Diversity And Web Design
Diversity in all of life is an important aspect to have in mind when interacting with others in the workplace, home, school, friendships, and more. This concept encompasses acceptance, and respect. It means understanding that each individual you come into contact with is unique,and recognizing our differences. Some differences include race, ethnicity, gender, age, talents, physical abilities, religious beliefs, political beliefs, or other ideologies. It’s the exploration of these differences in a safe, positive, and nurturing environment that help each of us to grow and become what we were meant to be. It is about learning to understand each other and moving beyond simple tolerance to embrace and celebrate the richness of these diversities in one another.
Having said this, lets look at the diversities of a team and how the team is to operate. Teams are expected to produce results. But this can be hindered by team members not working well with each other. Not keeping in mind the differences/talents of each member. It is so essential for a team to learn how to interact with one another. Ways to achieve this are to have a common purpose and goals, trust each other, clarify roles, communicate openly and effectively, APPRECIATE DIVERSITY AMONG THE MEMBERS, and balance the team’s focus.
Team members come from all walks of life, with different backgrounds and perspectives. Ideas for taking advantage of team diversity include:
Remember that reasonable people can and do differ with each other and really this is an asset to the team! Try to learn as much as you can from others, evaluate new ideas based on it’s merits, avoid remarks that draw negative attention to a person’s unique characteristics, and don’t ignore the differences among the team members. Use them to your advantage instead!
Most website companies who create websites for clients have teams/or a team. Each team member adds a diverse set of skills to the team. Bringing important and valuable information, creativity, and insight to the creation of a website! The art of design can lend itself to so many variables and preferences. Thus making the team of diverse talents a very important part of creating a standards compliant, functional, attractive, clean productive, and successful website to be proud of.
A website in and of itself is full of diversity. Some may want a simple verses complex design. There is no one-do-it-all design. Using diversity to create something uniquely you is what makes for great web design and helps you and the team stand out from the crowd. The diversity of web design means there are a lot of options to fit a design with your preferences, tastes, and needs. While meeting the needs of your clients site visitors and providing them a great online experience through the diversity your company team.
The Importance of Setting Goals
Goal setting is a major key in success. It helps us to keep our commitments to self and to others. Tracking the progress of our goals helps to show how we are progressing to the completion of them. It encourages us to keep moving forward as we see the goals we have accomplished! What I have learned about goal setting is that it’s good to make a yearly goal list. As well as monthly and daily goal lists. Also to prioritize them, listing immediate, not so immediate, and long term goals. This will help keep us in line for those goals we set for the five year & ten year marks of our lives. Asking ourselves things like where do I want to be, what do I want to be doing, what kind of job do I want to be working, how much money would I like to be making? When would I like to be married, how many kids do I want to have, how much to save for college, dinner planning is another way to set goals and keep your family healthy and happy! There are many areas in our lives that would benefit from doing this. Asking ourselves serious questions that shape our future and the future of our children.
It’s really good to start doing this early in your life. I have been teaching my kids this and how important it is for us to do it. It helps us to achieve the success we’d like to have. Once you have made decisions about the career you want to have in life it’s good to start setting those goals to help you achieve this. When I made a choice to undertake web design I began to make goals to achieve this and be successful. It took the help of my teacher and other’s to make it through this goal. As an encouragement I’d like to add that when life gives you mountains to get over to achieve your goal, don’t give up! Better to be slow in achieving the goal than not to achieve it at all!
As a result of all I have learned I realize how important it is to set goals for creating web sites for yourself and for clients. There are many aspects to take into consideration when creating web sites for businesses. And listing the goals of the client is crucial to achieving their goals! As I learn about running a business and the needs that need to be covered I see many areas where listing the goals helps. Doing so will award you with successful results. Then everyone is happy! And that’s what matters! Goals met, site designed well, and satisfied clients whose business booms due to your creation and their ideas put together!
Happy website building folks, make every one your best one by setting goals!
