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Adding Mermaid Diagrams to Markdown Documents

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Mermaid is a trendy diagramming tool. A year ago, it was integrated into the Markdown rendering of GitHub. It is also integrated into several editors (see "Include diagrams in your Markdown files with Mermaid" for more information).

What can you do, however, if you use a different editor? What if you want to use your Markdown document in an environment that does not integrate Mermaid yet? What can you do if the diagram is not Mermaid but PlantUML, Graphviz, or any other diagramming tool?

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Chris’ Corner: Design Shrinking

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While I don’t think you should publish to Medium (at least not as the only place you publish something, you should write on your own site that you control), I get why other people do. You quickly sign up, write some words, hit publish, and the result is a pretty clean-looking presentation of your writing. Not to mention familiar to the general public. Medium is big and popular enough that people have seen it and are comfortable with it. I mean Barack Obama writes there so goes a long way in terms of endorsement.

It’s that clean comfortable design that I think it’s especially notable (when it’s not being covered up by a mysteriously activated paywall). So it’s interesting to see their designers write about the effort that goes into that look. Breana Jones says they re-focused on the single-column look:

We’re bringing back the single-column page layout and removing the two-column layout across all stories on desktop.

You can still find recommended stories from Medium and author bios, but these sections will now be below the story, instead of right next it. This allows readers to focus on the story without any distractions on the side.

I applaud that, really. The single column look really works great on the web for primarily written content and it’s harder than it looks to pull off, especially at a huge company with lots of business objectives fighting for space on that screen.

Design does tend to be associated with cleanliness. Like a “clean” design is a “good” design, generally, especially when we’re talking product design for wide varied audiences. I like how Matt Birchler says:

If you are sitting next to someone at a computer and you know how to use the thing and they don’t, it’s very easy for you to say, click here, do this. When you click this, this is what’s going to happen. It’s very easy to do that. The goal of a good user interface is to give someone that experience without you having to be in the room with them.

That’s as good of an explanation for digital product design as I’ve heard. I caveated it with “digital product” because design is a pretty broad discipline. Designing a wooden bookshelf is a pretty different endeavor with different constraints and goals. Wood has a grain that the designers will work with. The web, too, has a grain. Amelia Wattenberger says:

In the digital world, especially on the web, we’re used to things being stacked vertically. Scrolling, scrolling, through boxes of content, one… on top… of another.

Things are always arranged linearly — top-to-bottom. Or, if we’re feeling spicy, left-to-right.

This is all great for neat, orderly content. But what about when thoughts are complex, unsorted, exploratory?

This is her introduction to thinking about infinite canvases, which is a little against the grain on the web, but absolutely doable and sometimes quite useful. Consider how you can drag and zoom a Figma canvas anywhere without any constrained edges at all. But this approach isn’t just for design, it can be useful for things like thinking through problems with teams, doing organizing and grouping.

I love me some good “general rules” for design concepts. There is so much nuance and it depends situations in design and development, when there is some just do this advice I appreciate it. I think of things like how headers always have less line-height than body text, things should align with other things, and you should probably double the white space.

CodePen’s own Rachel Smith has some excellent general advice in this vein that I didn’t really understand until now:

If you’re moving an object from out of the frame/stage in to the frame/stage, use an ease-out variation.

If you’re moving an object from inside the frame to outside the frame, use an ease-in variation.

If you’re moving an object from one place to another in the frame, use an ease-in-out variation.

I can remember that!

Lemme leave you with a little one: Magick.css. It’s one of those “just link it up and your semantic basic classless HTML will look nice. It’s got a pretty fancy look to it with some unusual font choices, but it might be your bag. My favorite in this genre is still new.css.

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T-Shaped vs. V-Shaped Designers

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Many job openings in UX assume very specific roles with very specific skills. Product designers should be skilled in Figma. Researchers should know how to conduct surveys. UX writers must be able to communicate brand values.

This article is part of our ongoing series on UX. You might want to take a look at Smart Interface Design Patterns 🍣 and the upcoming live UX training as well. Use code BIRDIE to save 15% off.

