Re: Modelling and communicating dynamic Web functionality

On 20 Aug 2009, at 9:12, Conrad Taylor wrote:
>
> I'll return to the business of whether we should steer clear on  
> thinking
> about the technology later. I'll just remark here that I have for
> decades
> been an advocate, with respect of design for print, of fully
> understanding
> the litho printing process, so you don't end up using InDesign to put
> together an 18-page magazine with 20 spot colours and several
> photos in RGB... It seems to me there should be some equivalent
> level of knowledge about CMS-based web design that I should be
> aspiring to.



Conrad, I agree. You should have an understanding of how a CMS website  
works 'behind the scenes' as that will provide knowledge of what is,  
and what is not, possible. I would suggest that knowledge has to be  
generic as you cannot hope to know how each and every CMS works.

But while you may want to have the knowledge, it doesn't mean the  
brief should be directing how the backend should work. To take your  
DTP/print analogy for a moment. I know how the litho printing process  
works. So I have knowledge and experience to not produce artwork which  
cannot be successfully printed. I also have enough knowledge that I  
can communicate with the printers to a certain technical level. When I  
see a running sheet coming off the press and the colour is not right,  
I may suggest that there is too much red for example. I wouldn't know,  
or expect to be able to, tell the printer how to adjust their  
heiedlberg to achieve the change. That is their territory and their  
expertise.

Therefore, with your CMS brief you should leave the exact technical  
infrastructure to the developers. Yes, you can guide them on how the  
end user might interact, but the developer should translate that into  
code using their skills and expertise.

Matt



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