Great Web Architecture (... Secrets (IDG)) [Paperback]

Clay Andres (Author), Serena Herr (Foreword)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0764532464 | ISBN-13: 978-0764532467 | Publication Date: September 29, 1999 | Edition: 1

Learn from the pros! Illustrated throughout with full-color images of top sites -- including those of Starbucks, Purina, the Getty Center, Salon Magazine, and Carnegie Hall -- this hands-on guide is your blueprint for successful Web architecture. Each chapter explores a different secret, from building a hierarchy and mapping links to developing vivid themes and planning for expansion. Drawing on interviews with top Web architects, author Clay Andres shows you how to construct easy-to-navigate, aesthetically pleasing sites that elegantly project your identity while solving real-world business challenges.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

While some books on general Web site design focus on particular technologies and others on one-size-fits-all rules, Great Web Architecture offers a fascinating examination of the structural designs of some of the Web's best sites and how they solve key design challenges. Author and graphic designer Clay Andres has created a highly engaging and truly instructive guide.

Andres's technique is simple: identify the major decision points in site design and examine closely those sites that overcome particular obstacles or illustrate concepts. He highlights sites from Starbucks, Purina, The Getty Center, Salon Magazine, Specialized, and many others--all excellent case studies. The pages of this book are packed with small format screen shots and step-by-step analysis of how the site in question is constructed and why. These examinations are supplemented with a number of interviews with the site developers to add a first-hand perspective.

This book is notable not only for its fine selection of sites but also for its practical advice. For example, Andres illustrates the benefits of cascading style sheets (CSS) but also explains frankly why they are not as widely used as you might expect. The book wraps up with lengthy responses to survey questions posed to the featured developers. Great Web Architecture is bound to capture the attention of aspiring designers and improve their techniques. --Stephen W. Plain

Topics covered: Page hierarchies, site flow, graphic design, text techniques, branding, delivering information, e-commerce store design, multimedia integration.

From the Back Cover

"Clay's writing is clear and engaging. He helps people make sense of complex topics." —Pamela Pfiffner, Vice President of Internet Content, Extensis Corp.

Top Web architects reveal proven techniques for msmart and effective sites

GREAT WEB ARCHITECTURE
LEARN FROM THE PROS! Drawing on interviews with top Web architects, author Clay Andres shows how to construct easy-to-navigate, aesthetically pleasing sites that elegantly project your identity while solving real-world business challenges. Each chapter explores a different secret, from building a hierarchy and mapping links to developing vivid themes and planning for expansion. Illustrated throughout with full-color images of top sites &mdash including those of Starbucks, Purina, the Getty Center, Salon magazine, and Carnegie Hall — this hands-on guide is your blueprint for successful Web architecture.

Companion Web site includes:

• All artwork and sample pages in the book
• Links to sites described in the book
• Updated information and sample code for Dynamic HTML, JavaScript, and Cascading Style Sheets

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 217 pages
• Publisher: Wiley; 1 edition (September 29, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0764532464
• ISBN-13: 978-0764532467
• Product Dimensions: 10 x 8 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.7 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 2.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,455,275 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

29 of 34 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Should Be a Part of Every Web Designer's Library, January 18, 2000

By 

Karen LaPlante (Oklahoma) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Great Web Architecture (... Secrets (IDG)) (Paperback)

Real world solutions to the challenges every Web designer faces when developing an efficient, user-friendly navigation system. Great color illustrations support the text, plus excellent insight into the thought processes that should be a part of the site development process. This book has a lot to offer the new, as well as seasoned, Web professional not just from an organizational/navigation standpoint, but also in the development of graphical themes and color schemes that add visual interest and identity. The only downside I found is a number of the sites used as examples in the book have already changed, so it's difficult to go on-line and study some of the sample sites in-depth. But, then again, change is the nature of the Web.

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars First it hurts, then it makes you sick..., September 1, 2000

By 

franz (Portland, OR) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Great Web Architecture (... Secrets (IDG)) (Paperback)

This is quite possibly the worst book I've ever read in my life.

I didn't realize someone could create something so self-congratulatory that they lost any and all vision of contradiction. There are examples of 'great architecture', complete with content hierarchy diagrams, that were obviously poorly thought out, if thought about at all. Common problems like separating support and marketing information, or placing/labeling company wide information have no formal identification or treatment.

Essentially this is a tour of 'sexy' sites made in 1998 - which wasn't really that much of a break through year for usability or architecture. If you want to see what happened when a mass of CDROM designers started making websites - this is the read for you...

Personally, I stole this book from the office just to ensure that some producer wouldn't read it and take it seriously... It's that nonsensical.

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Not an architecture book, June 8, 2000

By 

J. Aurand (Rochester, ny USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Great Web Architecture (... Secrets (IDG)) (Paperback)

This is an incredibly disappointing book - all style no substance. I wonder if the author actually understands the basic concepts of web architecture.

This book provides a tour of some okay sites, and does point out a couple of nice features, but it doesn't go into any real architectural issues, either from an information or infrastructure standpoint.

It's ironic that Mr. Andres recognizes "Content is King" for web sites, but has failed to provide any real content for his book.