The Many Roles In UX

Successful candidates must neatly fit within established roles and excel at tools and workflows that are perceived as the best practice in the industry — from user needs to business needs and from the problem space to the solution space.

There is nothing wrong with that, of course. However, many companies don’t exactly know what expertise they actually need until they find the right person who actually has it. But too often, job openings don’t allow for any flexibility unless the candidate checks off the right boxes.

In fact, typically, UX roles have to fit into some of those rigorously defined and refined boxes:

“V”-Shaped Designers Don’t Fit Into Boxes

Job openings typically cast a very restrictive frame for candidates. It comes with a long list of expectations and requirements, mostly aimed at T-shaped designers — experts in one area of UX, with a high-level understanding of adjacent areas and perhaps a dash of expertise in business and operations.

But as Brad Frost noted, people don’t always fit squarely into a specific discipline. Their value comes not from staying within the boundaries of their roles but from intentionally crossing these boundaries. They are “V”-shaped — experts in one or multiple areas, with a profound understanding and immense curiosity in adjacent areas.

In practice, they excel at bridging the gaps and connecting the dots. They establish design KPIs and drive accessibility efforts. They streamline handoff and scale design systems. But to drive success, they need to rely on specialists, their T-shaped colleagues.

Shaping Your Own Boxes

I sincerely wish more companies would encourage their employees to shape their own boxes instead of defining confined boxes for them — their own unique boxes of any form and shade and color and size employees desire, along with deliverables that other teams would benefit from and could build upon.

🏔️ Hiring? → Maybe replace a long list of mandatory requirements with an open invitation to apply, even if it’s not a 100% match — as long as a candidate believes they can do their best work for the job at hand.

🎢 Seek a challenge? → Don’t feel restricted by your current role in a company. Explore where you drive the highest impact, shape this role, and suggest it.

✅ Searching for a job? → Don’t get discouraged if you don’t tick all the boxes in a promising job opening. Apply! Just explain in fine detail what you bring to the table.

You’ve got this — and good luck, everyone! ✊🏽

Meet Smart Interface Design Patterns

If you are interested in UX and design patterns, take a look at Smart Interface Design Patterns, our 10h-video course with 100s of practical examples from real-life projects — with a live UX training later this year. Everything from mega-dropdowns to complex enterprise tables — with 5 new segments added every year. Jump to a free preview.

Meet Smart Interface Design Patterns, our video course on interface design & UX.

100 design patterns & real-life examples.
10h-video course + live UX training. Free preview.

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Website Building

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Posts about Website Building written by Maab Saleem, Vagisha Arora, Shweta S, Bethwel Njore, Onajite Omare, Nick Schäferhoff, and The WordPress.com Team
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Arte, Mujer y Memoria: Online Exhibition Museum of Latin American Art

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For example, the comparison with the OECD appears limited by the fact that the Chilean indicator focusses on all employed individuals aged 15 years old, or above, whereas the OECD indicator covers the entire population between years. This caveat withstanding, the extent of the gap in Chile is wider than the OECD average. At nine […]
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Chris Corner: Unusual Ideas with Great Results

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SVG Short Circuiting

SVG is normally a pretty efficient file format. If an image is vector in nature, leaving it as vector is normally a good plan as it will like scale well and look pretty darn crips. But of course, It Depends. Super complex vector graphics can get huge, and a raster (i.e. JPG, PNG, etc) version can actually be smaller. This can happen with little tiny images too where the straight up low amount of pixels is just pretty efficient.

This should be the kind of thing computers are good at, right? You’re in luck if you’re using Eleventy. Zach wrote about a thing the Image component can do for Eleventy called SVG Short Circuiting. The idea is, if your source image is SVG, it can make raster versions to help with efficiency. But if the SVG version ends up smaller than any of the other produced versions, it will discard the raster versions.

A nice looking font that helps dyslexia

Worth knowing:

According to the International Dyslexia Association, as much as 15 to 20 percent of the U.S. population may have symptoms of dyslexia. Those include slow or inaccurate reading, weak spelling, and poor writing.

