This is a fair question. In fact, it’s a great question, as it creates an opening for me to talk about something that most people (frankly) wouldn’t be terribly interested in hearing about.

Browser testing a website refers to the process of ensuring that a website’s display and functionality remains intact no matter which web browser or platform (computer “brand”) a visitor is using.

Thanks to some clever television commercials, most folks are aware that there are two major “brands” of computer: those that run Windows and those that run Mac OS X (apologies to Linux fans out there). Fewer people realize that you’re able to choose which web browser you’d prefer to “consume” the Internet with — that you’re not limited only to Internet Explorer on Windows (the blue “e”) or to Safari on the Mac. In fact, according to Wikipedia, there are 25 different browsers available for Internet users to choose from. Twenty-six if you count Internet Explorer 6 as a browser.

Why are there so many different browsers? Because not all browsers are created equal — some are truly better than others. Some browsers, like Mozilla’s Firefox, Apple’s Safari and Google’s Chrome are truly outstanding browsers. They bring better functionality and fresh ideas to their users, improving their browsing experience. They display web pages in exactly the same way because they all adhere to web standards (read: follow the rules). Some browsers, like Microsoft’s Internet Explorer (depending on the version), can be excreble examples of software literally inflicted on their users. IE (again, depending on the version) regularly flouts web standards and mangles the display of correctly coded web pages.

However, most people do not see anything wrong with their browser because they’ve never been exposed to anything better. Because of this, most folks are going to continue using the same browser they always have, even if it’s The Blue E.

Herein lies the problem: because so many people are using so many different browsers, the way a web page appears to one person can be radically different from another. Trying to view a modern, standards-compliant website in IE6 can get you a stripped-down experience simply because the browser is so old it doesn’t understand half of what’s being delivered to it. A recent version of Firefox or Chrome, on the other hand, gives you the complete web page exactly as the designer intended.

So, barring that we’d suddenly be able to get everyone in your target audience to upgrade to a new, modern browser, we test the way your website looks and functions in each of these browsers:

• Firefox 3.5 on Windows
• Firefox 3.5 on Mac
• Firefox 3.0 on Windows
• Internet Explorer 8 on Windows
• Internet Explorer 7 on Windows
• Internet Explorer 6 on Windows
• Safari 4 on Windows
• Safari 4 on Mac
• Google Chrome on Windows
• Google Chrome on Mac
• Opera 10 on Windows

These web browsers represent 99% of the browsers found in the wild. Your website will experience no loss of functionality if a visitor arrives using any one of these browsers.

The fact that the websites we produce appear the same in IE6 and Safari 4 is of little interest to most of our clients (“Why would they?” a client would ask), but it points to the diligence we exercise on projects like this. Any design firm worth their salt would do the same.

Our clients can rest assured that we’ve got their back — we’re worrying about this stuff so they don’t have to.

But please, if you’re using Internet Explorer 6, consider upgrading to a more recent version or an alternative mentioned above — every time you visit a webpage in IE6, a fairy dies.

Our process is tailored such that the business owner will get a corporate identity or marketing piece that they love, but at some point it’s necessary to ensure that the piece is also going to work well for the business.

This is the crux of the issue: the question is not always, “Do you love what we’ve created?” Instead we need to be asking, “Is the piece we’ve created going to achieve our goal?”

There is often a healthy overlap between the answers to these two questions. Most of the time, the business owner is not only attracted to the aesthetics of what we’ve created, but also realizes that we’ve designed the piece to ensure that the customer will be attracted to it as well, and called to act (by purchasing a product or contacting the company for a service, etc.).

At times, though, there’s a disconnect between the business owner’s sense of style and a piece that consumers will respond to. At those times, I think it’s our responsibility to make clear our position in the relationship with our client: we are designers and consultants, not merely surrogate hands on a keyboard and mouse.

It’s our job to make sure that you are presenting the best possible face to the public, which is not necessarily your idea of the best looking one.

While we always want you to love what’s created, it is sometimes more important to rely on us to creatively deliver a quality product that your market will respond to.

Just sayin’.

Not a huge flood. It wasn’t biblical or overly dramatic (though I was, initially), but it’s surprising how much trouble two to three inches of water can cause. The entire office was covered; the floor was actually floating atop it in some places, and it clearly had damaged all the walls and trim to a certain degree.

