Mark Boulton's Freelance Design Secrets

[Tyssen]

Notice: This is a discussion thread for comments about the SitePoint article, Mark Boulton's Freelance Design Secrets.
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The new book sounds good - will have to look out for it.

[dvduval]

This sounds interesting in that he designs "interfaces", not just websites. So often we start out thinking "design", and sometimes the result is beautiful, but lacking usability. I like the idea of thinking "interface" from the start.

[Datura]

Nice interview Andy. Mark has his head on, he does understand that designing for the web is a very different animal from designing in the physical world, but the principles of how to make it easy for the viewer are still the same, only the method is different and the constraints and options also. Interesting read.

[molona]

To be honest, I think that I have read other interviews that were more interesting. The article is ok but just that.

[armchaircritic]

There are some brilliant articles on design and typography on Mark's website if anyone is interested.

And Molona, thanks for the frank feedback. I'm picking this up as I go so as a newcomer to the interviewing process I do hope to improve! . In fact, the idea was to draw attention to Mark's writing on the subject and to give a general overview of a successful designer working as a freelancer in the industry. I think Mark certainly got it right when he said exposure is one of the things that bring in high-caliber clients.

[molona]

No problem. I think the questions were good, but that I expected something else from him. Very possibly, I was expecting too much :D

[FlashEm]

"simply rails 2"???

I don't even know what that means.

I like his blog's design, though.

[Black Max]

Originally Posted by armchaircritic

I'm picking this up as I go so as a newcomer to the interviewing process I do hope to improve!

Andy, how are ya? I thought the interview was quite good. I imagine that, being your first one, you if anything overprepared for it One thing that is critical for interviewers is the ability and willingness to improvise; pick up and run with followup questions to a topic that you (or the subject) has raised. I don't do a lot of interviews, but I work a great deal with news reporting, and often the best interviews come when the reporter/interviewer hears something interesting in a response, chucks his list of prepared questions, and goes after whatever piques his interest.

The primary point of such an interview as yours is to garner interest in Boulton's work and his book. You've done both here; I'm looking over his site now, and if it measures up, I'll probably end up buying his book. So you came through, buddy.

[tjg0307]

It was a good interview and had some good information. Yes, I agree with the poster above that I have read better, but it was good all the same.

[spikeZ]

Its not about the interviewers style for crying out loud!
It's about Mark Boulton's approach to freelance design and other aspects of HIS work!!

[korbey]

with followup questions to a topic that you (or the subject) has raised. I don't do a lot of interviews, but I work a great deal with news reporting, and often the best interviews come when the reporter/interviewer hears something interesting in a response, chucks his list of prepared questions, and goes after whatever piques his interest.

[Redivider]

The link to the CSSEleven is the Apache 2 Test Page. Either the site is not running yet or the URL is wrong.

Yaa..I got the same apache page. wt happend to CSSEleven??

[MacRankin]

An interesting read, but where are those design secrets?

Oh well, I guess I'm more glad I read this now, as I won't have to long to wait for that pdf download. :)