Please, tell us a bit about yourself. What is your education, background, and training?

I am a 30 something web designer and web developer from Rijeka, Croatia, married to wife Natasa, father of a beautiful boy Erik. I spend most of my waking hours sitting in front of my iMac, designing, coding... When I'm taking a break from work I enjoy endurance sports, running, cycling and swimming. I completed my first Ironman triathlon this summer and plan to do many more.

I have no formal web design education. I could say that I am self-taught but that wouldn't be entirely true as I got a lot of help from my skilled friends, especially when I was just starting. Also, the learning process didn't end, I am still learning new stuff and improving my skills.

How did you get into web design?

I first started to work as a DTP specialist in a small local print shop. Then I started to use graphic skills to design web sites. I was slowly getting more and more fascinated with the technology behind the web sites and I decided that web is the way to go for me.

You're the first Croatian web design I interview. And I wonder what the situation is with the web design industry in Croatia?

To be quite honest, I am not that involved in Croatian "web scene" as I should be. I chose to work with foreign clients and "go global" with my web presence so I am a bit out of the local stream. I think that Croatian web is pretty effective in following global trends although a lot of people are not taking advantage of the web as they should.

You've got a lot of hobbies. On your website you mention that you have played lead guitar in a relatively popular Croatian band called ‘Sajeta’ for almost 9 years, and ever since you were a kid you enjoyed freediving. How has all that experience influenced your mind as a web designer (or still does)?

Every experience helps to build you as a person. Everything you do, see and learn makes you what you are. All those (and other) things that happened to me were a result of determination and dedication. That's how I approach my work too.

How did you come up with the idea of CSS Globe? When did CSS Globe launch?

Css Globe was first intended to be a database for local web professionals (of course I meant to use a different name for it), a place where they could share their links. When I was developing it I was already working and communicating with a lot of people outside my country so I decided to make a project on a global level. That happened in 2005.

What is CSS Globe built on? Could you explain your choice.

Css Globe is built on my own code :) I wrote every single line of back-end application from scratch. It is an ASP app for one single reason, that's what I had the opportunity to learn. The firm I used to work in for 5 years is a MS gold partner and everyone around me was using MS technologies.

How would you define "social media" to someone not fluent in interactive or online marketing?

I think I would just point them to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_media as I am not sure how would I explain the term to myself. If anyone has a good, average Joe definition, please write it here in the comments!

CSS Globe is a niche social media website focused on web design news. What makes it different from other social media websites?

Every site (except for clones and copycats) has its own specific things. At the moment you could say that Css Globe serves hand-picked web standards related community news. There's no voting system, nothing is done automatically. I am the editor and I find the news post interesting, it gets published. Something like showcase gallery for news.

How do you maintain yours to have an active community of users?

From the start I provided people with opportunity to promote themselves through their writing, blogging, coding etc. I think that is what people find it interesting. The site has a good click-through rate for news updates. If you get published, you'll receive hits. On the other hand, I am doing my best to publish only interesting stuff to keep readers satisfied.

The only thing I am not too happy about is that there are very few members that share links not related to their personal sites. Almost 95% of users post only their blog updates.

What is your eventual goal with the CSS Globe?

I will more or less keep things as they are, although I will involve more editors (some of the top members) to help me filter out the good stuff and scan the web for interesting links. I will soon launch a redesign that will have even more focus on community news section and perhaps have a feature or two added.

In the near future I would like to be dedicated to CSSG and other personal projects full time, so I can write and publish more stuff. As a part of my plan I launched Templatica, a place where people can purchase quality css templates at affordable rates. I hope in time Templatica will provide enough income to support CSS Globe full time.

What are some of the resources (sites, blogs, books, events, networks, applications, etc) that you rely on for information on web design?

I regularly read Tuts sites (PSDTuts, NetTuts), Smashing Magazine, Noupe, Vandelay Design, CSS-Tricks... I find Twitter to be a great tool for keeping up to date with new stuff. Also, my members provide me with lots of stuff to read too :)

On the final note, what advice would you give to a beginning web designer?

Learn standards, it will do you good. Inspire from others but don't steal. Learn JavaScript because a web designer can go a long way if he/she becomes a front-end developer too.

Helen Walker

Helen Walker

Helen Walker graduated with a degree in Mass Communications and Sociology. She worked as a newspaper journalist for two years after that. Having always been interested in cyberculture and its impact on society, Helen switched to online journalism and joined Design Interviews blog in July, 2007. Ever since she's been interviewing web designers and administrating the blog. Helen is a keen movie-goer and she is also a panda lover.


Look for me on:
- Twitter
- VIRB
- Facebook

Get in touch with Helen: helen.walker4@gmail.com