Grids=Good

In doing a little research on grids and checking out designbygrid.com per Chris' recommendation the theory and practice of grid structure makes a lot of sense. Initially, while staring down at a handful of tiny little Paul Rand clippings I couldn't help but feel that we were being forced to use some sort of designer's set of training wheels. It's a bit like learning to color inside the lines before you start drawing your own pictures. The catch is, you're in your twenties and you have to prove that you have the motor skills and wherewithal to keep your reds and blues within said lines. A little bit ridiculous...or is it?

Clicking my way through several websites and even thumbing through the latest How mag I realized, like the iPod of the design world, grids are everywhere. And for good reason. First, they make a designers job easier and perhaps more importantly, more efficient. Nothing is as daunting for a designer, artist, writer etc than staring at a blank page. Grids make short work of that first tricky step and off you go, filling in the proper info where necessary.

The second realization I had (and this one's a big one for selfish only children like myself) is that grids take all of your information and make it easier for the viewer too. And we're not just talking about your target audience but also for your client. If everything's laid out in easy to manage modules or columns the viewer can easily find and assess the information they need quickly and again, efficiently.

Here are a couple I found especially nice:

Ungarbage.com gives you a pretty little grid that's clearly defined by the background. Post-it like notes keep all of your information in easy to handle modules.



And 31three.com is nice and simple with a few pretty straightforward columns on a pleasing background. It really doesn't get much simpler than that. Super successful if you ask me.