Bought web design - table structure or CSS layout?

Question

Hi guys,

I tried a new web designer for one of my projects. After many tries he build a really nice design for my webpage and sent me the files. Now I wondered a much, because he only slice it in Photoshop - 20 images (very very bad sliced, e.g. borders with content in one image) and all complete 1 table structure HTML file.

When I asked him to do it in CSS, he said he can't, he doesn't know how, he is only a designer. His argument was: In his 4,5 year experience nobody asked for a sliced design, all customers would only have the PSD file and slice and create the HTML on their own. And - he added - table structures are completly normal in web design.

So, my question: Am I old or is he?

Until now, I have ever build a webpage with DIV and CSS, never used table until you really needed a table structured information to show. That's what I learn.

Please tell me your opinion and how to handle with the actual situation.

Answer 1

Tables are very bad and old practice for design. You are correct to use css and divs. A "web designer" should be versed in css in order to produce their designs.

I would look for a different designer.

Answer 2

If he is a real web designer he should know CSS.

Answer 3

His argument was: In his 4,5 year experience nobody asked for a sliced design, all customers would only have the PSD file and slice and create the HTML on their own.

This I find a valid argument. The creation of a design is one task; the creation a the HTML structure out of the design a entirely different one, and not being able to create the HTML does not make you any less of a designer.

And - he added - table structures are completly normal in web design.

This was a valid argument in 1999, but is not any more.

If the main job he gets paid for is to design, and he had to create the HTML because you pressured him or because of time constraints or whatever, I'd say cut your losses, pay him, forget about it and have a CSS layout done elsewhere.

If he actually offered to create HTML for you, for money, and delivered a sliced table layout, I'd say that is not good work by the standards of 2009. Personally, I would not accept that if I were the client, and force him to do it again or refund the money.

Answer 4

In answer to your question - yes, a table based layout is outdated and you need/want a css based one.

However, it sounds like the person you hired is generally just a web designer (Does visual design and layout) as opposed to a web developer (does the coding part of a website).

Many/most people who call themselves web designers do both of these jobs, and he should have explained to you before you hired him if he was only going to do the designing part, however, it does seem that he is a designer, not a developer, which is why his code skills are not so brilliant.

Consider hiring a separate web developer to create the website from the PSD file that your designer gives you.

Answer 5

sounds like a graphic designer, not a web designer

always be specific about the format of deliverables

Answer 6

It seems that your designer is a draftsman, but he can't create HTML layouts. Tables are only for tabular content and will put big restrictions to your layout. My opinion is that you should regard him as somebody that can draw, but don't ask him to do anything else, because he will mess up everything.

Answer 7

Tables functionally will work, and even validate, but they are a terrible practice for layout.

The designer admittedly has little knowledge of HTML & CSS. Perhaps his clients typically use a PSD to XHTML service for code, or something similar. I have not used one of these services personally, but you may want to look into that if you need a quick turnaround, but lack CSS knowledge.

Answer 8

If you're not comfortable turning the PSD file into XHTML, there are a variety of services that can do it for you for a few hundred dollars such as w3-markup.com.

Answer 9

Like most people here, I would concur that tables are not the mainstay of 2009 web layout and I can say that I NEVER used a table for layout - heck I couldn't if I tried. To answer your question - He is old.

Answer 10

I'd like to add that in my experience (and this is hardly a rule, I'm sure), Web designers who are not able to code a layout into CSS/XHTML lack a certain understanding of the way Web pages often need to expand and contract based on content. This is especially true when designing for a CMS type system, or for a site that may require variable text sizes. The lack of understanding in these areas leads to issues with the way designs are put together on a fundamental level, and I have often found myself with a design that doesn't "work" in the end.