Example of Finished Goal
Choices
Our lives are full of choices and decisions! And they have a life long impact on us. We are required to makes these in all kinds of situations and circumstances we find ourselves in. In today’s world we are all so busy and moving so fast. So the choices we make are very important for us and our families, our future generations, and our world. It is vital that we make them wisely. What kind of effect are your choices producing? Personally I usually pray “asking for guidance”. I have made many mistakes that caused me to suffer and other’s around me. I learned from them greatly! Changing the way I make choices and operate in my life today.I have learned it’s better to rely on God to make my path straight and to be in His will. Not mine.
Everyday presents an opportunity to make a choice on what to wear, when to get out of bed, what kind of attitude we will walk in, how much work to get done, and so on. A couple years ago I made a choice to begin going to school. This choice snowballed into having to make many decisions that would affect my life, my money, and my family. Upon careful consideration I chose to go into Web Design. I was so afraid of making the wrong choice!
But here I am still in school moving forward as I learn all the aspects of XHTML, CSS, Photoshop, and so much more! With this career choice there are many things to choose from concerning designing and building web sites for yourself and for clients. Making business decisions based on the needs of the business you’re creating for. What points or values stand out about your business. Favorite colors, designs, styles, size, type, values, and so much more. So many things to take into consideration when creating the perfect website. Putting aside yourself and any contrary feelings that may arise. Thus making the clients thoughts and purposes the number goal. After all we are there for them!
Creativity is such a wonderful thing that we have in this world. A time when we can use our artistic abilities coupled with the skills we have learned to make honorable, dynamic, bold, beautiful websites that are tailored to the needs of others. Choices are a part of every aspect of this creation and are as many as there are stars! I hope my choices and decisions are the very best for my future and the future of my family, friends, clients, and employer.
Job Shadowing is Great!
Just a quick word about my experience job shadowing at Back 40 Design! It was a great for me to witness a leader in the industry operate on a daily basis. I was g given the opportunity to watch Amy work her magic! She is a great teacher! I learned a few more things about Photoshop as I watched her work. And realized how much I love Photoshop! Her skills really showed out as she revamped a couple websites she had been working on. Making sure to read the customers expectations. And also giving them feedback she believed would make their website a much better one to meet their goals for business. I was able to watch the process she uses daily to make sure all her work was done in a “very timely manner”. Making me realize I need to work really hard to be able to accomplish the same.
Mr. Miller came around and introduced me to the rest of the team and explained their position in the team. Also stating that several of the team members had more than one skill set to accomplish their job. And that he loves it when his employees have hidden talents to bring to the table! He let me know I could ask anyone any questions I might have. Although I really didn’t have a lot questions. I just observed and listened to the team as they worked to better understand how a design team works together. I now have better understanding of what will be required of me to excel in this industry. As well as what skills I already possess to contribute to a web design team! I am excited about my future in this industry!
I would like to send out a great big THANK YOU to Dave Miller and his team at Back 40 for allowing me to observe and learn. It was a very good learning experience for me and added to what Mrs. Sooter has been teaching me!
If you need a website built for your business I highly recommend Back 40 Design Group for all your business needs! I am positive you will be more than happy! I’ve included their website below for your convenience.
http://www.back40design.com/
If you’re interested in a possible career in web design, check out Francis Tuttle! They rock!
http://www.francistuttle.edu/
Portfolio Layout Tutorial
The Photoshop tutorial I chose is for a portfolio of photos for a photographer. It is very bright in colors for the Spring season. Showcasing a beautiful flower in the layout. In this lesson I learned how to ad a pattern of texture to the layer of color which was created with the paint bucket tool And to blend it to make it a bit smoother looking. Had some trouble with the brush tool at first but kept working with it until I achieved what was called for. I learned how to use the typing tool for the type in the layout. I had to get help to use the gradient to get the right effect for the navigation so in the process learned a bit more about using the gradient tool. I was able to use the skills learned in the fundamental tutorials to insert the photo into the layout and then learned how to outline the photo (the stroke tool)with color to match the rest of the layout. It was fun! In the beginning I was a bit daunted since the layout tutorial did not have a lot of directions, very little actually. But I researched what I did know or understand. I think the best tip I learned is how to add your own patterns to the Photoshop pattern library. Which I am sure I’ll be using this feature in the workforce as I create new patterns and artwork for websites.
How About Some Excellence!