Jill Stakke

Also worth knowing: these people, and really probably anybody can be helped along with better typefaces. That is, typefaces designed in such a way that the are less confusing and less problematic for people with dyslexia.

I’ve seen Dyslexie before, which is pretty neat. But to be frank, it does look a smidge childish which might make it a tough choice when a brand voice needs to be more serious looking. A crappy trade-off, but such is life.

I’ve just seen Oliva King’s Inclusive Sans which, to my eyes, it extremely nice looking and covers the general criteria laied out by Sophie Beier in Designing for Legibility.

  1. Clear distinction between I, l and 1
  2. Non-mirroring of letters d, b, q and p
  3. Distinction between O and 0
  4. Wider, more open counter forms on c, o, a and e
  5. A higher x-height for easier readability at small sizes
  6. Wider default letter-spacing
  7. Clear difference between capital height and ascender height

Just look at how #2 is handled:

Super classy if you ask me. I wanna use it for something. I’m stoked at how good it looks at body copy sizes.

An HTML element as a mask

The vast majority of masks are either shapes in black/white such that they hide or reveal what is behind them in that shape exactly. Or a gradient, such that they fade out what is behind them little by little.

Artur Bień has another idea of what a mask can be: any HTML element. You can set up a simple-but-clever SVG filter to filter out all black.

I gave it a quick shot myself just to have a play and it worked great.

Now that you’re primed into thinking of layering things on top of each other and doing exotic filtering to get weird and cool results, you’re ready for this next one.

Javier Bórquez: Motion extraction with mostly CSS.

Say you wanted to look at a video where only the things that are moving are visible, and the rest is essentially blacked out. Why? I don’t know don’t think about that part too hard. Maybe it’s a way to spot changes in security video easier. Or more likely it’s just a really cool final effect.

You’d think getting that done would involve sophisticated video processing technology. But nope: CSS. The trick is so perfect:

One video is placed on top of the other, playing slightly ahead. Then, by styling the top video with mix-blend-mode: difference in CSS, we make is so only the pixels that have changed between the two frames are shown.

So cool. That’s my favorite trick I’ve seen in a while.

Single Element Gradient Borders

Actually I have another trick that is right in the zone with the last two that is also just extremely cool. You gotta admit the gradient border look is pretty hot right now.

There are number of ways to pull that off, but they typically involve multiple stacked elements and decently involved trickery or limitations. The above is just one element, and it’s showcasing how you also aren’t limited with what you want to do in the body of the element (there using a backdrop-blur).

Ben Frain documents a trick he found in the freeCodeCamp forums. You slap a pseudo element on the main element to create the border, and then essentially knock out a hole in the middle.

Here is the clever bit I have never seen before; we then use a mask, and a mask composite. This allows us to create a ‘shape’, that our gradient border will inhabit. To create this shape, we need to composite two images together and find the difference. That might sound like a lot of work but we can make those two images with CSS using a linear-gradient. It doesn’t matter that the linear-gradient is actually just a flat white colour, the fact that it is defined as a linear-gradient means that the browser renders the outcome of that notation as an image and the image can be composited. So the first mask is a linear gradient set to the padding-box, which then crucially does not include the border, and the second gradient is the full size, and the difference between them is the border shape. Genius!!!!

Genius indeed.

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How to Fix: Windows WASD Keys Reversed with Arrow Keys

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This past weekend I had the opportunity to be what every father wants, if only for a moment: the “cool dad”. My wife was out of town and my youngest son wanted to play PUBG. I caved in, taught him the basic FPS key binds, and he was having a great time. While he was fragging out, he pressed a bunch of random keys and ended up changing movement buttons. Suddenly the traditional WASD movement keys were useless and the arrow keys triggered movement.

Of course, this was a degradation of player experience. After struggling to figure out what my son did, I found the solution.

To restore the WASD keys as movement keys, press the FN+W key combination. You’ll switch back to WASD keys for movement and be back on top of your game!

