Tag: web

Updated List of College Classes I have Taught

Here’s an updated list of the courses I have taught at Clark College in Vancouver, WA over the past 4 years:

  • Web and Interface Design 1 (CTEC 270)
  • Web and Interface Design 2 (CTEC 271)
  • Programming Essentials (CTEC 112)
  • HTML Fundamentals (CTEC 122)
  • JavaScript (CTEC 126)
  • Intro to Programming and Problem Solving with Python (CTEC 121)
  • PHP with SQL 1 (CTEC 127)
  • PHP with SQL 2 (CTEC 227)
  • Business Web Practices (CTEC 165)
  • API & Advanced Integration (CTEC 228)
  • WordPress Development (CTEC 260)
  • Applied Web Development (CTEC 265)
  • AI, Robotics and 3D Printing 101
  • Web Skills Portfolio (CTEC 293)

There are some new courses on the horizon as well that I may be teaching. Stay tuned.

Now Available – Frontend Architecture for Design Systems: A Modern Blueprint for Scalable and Sustainable Websites

Micah Godbolt’s new book “Frontend Architecture for Design Systems: A Modern Blueprint for Scalable and Sustainable Websites” has been published. 

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Imagine what a large-scale web project would look like if frontend development were not treated as an add-on, but as an equal partner with backend development and content strategy. This practical book takes experienced web developers through the new discipline of frontend architecture, including the latest tools, standards, and best practices that have elevated frontend web development to an entirely new level.

Using real-world examples, case studies, and practical tips and tricks throughout, author Micah Godbolt introduces you to the four pillars of frontend architecture. He also provides compelling arguments for developers who want to embrace the mantle of frontend architect and fight to make it a first-class citizen in their next project.

Order Your Copy Now >

Slack: What Great Execution Looks Like

For those of you who know me, I’m a huge fan and user of Slack; both the company and the product. Here are some things that Slack has done and continues to do right:

  1. Social Media: They know how to use social media to connect with their users. They respond to every tweet and do their best to help you. If they can’t help you they connect you with somebody within Slack that can help.
  2. Integrations: Out of the box they offer an extensive list of products and services that they integrate with. This is a HUGE one as I use many of these integrations when I setup my new Slack groups. Oh, and did I mention that they work and they work as you would expect to work.
  3. API: The Slack API is very well thought out and documented. I have developed several bots, some simple and some quite complex using their API. There isn’t much you can’t do.
  4. Just enough features: Slack doesn’t try to be all things to all users. I’m hoping that Slack continues to carefully craft the user experience in the same way that they already have.
  5. Mobile, Web and Desktop: Right out of the gate they offered first class desktop, the web and mobile clients. All that worked very well.
  6. App Store/App Directory: Need I say more.

It’s these six things that make Slack a company and product to admire. There are so many companies trying to take on Slack and there are some other products that do what Slack does. Bottom line is that they are not Slack the company and Slack the product.

I expect in the forthcoming weeks, to see other companies announcing products to challenge Slack’s dominance and I’m looking forward to seeing how those new products align with the six things I outlined above, if at all.

And that’s a wrap…

I would like to thank the following people for volunteering to speak to my Business Web Practices class at Clark College during the Fall 2015 quarter:

Week 1 – Craig Ebersol of Clark College / Heidi Johnson Bixby of Johnson Bixby and Associates
Week 2 – Tocarra Stark, Communications and Marketing of Clark College
Week 3 – Troy Uyan of Clark County
Week 4 – Derek Jesser and Aine McCarthy of Gravitate Design
Week 5 – Micah Godbolt of Phase2
Week 6 – Morgan McColum and Don Mills of Twilight Pizza and Scott Carden, Marblelife
Week 7 – Jane Croft of Anthem Medical
Week 8 – Dave Barcos of The Startup Brand
Week 9 – Aaron Hockley, Aaron Hockley Photography

All of you delivered invaluable information and experiences that each and every student couldn’t have gotten anywhere else.

On behalf of my students, myself and Clark College – Thank You!

Here is a description of the course from the course catalog:

Business Web Practices surveys business standards and professional best practices for professions associated with web content creation, web design, and web development. Topics include distinctions between freelance, contracted and salaried work environments, web production practices in content strategy, project management, workflow and version control, current practices in marketing, web analytics and search engine optimization, and legal and ethical issues.

During Week 11 of the quarter students will be delivering “Ignite” style final presentations. I’m super stoked to see my students presenting in this new and upcoming presentation style.

A quick and simple image placeholder service

Have you ever needed to insert an image placeholder into a web page? Well look no further. placehold.it is an easy to use service that can provide you with placeholder images. You can specify the image dimensions, background color, image format, text and text color:

An image placeholder service

More >

UPDATE: Here’s a list from tuts+ of the top 8 image placeholder services for web designers