960 Grid System layout tools and code sure to save design & development time
Nathan Smith has launched 960.gs, a very promising framework and design toolset for layout using CSS. Besides a great foundation of code for implementing a flexible grid system, he’s created accompanying templates for sketching preliminary designs on paper and wireframing detailed designs in Visio, OmniGraffle, Fireworks, and/or Photoshop. As with any Nathan Smith endeavor, this kit is very well thought-out and executed. He’s considered many details and implemented them thoroughly.
If you’re looking to cut down development time while sketching, wireframing, or coding hi-fi prototypes in HTML, Nathan’s work in the 960.gs is sure to be a great starting point.
Read more about the whys and hows in Nathan’s explanatory post on sonspring.com, and download the framework (only 180KB for all the tools, only 4KB of actual code code compressed) at 960.gs,
Spring MIS 374 Lecture
I was thrilled that Sharon Dunn asked me to visit the 40 Acres to lecture the Spring MIS 374 class on High-Fidelity Prototypes again. The talk was basically the same as the one I delivered in the Fall, so I won’t waste disk space or bandwidth in posting a re-run. While the students didn’t have as many questions during the talk, there were several after class and many more through email.
I really enjoy sharing this talk and am considering working up a few others based on the questions that have come up after. I sure hope Eleanor and Sharon will have me back again next year.
My Old School
I was thrilled back in August when Eleanor Jordan, my former professor now Professor Emeritus at UT Austin asked me to come speak to her class about high fidelity prototyping. “MIS 374 – Business Systems Development” is the capstone class for MIS undergrads. The students learn project methodology concepts and test everything they’ve learned in the 4-year program on teams to complete real-world projects for Austin-area clients.
Last Monday (10/22/2007) I drove down to Austin for the day to share a slightly modified version of the high fidelity prototyping talk I gave just over a year ago at Refresh Dallas. The class was great. They were very receptive and had great questions during and after the presentation. Unfortunately, our time was cut about 15 minutes short by a “non-specific” bomb-threat, but we got through most of the presentation and several students stayed after to chat while UTPD scanned the building.
I enjoyed the experience and will be happy to go down any time they’ll have me again.
The presentation and pre-class notes are available on the Downloads page.