The post How to Fix: Windows WASD Keys Reversed with Arrow Keys appeared first on David Walsh Blog.

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Do backlinks to disallowed URLs help the domain overall?

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I do realize that backlinks to URLs disallowed via robots.txt do still have whatever Google's modern version of pagerank is. Depending upon how many incoming backlinks there are, even if Google can't crawl a URL, it might use those external signals to still rank the URL in the search results (albeit with no page title or description).

My question, however, is whether the domain overall is helped? I suspect URLs that are unable to be crawled can't spread pagerank to other pages. By any chance does the domain root get a little lift up? Or does that pagerank completely evaporate at the URL level?

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Choosing the best web design services

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In today’s digital era, having a strong online presence is crucial for businesses of all sizes. A well-designed website not only helps in attracting more customers but also builds a professional image. However, selecting the right website design services can be daunting, especially with numerous agencies offering varied pricing and packages. This article will guide you through choosing the best web design services, with a focus on what is best for small businesses and considerations of affordability.

Understanding Web Design Services

Before diving into the selection process, it’s essential to understand what web design and development services entail. Typically, these services include website layout design, content creation, web development, and maintenance. Agencies might also offer additional services such as SEO optimization, mobile responsiveness, and e-commerce functionalities.

The Role of Web Design Agencies

Web design agencies are companies that specialize in creating and maintaining websites. They employ teams of designers, developers, and project managers to ensure that your website not only looks good but also functions smoothly. A reputable agency will work closely with you to understand your business needs and tailor the website accordingly.

What to Look for in a Web Design Agency

When choosing a provider of web design services please consider the following factors:

  • Portfolio and Experience: Review the agency’s past projects to gauge their experience and the quality of work. This will also give you an insight into whether they have experience in your industry.
  • Services Offered: Ensure the agency provides all the services you need, from design to post-launch support.
  • Client Testimonials and Reviews: Client feedback can provide valuable insights into the agency’s reliability and quality of service.

Pricing of Web Design Services

Web design pricing can vary widely depending on the complexity of the site and the prestige of the agency. Generally, prices can range from a few hundred dollars for a basic website to thousands of dollars for a custom, feature-rich site. For small businesses, understanding the breakdown of costs is crucial to ensure that they are not paying for unnecessary features.

Affordable and Cheap Options

For small businesses, budget is often a significant constraint. Fortunately, there are affordable and cheap web design services that still offer quality. Here are some options:

  • DIY Website Builders: Platforms like Wix, Squarespace, and Shopify allow users to create websites using templates. These are less costly but might require more time investment from you.
  • Freelancers: Hiring a freelance web designer can be a more affordable option compared to agencies. Websites like Upwork and Freelancer are good places to start.
  • Small or Local Agencies: These often charge less than larger firms but can still provide personalized services.

Best Practices for Small Businesses

Small businesses need to be strategic in their web design investment to get the best return. Here are some tips:

  • Prioritize Usability and Simplicity: Users should find your website easy to navigate and the information easy to access.
  • Mobile Responsiveness: With increasing mobile usage, ensure your website looks good on all devices.
  • SEO Optimization: Your website should be optimized for search engines to increase visibility.
  • Clear Call-to-Action: Your website should guide users towards taking an action, like making a purchase or contacting you.

Making the Decision

To choose the best web design service within a budget, small businesses should:

  1. Define their needs: Be clear about what you need from your website.
  2. Set a budget: Determine how much you can realistically spend.
  3. Research and compare: Look at multiple agencies or freelancers, comparing their offerings and prices.
  4. Ask for detailed quotes: Ensure quotes include all potential costs to avoid surprises.

Conclusion

Selecting the right web design service is a crucial decision for small businesses. By focusing on agencies that offer comprehensive services at affordable prices, and by utilizing cost-effective strategies such as employing freelancers or using DIY website builders, small businesses can achieve a professional online presence without breaking the bank. Remember, a good website is an investment that can pay dividends in terms of increased customer engagement and sales. Choose wisely to ensure that your digital footprint truly reflects the quality of your business.

