Ajax, website design techniques used to create interactive web pages, has recently created a flurry of interest. More and more organizations are employing Ajax design strategies to enhance their sites. Ensure that your site can compete by employing Ajax website design strategies as well. This article presents a short overview of this new technology as well as lists the benefits of using it.

Familiarize yourself with Ajax

Before choosing a website design strategy to employ, you need to know what Ajax is and how it can improve you website. Ajax is an acronym for asynchronous JavaScript and XML. It is the primary technique used to make website designs highly responsive. Google Maps, for example, was built using Ajax and thus has a highly responsive user interface. You can simply hover your mouse over a particular location on a map and the page will respond immediately, by displaying information about that location.

Do away with CTRL + R

With Ajax, there is now a minimal need to hit CTRL + R to refresh a page. Instead, pages with Ajax elements refresh automatically, on their own. On regular pages, when users fill out forms they have to click the “Submit” button before anything happens.

Although some website designs with Ajax technology still use submit buttons, many of these pages can simply update parts of the page at any time, giving users an immediate response to their inputs. This allows users to react right away to the errors or information displayed. This is very helpful, for instance, when users are selecting a desired username. Website designs that employ Ajax can show users right away if the desired username is available. By doing so, users don’t have to wait until they submit the entire form before they find out that the username they want is taken.

Simple interfaces

Another benefit of using Ajax in your website designs is the simplicity of a single-screen interface. Research shows that users favor web pages with just one screen, as opposed to having to click through several pages without knowing what lies ahead. Single screens allow users to see the big picture of what they’re working on and the steps needed to be completed.

Ajax single-screen interfaces allow users to accomplish the tasks when they want and in the order they want, while traditional website designs force users to follow a certain series of steps. In an online e-commerce system, for instance, users may choose to input their contact details first rather than adding their billing information. Users could also decide to go back and change something they previously inputted. With Ajax website designs, this is easy. Conventional web pages, on the other hand, would require that users use the site’s specified flow of procedures.

Everyone for Ajax

The web today is all about giving users the best possible surfing experience possible. Ajax can accomplish this and more. Ajax website designs have a desktop application-like feel to them, which makes them so much more favorable than traditional web pages.

There’s nothing like writing a story. It is a truly satisfying creative process. In order to write a story that people will enjoy. You need to understand the key elements that all good writers use in stories. In this article we will explore these elements.

1. Brainstorming

Ask yourself these questions:

What are you are going to write about? Who will be your audience? How much do you know about what you want to write about? What do I need to find out?

2. Write from a Specific Point of View

First person: “I”

Second person: “You” (rarely used)

Third person: “She/He” (Used the majority of time but in a “limited” way) Limited simply means that the story is told through the eyes of one particular character.

3. Starting Your Story

Your story should begin in such a way that it grabs the readers attention and never lets them go, some ways to begin are: Sound Effects, for example: Splash! Pop! Another way to begin is with dialogue, that is, two or more characters having a conversation. Using action is also another way to start. Whatever you choose, you must do it in a way that draws the reader in from the very beginning, if you fail to do this then no matter how good your story gets down the road it will be pointless as you have already lost your audience.

4. Setting

Place your characters in a setting. This is where you are to use descriptive words that let your readers see, hear and even smell the setting. The setting establishes the time and place in which the story takes place. Give your readers a snapshot view of the environment so that they can see it in their mind’s eye and feel as if they are really there.

5. Characters

Characters are part of the life blood of fiction. Here are some of the types of characters you may want to create.

Main Character (Protagonist): All the action revolves around this person.

Villain (Antagonist): This person or persons oppose the main character at every turn. Villains can also become allies of the main character down the road. People change in real life as well as in stories.

Friends (Sidekicks): This person or persons helps the main character.

6. Conflict

Good conflict allows your readers to become even more involved in the plot. Conflict can arise within the characters, with other people or even with nature. The needs of characters are what drives them into action. Conflict is created when obstacles are put in the way of the characters. Here are some types of conflict that can arise in a story:

The main character vs. others

The main character vs. his /her own inner self

The main character vs. situations he/she faces in life

The main character vs. society

7. Dialogue

Finally lets take a look at the purpose and use of dialogue. Dialogue is used in conversation between your characters. The characters may also have dialogue with themselves. Good dialogue tells the reader something about the characters state of mind or personality. Dialogue should be surrounded by action and move the story along. So make every conversation count!