Thinking about design (briefly)

Somehow I missed this post last week...I thought I had checked the schedule, but I guess I didn't. Oh well, better late than never:

What, for you, is the most important design element(s) that an online editor must keep in mind?

For the sake of maintaining a site that is cohesive, I think repetition is an especially important design principle in considering how the pages go together. Even if the design of individual pages varies, it's important to have at least one design element that brings them all together, such as a repeated logo which appears in the same spot on each page.

In designing individual pages, however, I think all four of the CRAP principles are important. One thing I like about RW is her insistence upon bold, but simple designs--no clutter or excess, just the bare necessities. This need for simplicity is especially true for our publication since the group of people creating it will not be the same group responsible for maintaining it long-term. The simpler the design, the more sustainable the publication.