FAQS

What are web design services?

Web design services encompass a variety of tasks and skills involved in creating and maintaining websites. These services typically include graphic design of the website interface, user experience design, frontend and backend development, content management, and optimization for search engines (SEO). Additional services might also include maintenance, updating content, hosting, and ensuring website security.

How much do you pay someone to design a website?

The cost of hiring someone to design a website can vary widely based on several factors, such as the complexity of the design, the number of pages, specific features required, and the expertise of the designer or agency. Generally, prices can range from a few hundred dollars for a basic, template-based design to over $10,000 for a fully custom and complex website.

How much does a web designer cost?

The cost of a web designer can vary significantly. Freelance web designers might charge anywhere from $30 to $100 per hour, depending on their experience and location. Agencies typically offer packages that might start around $1,000 and can go up to tens of thousands for larger, more intricate projects.

Is it worth paying someone to build a website?

Yes, it is often worth paying someone to build a website, especially if you require a professional, customized, and responsive site that aligns with your business goals. Professionals can provide a well-designed site that enhances user experience, is optimized for search engines, and functions smoothly across all devices, which can ultimately help in driving more traffic and increasing conversions.

Can I create a website for free?

Yes, you can create a website for free using various platforms such as WordPress.com, Wix, or Google Sites. These platforms offer basic templates and tools that can be enough for a simple personal or small business site. However, free websites often come with limitations such as having the platform’s branding, reduced functionality, and less control over the domain name and SEO settings.

How many hours does it take to design a website?

The number of hours it takes to design a website can vary greatly depending on the project’s scope and complexity. A simple website might take 20 to 40 hours, while a more complex site with custom designs, functionalities, and content could easily require 100 hours or more.

How long does it take to design a website?

The timeframe to design a website can vary from a few weeks for a basic website to several months for a highly customized and complex website. Factors affecting the timeline include the design process, feedback and revision rounds, content creation, and technical development.

How much is a website per month?

The monthly cost of a website can include various ongoing expenses such as hosting, domain renewal, maintenance, and updates. Basic hosting services can start as low as $3 to $10 per month, while more comprehensive managed hosting services might cost $30 to $100 per month or more. Additional costs for maintenance and updates can vary based on the service provider and the level of service required.

The post Choosing the best web design services appeared first on BlogThemeMachine.

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Where to Secure Startup Funding in 2024: A Guide for Tech Entrepreneurs in the US

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Introduction

Where to Secure Startup Funding in 2024: A Guide for Tech Entrepreneurs in the US

In 2024, the landscape for startup funding is more dynamic than ever. Tech entrepreneurs and IT professionals are faced with a myriad of options, each offering unique benefits and suited to different stages of startup growth. With technology sectors evolving rapidly, the right funding choice can significantly influence the trajectory of a tech startup. Whether you are looking for a substantial venture capital injection, a supportive angel investor, an engaging crowdfunding campaign, or government-backed grants, understanding the nuances of each funding source is crucial. This guide aims to navigate through these diverse funding options, highlighting where you can secure the necessary capital to fuel your innovative projects across the United States.

🏦 Venture Capital Firms

Venture capital (VC) remains a powerhouse for funding robust tech startups with scalable potential. VCs are typically interested in businesses with high-growth prospects and a clear path to significant returns. In 2024, the tech sector continues to attract a significant portion of VC funds, particularly in emerging technologies like artificial intelligence, biotechnology, and sustainable energy solutions.

Understanding Venture Capita
Venture capital firms invest in startups in exchange for equity. The process usually involves multiple funding rounds, starting from seed capital to series A and beyond, as the company grows and matures. Each round is crucial, often meaning the difference between scaling operations and stalling out.

Top VC Firms in the US
Some of the leading VC firms that have consistently supported tech startups include:

  • Sequoia Capital: Known for early investments in giants like Apple and Google, Sequoia continues to support new tech ventures that demonstrate potential for market disruption.

  • Kleiner Perkins: With a history of investing in success stories like Amazon and Twitter, Kleiner Perkins focuses on innovative tech companies across various sectors.