It was instantly clear that we needed a professional service to come in and help. My tiny half-gallon wet/dry vac and meager home-improvement skills were clearly inadequate. We called a disaster cleanup franchise in New Bedford we’d heard of before and they spent the first week getting rid of the water, cutting into the walls, removing insulation, and drying the place out. The workers were courteous and satisfied me that they knew what they were doing.

During the course of the cleanup, the franchise owner came out to check on the job status, which I thought was a nice touch. We chatted for a bit about Design Principles and what we do. We talked about the importance of a company’s appearance, their treatment of the customer, and the importance of a job well-done. As a business owner, this guy clearly knew that delivering a solid service to his customers was of paramount importance.

Eventually I asked if he had a website. “No,” he replied. “I haven’t done that yet. When the time comes, I can probably just do it myself.”

I was struck at that moment how so many people nowadays feel that the computer is not just a tool, but a tool that actually grants them the skill to wield it properly. After our talk about image, the importance of a good impression, and the necessity of inspiring trust and confidence in your client, he was going to lay the public face of his company at the feet of a (probably) freeware web design program and a few hours of work on a weeknight.

Folks, if your website is hastily tossed together, without careful, thoughtful attention paid to its design (never mind the programming and coding beneath the skin), the finished product is likely to do more harm than not having a website at all.

I don’t think it can be overstressed: no matter how good your product or service is, if your company doesn’t inspire your potential customer with enough trust to actually buy it from you, you’re sunk. Your company’s identity is its face to the public. On the Internet, the problem is only compounded — you’re not there to deliver your winning smile or a firm handshake. All you have is your company’s identity, your message, and the emotions that are subtly transmitted through your site’s design.

If you don’t look like a bona fide business, if you don’t look like you take yourself seriously, how will your client?

I understand the obvious barrier – cost. I’m only human, right? I put my pants on one leg at-a-time, so web design can’t be that hard, can it? Why spend valuable cash on a task you may be able to do yourself?

At issue, though, is whether you can afford to try. In addition to the fact that you should be running your company (and making revenue)  instead of trying to learn how to make a website, you company’s credibility is too important to gamble on whether you can get it right.

I didn’t debate the point with him, though. We were already busy trying to pull our team (and salvageable parts of the office) together, and my feeling is that someone who thinks they can do my job without the benefit of training or experience probably can’t be sold on paying me to do it instead. It’s a cautionary tale, though. Folks, don’t entrust the care of your company’s identity to someone who’s inexperienced. You wouldn’t do that to your own customers, and your business certainly deserves at least that much.

Put it this way…if you wore sweat pants to a business meeting would you land the job easily? You’d have to be one hell of a presenter, presenting one hell of a product or service to leave with that contract in hand.

But that is what so many of us do…we work harder than what is necessary and we trust our corporate image to whomever is available in our office that has a computer and is willing to give it a try. Now willingness and desire alone do not make us experts at something. We know that ourselves, after years of education in universities and in our fields, after nights of working late honing our skills until quality and knowledge became the fiber of our existence. So why do we entrust something as important as the face of our company to someone who doesn’t know branding, doesn’t thrill in it, doesn’t live it?

I think the answer is simple. First, we don’t know what is possible. And secondly, most of us consider hiring a design firm an extra expense not a necessary investment.

But the interesting thing I have come to witness year after year is a phenomenon we call the “Ripple Effect of Branding.” When you invest in your look, you project success. When your company projects success, other companies listen. You and your employees are reinvigorated and once again you begin to believe in what is possible. And then…you begin to open doors that were once out of reach. You play in the bigger leagues with well matched clients that respect your expertise. And you grow.

Now isn’t that music to your ears? It should be. You deserve it…you’ve been living this dream for a long time, made sacrifices, worked hard and you deserve for that effort to matter…and you deserve to be successful.

The first step is easy—you just call or email me. We’ll put our heads together and we’ll figure out a way to advance your company to the next level. And please know, not only do I, my business partner and my staff love helping companies like yours discover the ripple effect, it’s in our best interest to do it well and to do it within your budget…because you’ll keep coming back, and as you grow, so will your design budget grow, and we will build a mutually beneficial and long-term relationship founded on respect, and of course, good design principles.

~ Karen Alves

The site’s currently at about 80% completion, and I’d really like Karen to be able to make our first inaugural post, so I’ll cut myself short here. Have a quick spin through the site, and let us know what you think!