case study
Using a CSS Framework in a
Large Organization
So the other day Tadd linked up some work in progress code which hinted that we are using the Blueprint CSS framework in some of our sites under development.
This decision went through many heated debates internally where some were excited for it, and others were repulsed.
So what were the reasons behind the need for looking into a framework?
We have 30+ designers who occasionally have to tag team projects, take over projects from others or help out for a short time. When every project is coded to a given designers personal style it can cause a lot of ramp up time to help or take over.
We have some designers who are HTML/CSS guru’s and can pick up anything and understand it pretty quickly. Others are not as able to so easily decode others work in a short time frame.
As a result, using a framework came up as a way to allow all skill levels to more easily understand a given projects code.
Reasons I gave for adopting a CSS framework:
- It helps to get you up and running quickly with standard components that have what you need for general site structure
- It allows for easier sharing of code as you can grab examples from others work and it should work on your files without the need for significant changes
- It also allows for others to more easily jump in and help as they will be familiar with the structure
- When taking over a project (projects rarely start and end with the same IxD) the ramp up time will be significantly less if you don’t have to learn a new structure and the previous IxD’s personal style
I am genuinely interested in hearing suggestions from the community as to how the above can be addressed without a framework. Creating a lds.org or church specific set of code to start from is the same thing as a framework in my mind, so then the argument would be against Blueprint not frameworks.
I can definitely understand being anti-framework for your personal work when you are the only person working on it. But when you need to get 30+ designers on relatively the same page, what options do you have? Other then only hiring HTML/CSS guru’s which isn’t practical.
Yes this discussion has been discussed many times by Jeff Croft and followers, but it’s worth another round specific to a large organization :)
4 comments
Perhaps the thing to do would be to develop your own internal framework.
I’ve created a set of styles that I use at the start of every project. Included are bits and pieces of various frameworks, stuff I have developed over time, and other bits of code I found myself reusing every time- stuff like Eric Meyer’s reset and Clearfix.
I find that most frameworks are a bit too specific for my liking, and the perceived cruft drives me crazy.
I would also suggest that you create a document to outline markup and styling conventions. With as many great minds as you have there, it shouldn’t be too difficult to come up with a set of standards that everyone could agree with. When I work with some of my design/dev firm clients, I follow their markup standards and leave my personal preferences at the door, so to speak. Every now and again I’ll offer my feedback and opinion. Sometimes that feedback is taken and folded into their defaults, and other times we have a discussion about it and they make an argument that I wouldn’t have likely considered. In the end, my personal ‘framework’ gets the benefit of thought and discussion, and I see real world examples of flaws in my approach.
I guess that’s just a super-long-winded way of saying that one externally developed framework won’t likely work for you guys, but there’s no reason why you couldn’t develop your own lightweight framework and set of conventions.
(If you do, please share w/ the rest of us- I’d love to see what you come up with.)
comment by Jason Reed 3 hours later
I think you’ve got the perfect use-case for a css framework. I’m not sure I would have chosen blueprint personally, but I can’t argue with your thinking that using some framework will make it easier for a team of 30 to work on sites together without mass confusion.
comment by Scott Nellé 4 hours later
We find blueprint to indispensible. I employee students to help with the work we do here (BYU Library). The student employees come with varying skill levels. Blueprint is an easy framework for them to adopt and maintain.
comment by Tom 6 hours later
I always like to edit a framework to my own liking. Perhaps the solution is not to use a strict “framework” per se, but to employ some sort of system that helps standardize the code. What that entails is up to you guys to decide.
comment by David 7 hours later
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