Everyone would like to see excellence in all we do. But to always achieve that is another story entirely. What does it take to achieve excellence in all we do? Well to me it takes integrity, open mindedness, humility, commitment, high standards, willingness, and courage. Just to name a few. It takes a spirit of never giving up. To stay focused on the task at hand to complete the goals you or your company have made. To treat others with respect everywhere you go. Excellence at times consists of going the extra mile, working late, doing more.
The definition of excellence is this: 1. the quality of being excellent; state of possessing good qualities in an eminent degree; exalted merit; superiority in virtue. 2.An excellent or valuable quality; that by which any one excels or is eminent; a virtue.
There is a great biblical verse that succinctly explains what the term “excellence” means:
The man became great. He continued becoming greater until he was exceedingly great. (Genesis chapter 26 verse 13)
This verse is referring to Isaac. In a short verse, the message points out that even though Isaac was great, he didn’t stop there. He became greater. This is what true excellence means. It is not a finite goal. It is an attitude that is continuous and has no end. Regardless of how great a person’s accomplishment is, he should view this as step and an example to producing an even greater achievement. Of course, one should be proud of his accomplishments, but, at the same time, when one views a big accomplishment as the end of a path, one ceases to be excellent. The path from that point is downward. Instead, the path must always be upwards, striving to reach an even greater goal.
Applying excellence to building websites is of utmost importance. To always strive to do a superb job in your creating, designing, writing, standards, and the imagery. To make certain the prospective client is thrilled with the completed work. That you have followed the dreams and needs of the client confidently achieving excellence!
Excellence can be obtained if you:
care more than others think is wise;
risk more than others think is safe;
dream more than others think is practical;
expect more than others think is possible;
Source; http://morallearning.blogspot.com/2007/06/definition-of-excellence.html
“Workplace Ethics”
Ethics in general are a must in any environment you’re in. Workplace ethics are “codes of conduct” that influence the development of an ethical culture within the workplace. Going beyond what is considered legal in the area where the business operates, workplace ethics inspire communication between employees, allow for respect to be extended to each person within the organization, and promote customer relationships that are based on honesty and integrity. While there are core elements that tend to define a work-based code of ethics, the specific expressions of these central values vary from one business setting to the next. As well as from different departments within the business. Since there can be different ethics for each department. Pertaining to what responsibilities each department has. The most basic workplace ethics used have to deal with the customers of the business, and the one-on-one dealings with employees within the business.
The following list of principles incorporate the characteristics and values that most people associate with ethical behavior. Ethical decision making systematically considers these principles.
1. Honesty: Ethical individuals are honest and truthful in all their dealings and do not deliberately mislead or deceive others by misrepresentations, overstatements, partial truths, selective omissions, or any other means.
2. Integrity: Ethical individuals demonstrate personal integrity and the courage of their convictions by doing what they think is right even when there is great pressure to do otherwise; they are principled, honorable and upright; they will fight for their beliefs. They will not sacrifice principle for expediency, be hypocritical, or unscrupulous.
3. Promise-Keeping & Trustworthiness: Ethical individuals are worthy of trust. They are candid and forthcoming in supplying relevant information and correcting misapprehensions of fact, and they make every reasonable effort to fulfill the letter and spirit of their promises and commitments. They do not interpret agreements in an unreasonably technical or legalistic manner in order to rationalize non-compliance or create justifications for escaping their commitments.
4. Loyalty: Ethical individuals are worthy of trust, demonstrate fidelity and loyalty to persons and institutions by friendship in adversity, support and devotion to duty; they do not use or disclose information learned in confidence for personal advantage. They safeguard the ability to make independent professional judgments by scrupulously avoiding undue influences and conflicts of interest. They are loyal to their companies and colleagues and if they decide to accept other employment, they provide reasonable notice, respect the proprietary information of their former employer, and refuse to engage in any activities that take undue advantage of their previous positions.
5. Fairness: Ethical individuals are fair and just in all dealings; they do not exercise power arbitrarily, and do not use overreaching nor indecent means to gain or maintain any advantage nor take undue advantage of another’s mistakes or difficulties. Fair persons manifest a commitment to justice, the equal treatment of individuals, tolerance for and acceptance of diversity, the they are open-minded; they are willing to admit they are wrong and, where appropriate, change their positions and beliefs.
