Common Web UI Styles

Question

I have to present a prototype of an web app in the following days to one of my clients, the thing is I\'m not so good at CSS and worst of all I\'m almost never happy with the re

Answer 1

wireframe mockups like that are a brilliant way to start.

Having used most of the UI framewroks discussed here, I'd liek to steer you towards jQueryUi for the following reasons:

1. jQueryUI CSS framework takes care of the consistent and cool looking CSS for you (it's really easy - just make some markup and apply the classes)

2. jQueryUI has tabcontrol, and heaps on neat quick easy ways to style forms.

Answer 2

You might consider browsing the following site:

http://themeforest.net/category/site-templates/admin-skins

There are several "Administrative" themes available for purchase here that may suit your needs.

Answer 3

Have you tried Axure? It's a tool for rapidly creating wireframes, prototypes and specifications for applications and web sites.

It works in a similar way to Balsamiq, but it allows you to export your wireframes/prototype as HTML, CSS and Javascript.

You can then upload this to a server or run it on your computer as a working example.

You can create forms, links, tabs, rollovers, Javascript effects.

Answer 4

A combination of 960gs for layout and jQuery-UI for styling is probably what you are after.

You could also consider the blueprint CSS framework instead of 960gs.

Answer 5

What about using dojo and dijit?

Dijit is a fast way to create widgets and elements. It also comes with 3 default themes which are easy to modify.

A good list of different widgets here

Answer 6

Pair up with someone who specializes in UI design.

If you are better at dealing with business logic, your time is better off spent exclusively coding business logic so you can master it. This will require you to learn how to interface with someone else who excels at presentation. (xml and json are common means)

Business logic and presentation are very different. Designing a system that not only looks good, but is intuitive and easy to use is quite difficult. Equally as difficult and time-consuming as establishing the inner workings of a complex application.

A good interface is not as simple as including a css framework.

I consider myself to be a more 'creative' programmer who does excel in presentation. I happened to be lucky enough to cross path's with someone who was, first of all... very motivated, and second of all very good at 'business logic'. He had a lot more experience planning and implementing complex systems, while I mainly have been focusing on interface design.

If you are more productive doing system architecture, planning, developing, whatever... you should push yourself in that direction. While solo development projects can be rather fulfilling, I view it as inefficient. It is very rare that someone possess skills to develop top-level applications solo.

The challenge is finding someone who you work well with.