  • Andreessen Horowitz (a16z): A firm that actively invests in tech startups shaping new industries through technology


Approaching Venture Capitalists
To attract a VC's attention, ensure your business plan is thorough and your pitch is compelling. VCs are looking for a combination of a strong team, innovative technology, and a large addressable market. Networking is key; attending industry meetups, startup events, and using professional connections can significantly increase your chances of landing a VC meeting.

💸 Angel Investors

Angel investors provide not only capital but also guidance and industry connections that are invaluable during a startup’s early stages. Unlike VCs, angel investors use their personal funds and typically have a more hands-on approach.

Finding the Right Angel
To locate and engage with angel investors:

  • AngelList: A platform where startups can meet angels and other investors.

  • Tech Coast Angels: One of the largest and most active angel investor networks in the US, focusing on high-tech startups.

  • Golden Seeds: An investment firm that supports startups with at least one woman in an executive role, focusing on technology and health sectors.


Pitching to Angels
When pitching to an angel, focus on personal connection and the potential impact of your technology. Angels are often driven by a combination of profit motive and personal interest in fostering innovation and entrepreneurship.

🚀 Crowdfunding Platforms

Crowdfunding is an excellent way to validate your product while also financing it. By presenting your idea to the public, you not only raise funds but also create early adopters and advocates for your technology.

Types of Crowdfunding

  • Kickstarter: Best for product-driven tech startups looking to gauge consumer interest through pre-orders.
  • Indiegogo: Offers flexibility with funding models, ideal for tech startups at various stages of product development.
  • Republic: Focuses on equity crowdfunding, allowing people to invest in your startup for as little as $10, making it accessible to a broader investor base.


Launching a Successful Campaign
For a successful crowdfunding campaign, create an engaging video that explains your technology, showcase potential benefits, and offer attractive rewards for backers. Transparency about your goals and progress updates can help maintain and build trust with your contributors.

🏛️ Government Grants and Programs

In the US, numerous government grants are designed to support tech innovation, particularly in sectors that align with national interests such as healthcare, education, and defense. These grants often provide non-dilutive funding, meaning you don't have to give up equity.

Accessing Government Funds

  • Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR): A highly competitive program that encourages domestic small businesses to engage in Federal Research/Research and Development (R/R&D) with the potential for commercialization.
  • National Science Foundation (NSF): Offers grants for technology startups and small businesses focusing on research and development of groundbreaking, high-impact technology.


Application Tips
Government grant applications require precision and a clear demonstration of how your technology meets specific criteria. It’s crucial to align your proposal with the grant's objectives and demonstrate both innovation and potential for commercial success.

🦄 Innovative Funding Sources in 2024

As we look to the future, the funding landscape continues to evolve with technology itself. In 2024, new methods of securing funds have emerged, driven by advancements in technology and finance.

Blockchain and Cryptocurrencies
Startups are increasingly turning to blockchain technology to raise funds through Initial Coin Offerings (ICO) or Security Token Offerings (STO). These methods offer a global reach and reduced barriers to entry when compared to traditional funding routes.

AI-Driven Investment Platforms
Platforms like SignalFire and Data Collective use AI to analyze potential investments, making the process faster and more data-driven. These platforms can offer unique opportunities for tech startups that might not fit the traditional VC model.

Advantages of New Funding Sources
These innovative platforms and methods provide flexibility, access to a global investor base, and the potential for rapid fundraising, all while aligning with the tech-savvy nature of your startup.

Conclusion

2024 presents a diverse array of funding opportunities for tech startups. Whether you choose venture capital, angel investment, crowdfunding, government grants, or innovative new platforms, the key is to align your funding strategy with your startup’s stage, needs, and long-term vision.

Now is the time to refine your pitch, research these opportunities, and take the bold steps necessary to secure the funding that will realize your tech ambitions. The future is waiting, and with the right resources, your startup can be at the forefront of transforming the tech landscape.

And 2muchcoffee will help bring your wildest ideas to life!