteering history. The greatest tip I found was to include all programs you are experienced with because it makes your profile much more attractive to employers. More helpful tips can be found here: The Beginner's guide to LinkedIn

     Despite some bad reviews I found here, and frustration that LinkedIn is "for employers to violate every elementary privacy rule when they pay for a premium or professional account," I think the site could really benefit the majority of people who join. I often hear people say "it's not what you know, but who you know," when giving career advice,  and LinkedIn serves as an opportunity to make those important connections!



     Employers in today's world actively seek employees who possess extensive knowledge in a whole handful of computer programs. An incredibly useful one to know is called InDesign, by Adobe. This program allows users to create everything from books and magazines, to posters and flyers! And if you're like me, (pretty inexperienced so far), I found out that Adobe has some awesome tutorials for free at Adobe InDesign CC!

     I also found this beginner's guide video to be super helpful!

Link to the video can be found here

     

And once you've started using the program and want some fun practice, try watching the following video on how to create your own Magazine cover!

Link to the video can be found here

     One of my favorite things about InDesign CS6 is how easy it is to go back and forth from Adobe Photoshop. Adobe made some considerable updates on CS6 which can be found at InDesign Secrets! 

I hope you find this information useful, readers! Now it's time to grab myself a cold one.. Cheers!

Welcome to my Blog!

    My name is Bjorn Thorpe and I am currently a third-year student at Western Washington University in Bellingham, Washington. This is my first time exploring the waters of blogging, and I'm excited to set sail and learn more about the world, and myself by expressing my thoughts and ideas on certain topics. I never would have thought I'd get into the world of blogging, but thanks to my Comm 350 class, here I am!

    Today, I will be discussing three different topics that have become extremely important for people who may be trying to promote themselves in the technological world, or who want to successfully advertise themselves for future career opportunities. They are: Blogging, Photoshop, and Personal Branding!

    I'd like to start off with Blogging, because it is very new to me, and I am learning more and more as I read into what makes a good blog. After some quick research, I came across an awesome website containing the top 16 beginner tips from expert bloggers! My favorite tip was #14, from social media manager, entrepreneur, and blogger, Aaron Lee, who advises you to "Be yourself." Unless you are writing as a fictional persona, I believe staying true to yourself  is incredibly important, and your blog should reflect that.

Here is the link to the top 16 blogging tips for beginners:

https://blog.bufferapp.com/blogging-advice-for-beginners-from-16-experts

    Next is Photoshop. Back in high school, I took a photoshop class for a semester and absolutely loved it.. Mostly because I spent most of my time distorting the faces of my friends! But as I've come to find out, the program can be used to create anything you can imagine, and is definitely a handy skill to have! The following videos are photoshop tutorials I enjoyed greatly:

    Last, but certainly not least, is Personal Branding. At first, I thought personal branding was only for people who owned businesses or who had already made it in the real world, but sure enough, solidifying who you are and what you're good at before you find a job is quite possibly the best thing you can do for yourself! From facebook to creating a free blog such as this, branding yourself is now easier than ever! Here is a link to a website I found extremely helpful in building my own personal image through social media and technology:

http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/243079

Thank you for taking the time to read my first blog post and I hope you find the sources I mentioned both interesting and helpful!

Until next time readers...