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Podcast 31: Working with style guides

Author:: Paul Boag
Published:: 25 April 2006
Categories:: Classic shows
Reading time:: 2 minutes

Taking a corporate identity and making it work online can be a challenging process. This week Paul and Marcus look at how to take a style guide and make it work on the web.

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The majority of larger organisations have some kind of style guide. Normally this was put together by the print design agency that created their brand identity. Unsurprisingly therefore, it refers heavily to the use of that identity in printed material with often only a passing reference to the web.

It is not unusual for style guides of this type to be full of references that are either not relevant online or which cannot be adhered to for technical reasons. References to Pantone colours or centimetres have to be reinterpreted for the web as does the choice of fonts and size/positioning of the logo.

This podcast discusses the various problems that can occur when working with print style guides and looks at possible solutions. It also stresses the need for flexibility and compromise between client and designer.

Question time

This week’s show is also packed with listener questions. Paul and Marcus discuss questions relating to:

The use of images for headings
Whether clients care about web standards
The use of interactive site features like forums
Setting up an online business

Techno-buster: PNG

The techno-buster this week looks at the PNG image format. Paul and Marcus compare PNG with JPEG and GIF, discuss its advantages and disadvantages as well as looking at some solutions for poor browser support.

Web resource review: Bite sized standards

This week’s web resource review looks at a new site to emerge called Bite Sized standards. This site is aimed at busy designers and developers who struggle to keep up with all of the latest web standards techniques. It collects together all of the latest approaches, strips out the discussion and provides the raw code in a nice digestible form.

We’ve been immortalised!

Finally we wanted to let everybody know that some enterprising group has turned the boagworld podcast into a range of merchandise. Although the design needs some improvements and they didn’t consult us first, the boost to our egos is enough for us to let them off! Check them out and buy one if you are brave enough to face the ridicule!

About me

I’m a UX consultant and conversion optimization specialist with 32 years in digital. I help teams create user experiences that work; winning support, improving results, and making change stick.

Contact me

Email: paul@boagworld.com
UK Based – Clients in North America, Europe, Asia, Australia.

how I help

UX Strategy – Spot what’s blocking a great experience and get a clear plan to fix it.
Improving Conversion – Simple, evidence-based changes that make every click count.
Coaching & Leadership – A sounding board to help you lead with clarity and confidence.
Training & Workshops – Hands-on sessions, playbooks, and self-learning so your team keeps improving.

Dylan Valade

Puma

Actionable Insights

Paul has the ability to see what is hiding in plain sight. He validated ideas under consideration and provided new, actionable recommendations. The most valuable insight was illustrating how our issues were symptoms of an inefficient UX project team structure.

Sarah Zama

Oxford University

Genuinely brilliant

Paul is genuinely brilliant to work with. He’s funny, thoughtful, and really good at meeting you where you are. He matches my energy, communicates clearly, and always seems to know how to say the right thing. Working with him feels easy, constructive, and properly enjoyable.

CREATIVE BLOQ

Magazine Interview

Demonstrates his prowess

As we talk, a pronounced pattern in Boag’s patter becomes apparent: he enthuses about a topic, demonstrates his prowess and then knocks himself down with a swipe of self-deprecation.

Gerry McGovern

Author of Transform

Smart & Generous

Paul is one of the smartest, most passionate, most generous people I know in the web / online industry. He is truly committed to helping organizations become simpler and more customer-centric.

RICHARD HURST

QUEEN MARY’S UNIVERSITY LONDON

An inspiration

Paul is an inspiration, I only wish I’d worked with him earlier in my career. His ability to understand and break down problems and offer advice, drawing on his many years of experience is unrivalled. He genuinely wants to get the best out of you and your organisation and you can’t ask for more than that.

NONDAS PASCHOS

MÉDECINS SANS FRONTIÈRES

Invaluable

Medecins San Frontieres, being a decentralised international association, faces challenges in meeting the needs of a diverse global audience. Paul and the team at Headscape have been invaluable in helping us see the potential of digital for doing this. They have helped us recognize the changes needed to engage with our connected audiences, bringing clarity and innovation to our digital strategy.

JENNIFER RUSSELL

THE SAMARITANS

Supportive and Challenging

It’s been a pleasure working with Paul. He manages to be both supportive and challenging at the same time and has a very accessible approach. It’s been a really inspiring process and I would love the opportunity to work with him again.

JOANNA SOUZA

UNICEF

Entertainingly Informative

We can count on Paul to be entertainingly informative. When we bring him to speak at our workshops, people walk out of the session energized and with a better understanding of how a multichannel journey should be assessed and optimized. Thanks Paul!

RIVKIE LIEBERMAN

MOTIF STUDIO

Best investment

You’re the best investment I’ve made thus far in my business, and that includes a previous coach, paid mentors and many courses! Your expertise is absolutely invaluable. Thank you!

Brooke Mills

Beginning Boutique

Moves the Needle

It’s not a question of whether I’d work with Paul again, but what we’re doing next. He takes the time to deeply understand your business and goals, then moves the needle across the growth levers that matter most.