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A slightly modified version of the talk I first presented at Smashing Conference, now presented at Fronteers 2012. (http://fronteers.nl/congres/2012) Use of image editors for creating web design mockups has worked until now, but responsive design is forcing us to find alternatives, as we can't simply create more mockups as we design for more screens. Have no fear, there is at least one method of replacing Photoshop for web design. Let's take a look at one of the most important aspects of this method: the creation of clear, semi-automated, self-updating style guides.
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STYLE GUIDES ARE THE NEW PHOTOSHOPSTEPHEN HAY @ FRONTEERS 2012
DESIGNING IN THE BROWSER
Demonstrating our designs to clients as XHTML/CSS pages rather than as static Photoshop or Fireworks has streamlined our workflow and helped us to set and manage a client’s expectations better than ever before.
Andy Clarke, “Time to stop showing clients static design visuals” (2008)
WALLS COME TUMBLING DOWN (2009)
Coming up with new and better workflows
Designing in the browser
Learning to live with constraints
Designing systems, rather than sites
PHOTOSHOP IS IMPRACTICAL FOR RESPONSIVE DESIGN MOCKUPS
PROBLEMS WITH “PHOTOSHOP” COMPS
Design changes are time-consuming
Too much manual work
The image editor is a dependency
Responsive design implies multiple and flexible layouts
REALITY(Screenshots by Adobe Edge Inspect)
WEB TECH IS VERY PRACTICAL FOR RESPONSIVE DESIGN MOCKUPS
WEB-BASED COMPS: THE GOOD
Doesn’t need to take much longer than Photoshop
Automate trivial tasks
Realistic presentation / real-life rendering
State changes are easily visualized
Free and open: everyone has a browser & editor
No negative surprises for the client
Possible prep for development
They can be responsive
WE NEED TWO THINGS TO REPLACE PHOTOSHOP FOR COMPS
1. Static Web-based Comps
2. Style Guides
STYLE GUIDES
STYLE GUIDES: THE GOOD
No measuring
State and breakpoint changes can be included
Useful for future designers, devs & others
Design consistency and maintainability
STYLE GUIDES IN THE WILDApple Identity Guidelines
STYLE GUIDES IN THE WILDBBC GEL
ANNA DEBENHAM’S COLLECTIONSTYLE GUIDES, PATTERN LIBRARIES & TOOLS TO CREATE THEM
http://gim.ie/fZyK
MY WEB STYLE GUIDE WISHLIST
Free-form writable
Taking screenshots should be automated
Update code snippets automatically when mockup code changes
Update screenshots automatically when something changes
Elements/modules should not have to be physically split into separate files
Syntax highlighting for code
AM I TOO DEMANDING?
Free-form writable
Automated screenshot-taking
Update code snippets automatically
Update screenshots automatically
No separate files for code snippets
Syntax highlighting
I COULD NOT FIND A SINGLE TOOL TO DO THIS
Sporfhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sporf
Free-form writingDEXY + PANDOC (OR MARKDOWN) FILTER
http://www.dexy.it/
Taking screenshotsPHANTOM.JS + CASPER.JS
http://phantomjs.org/
http://casperjs.org/
Code & screenshot updatingJINJA TEMPLATES + DEXY’S IDIOPIDAE FILTER
Syntax highlightingDEXY’S PYGMENTS FILTER
THECOMMANDLINE
http://www.flickr.com/photos/evdaimon/337754011/
hi.
Web-based mockup Style guideStyle guide content in Markdown
HTML CSS SCREEN CODEscreenshots taken, code snippets extracted
How this works
STEPS
1 Create a web-based mockup
Use HTML, CSS & when necessary, JavaScript
Your goal is to represent the design in the browser
Your goal is not to create production code
Your CSS should be modular (it will end up in your style guide!)
SMACSS
MAKE CSS MORE MODULAR WITH…A LUMBERJACK.
2 Install Dexy & any dependencies
If you’re a designer and can’t do it alone, ask a developer’s help.
Before you ask for help, try going to the sites and following the instructions as best you can.
2 Install PhantomJS & CasperJS
If you’re a designer and can’t do it alone, ask a developer’s help.
Before you ask for help, try going to the sites and following the instructions as best you can.
3 Write your guide and use Jinja templates
Use simple Markdown links to screenshots. Note the filenames you use.
4 Script your screenshots with CasperJS
Keep things easy by adding a new casper.then() for each screenshot. Code brevity is not the goal.
5 Mark the CSS you want to export
An export ends when another starts, or with @end.
6 Run Dexy
Wow, that command line stuff is hard.
DONE
Changes in design? Run dexy again.
Well, okay. In some cases you might want to do dexy cleanup followed by dexy setup and then dexy.
Demo
This is not without a learning curve.But what is?
Choose what works for you.
Hopefully something here will inspire you to find your own way. Experiment!
These are new times.The problems we have with responsive workflow should encourage us to examine
and evaluate our processes and tools.
Have fun.Make great stuff.
KEEP LEARNING.
Thanks!@stephenhay
Special thanks to Ana Nelson
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