6. Concern for Others: Ethical individuals are caring, compassionate, benevolent and kind; they like the” Golden Rule” help those in need, and seek to accomplish their business objectives in a manner that causes the least harm and the greatest positive good.
7. Respect for Others: Ethical individuals demonstrate respect for the human dignity, autonomy, privacy, rights, and interests of all those who have a stake in their decisions; they are courteous and treat all people with equal respect and dignity regardless of sex, race or national origin.
8. Law Abiding: Ethical individuals abide by laws, rules and regulations relating to their business activities.
9. Commitment to Excellence: Ethical individuals pursue excellence in performing their duties, are well informed and prepared, and constantly endeavor to increase their proficiency in all areas of responsibility.
10. Leadership: Ethical individuals are conscious of the responsibilities and opportunities of their position of leadership and seek to be positive ethical role models by their own conduct and by helping to create an environment in which principled reasoning and ethical decision making are highly prized.
11. Reputation and Morale: Ethical individuals seek to protect and build the company’s good reputation and the morale of it’s employees by engaging in no conduct that might undermine respect and by taking whatever actions are necessary to correct or prevent inappropriate conduct of others.
12. Accountability: Ethical individuals acknowledge and accept personal accountability for the ethical quality of their decisions and omissions to themselves, their colleagues, their companies, and their communities.
All of these ethical values should be followed in creating websites for clients, freelancing, and in web design firms. We must genuinely be honest with clients, putting their needs and business first. Staying inline with all business ethics. So when the project is complete the client goes away fully satisfied with the product you have created for them. Knowing all laws and ethics have been followed. By doing so, the happy client may refer your business to other’s. Therefore growing your business and making it a success in the future!
Sources:
http://www.wisegeek.com/what-are-workplace-ethics.htm
http://managementhelp.org/ethics/ethics.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Business_ethics
http://josephsoninstitute.org/business
~Respect~
What is respect? Well, respect is taking someone’ s feelings, needs, thoughts, ideas, wishes and preferences into full consideration. An attitude of admiration and esteem. It means taking all of these seriously and giving them worth, value, and honor. Because that person has worth and valuable things to offer in any given situation. Acknowledging them, listening to them, being truthful with them, and accepting their individuality. Respect can be shown through behavior and it can be felt as well. It is good for us to act in ways which are respectful to one another. We can also feel respect for someone and feel respected by someone.
As I see it, respect has to be something that is earned in many forms. We earn other’s respect by doing the things listed above. Respect is something like a boomerang in the sense that you must send it out before it will come back to you. It cannot be demanded or forced , although some mistakenly believe it can be. There are many arenas in life where respect can be found and should be given. Like for our parents, teachers, co-workers, friends, and also strangers. An area that is a must is the respect given to another’s boundaries and their personal being. There is the respect one feels for their country, state, city. Respect is required in most all religions, national societies, and the list goes on.
Respect is the first positive step in building a relationship in business and the workplace. In Web Design class we learn to respect other people’s work, ideas, originality, privacy, and thoughts about life or business. As well as the wisdom and knowledge that comes from those being in this kind of business for years! I have learned that when building websites for the public view, respect of the laws concerning the internet are also required to be legal and compliant. So “everybody” can be happy and continue to produce creative, knowledgeable, useful websites for all to share and read.
In the current times respect can bring you a long way. If you lack this moral value and spiritual law things can get really ugly really fast! Disrespect can hurt, devalue, and bring a person or business down before you can blink. Disrespect erodes relationships of all kinds. This is very evident in the times we are currently witnessing all around us.
God’s Word says this…
1 Peter 4:17~19; Show proper respect to everyone: Love the brotherhood of believers, fear God, and honor the King. Submit yourselves to your masters with all respect, not only to those who are good and considerate, but also to those who are harsh. For it is commendable if a man bears up under the pain of unjust suffering because” he is conscious of God.” NIV
This country was founded by our forefathers with “great respect” and consideration of each other’s views and values as well as God’s Word. Let us not forget the founding father’s work and lose the freedoms we have here in our country.
God's Creations
