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.
2. 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)
3. 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
5. 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
7. WEB TECH IS VERY PRACTICAL FOR
RESPONSIVE DESIGN MOCKUPS
8. 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
9. WE NEED TWO THINGS TO REPLACE
PHOTOSHOP FOR COMPS
12. STYLE GUIDES: THE GOOD
No measuring
State and breakpoint changes can be included
Useful for future designers, devs & others
Design consistency and maintainability
23. 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
38. 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!)
39. SMACSS
MAKE CSS MORE MODULAR WITH…
A LUMBERJACK.
40. 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.
41. 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.
42. 3 Write your guide and use Jinja templates
Use simple Markdown links to screenshots. Note the filenames you use.
43. 4 Script your screenshots with CasperJS
Keep things easy by adding a new casper.then() for each screenshot. Code brevity is not the goal.
44. 5 Mark the CSS you want to export
An export ends when another starts, or with @end.
45. 6 Run Dexy
Wow, that command line stuff is hard.