woot.
Complete graphics overhaul coming up. No more of this blah blah blah boring server side coding to be done. For the next three weeks we are focusing almost exclusively on making the app and the website look better. Photoshop + XHTML + CSS + jQuery (more commonly known as the Devil) all day every day. It’s interesting, the majority of the work that has to be done for this product will never be actually SEEN by the end user (tough cookies, Scott). On the same design note, we’re possibly taking on a co-founder this summer that will be focusing on design.
I keep thinking about a post by Dave Mcclure about the importance of design in consumer internet start ups. We really do need to put a lot more effort into making addicting user experiences if we want to be successful. I’m becoming more and more of a Dave fanboy as time goes on. I really like his writing style – very flow of conscious.
Final note: TechStars for a day. Holy bleeep. Nuff said.
Today…was a long day.
I spent probably 3 hours bouncing around between drawing and screwing around with html trying to do a mock-up for JUST THE LANDING PAGE. All I have to say is holy f*cking sh*t. Being less than proficient at both makes getting anything in the design realm done such a pain. So today I’ve made a pact with myself. I’m really going to jump head first into web design.
I might spend fifty to one hundred hours getting where I want with my web design skills. But in the long run, I’m going to save one thousand hours that are lost due to my #bigfail web design skills.
HTML and CSS aren’t really the problem. It’s photoshop. And learning how to integrate my HTML and CSS with the photoshop. Does anyone that does web design have any tips or tools they use that increase their productivity? Anyone use any great teaching tools that they would recommend? Open to any and all suggestions.
–EDIT–
Lol 50 to 100 hours to get pretty good at web design. Off by an order…or a magnitude? Probably a few of both #sadface.
Sorry this is only Seth Godin-esk in length but I’ve got to tell the masses immediately.
The worst thing about being an aspiring non-coding tech entrepreneur is the inability to help pre-launch. Sure, there’s customer development, setting up beta testing, keeping up with social media, etc. — but sitting around waiting for your MVP to be done is agonizing. Every day that passes is a day your competition gains traction because you (and your cooler/better product) aren’t there win the market.
Advice: If you’re an aspiring tech entrepreneur that isn’t too old of a dog yet (it’s hard to teach them new tricks), learn how to code in your spare time. It will open countless doors for you…or so it seems from my point of view.
Maybe the grass is always greener…what do I know anyways?
—edit—
Just making sure everyone knows, MVP stands for minimum viable product not most valuable player here.
Why is it that there is such an alure to iPhone apps. It’s like a secret magical draw that people just can’t resist. I’ve been seeing little ideas fly by or things to capitalize on and am finding myself asking, is there an app for that? And if not, WHY NOT!? Maybe I’m mistaken (which frequently happens to be the case) but I feel like iPhone apps are so easy to make. Not me personally that is, but I feel like Scott could cook one up in a heartbeat. How succesful is a model that just says “I’m going to think of a hundred little things it would be cool to have an app for. If 2 of them do well by any measure, time well spent.” I guess it all depends on how long it takes to make each app, and the definition of “doing well”. Ideas?