Merlee Designs Blog

Being a designer can be a challenge. And like most professions I think, it is much more difficult to work on your own projects, than it is to work on ones for other people.

Ever since I started going freelance, and had my own website, I have faced the challenge of designing my own site. I have no problems coming up with ideas for other people, other businesses, but my own….is hard. I think perhaps because one has to take into consideration so many different variables and tastes. Plus…the lack of a definate theme…I mean, DESIGN…it’s so open to so many options.

So, to combat this problem, I have decided to do multiple designs. This way the visitor can view different styles applied to the same site/page. Rather than re-code/re-design the entire site for each different layout, I have simply redesigned the home page, and kept the remainder of the site in a very simple, clean format so as not to “clash”.

I would LOVE to hear any feedback on these different designs, along with your comments on the idea in general.

Here is a link to an interesting blog post regarding the role of women in web design, and in IT in general. The comments are probably even more interesting. I must admit, I hadn’t thought of this aspect before, never really even considered it. I never felt that I was a rarity in my field, but then looking back, I suppose that I may be. In all of my corporate background, I have never worked with another female designer or developer. In IT in general, women are, or were when I was out there, few and far between.

I posted a new article on my Articles page called “Does Your Business Need A Website?” for those business owners who are not sure whether they are ready to make the move to online, particularly in the E-commerce arena. The article discusses the latest trends in internet shopping, statistics on internet usage, and some demographics.

I think the average brick-and-mortar store owner will be surprised at how much retail selling is actually going on online. Even though I do a significant portion of my shopping over the internet, I was excited to see the dramatic results of these numbers. The rise in internet shopping and internet use in general over the last few years is staggering.

There is no doubt in anyone’s mind that creating an E-commerce presence is a significant investment, especially if one is to do it right. However, when compared to the cost of opening another physical location, or simply in terms of the sheer reach of your market when you go online, the investment is definitely worthwhile.

You can view the article here, and please don’t hesitate to let me know of any comments you may have.