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If your web design includes a grid of 100 elements. By all means, yes, the grid is important. But your design consists of three columns. Do you really need a 1

If your web design includes a grid of 100 elements. By all means, yes, the grid is important. But your design consists of three columns. Do you really need a 12 column grid to understand that relationship?

sgdesign 16y ago
OK, I get your point. That's a great point actually, and one that I will add to the article. The reason I chose 12, is that 12 is divisible by 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, and 12. So even though for now I'm only using three columns, this gives you a lot of flexibility for the other pages or sections of the site. You can keep the same basic grid, but create a lot of different combinations. If I used a 3-column grid, for example, it would be impossible to obtain two equal-width columns without modifying the grid.
- tedkimble 16y ago
  I understand the flexibility argument, and it's a valid one. If you often have grids of 2, 3, 4, or 6 columns, a 12 column grid is surely useful. I abhor grids for two reasons. One, they are often used as justification, which I find completely invalid. Two, they tend to re-enforce your pre-conceived notions of which types of web design would work well. Or even worse, they lock you into thinking that only a design which fits the grid is valid. I guess I think that grids are an unnecessary component which obstructs the possibilities of design for the web medium.
  - sgdesign 16y ago
    For me, grids play the same role as something like Rails might on the coding side. Using Rails rather than plain Ruby constrains you and "locks you" into developing your app one way. But on the other hand, it makes you so much more productive that you're then free to use your creativity towards solving more interesting problems. And it also helps you to get the basics right when you're starting out. So I agree it's a trade-off, but you shouldn't assume that grids have nothing to bring to the table.
  - wdewind 16y ago
    The grid is not a scaffolding or framework, the gridded structure is to help the reader's eyes decode and separate information.
    - tedkimble 16y ago
      What grid are you talking about? Are your eyes decoding 12 columns of information? Or is it just nice to have two things aligned with each other? I suspect it's the latter. And again, that has absolutely nothing to do with a 12 or 16 or xx grid.

sgdesign 16y ago

OK, I get your point. That's a great point actually, and one that I will add to the article. The reason I chose 12, is that 12 is divisible by 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, and 12. So even though for now I'm only using three columns, this gives you a lot of flexibility for the other pages or sections of the site. You can keep the same basic grid, but create a lot of different combinations. If I used a 3-column grid, for example, it would be impossible to obtain two equal-width columns without modifying the grid.

tedkimble 16y ago
I understand the flexibility argument, and it's a valid one. If you often have grids of 2, 3, 4, or 6 columns, a 12 column grid is surely useful. I abhor grids for two reasons. One, they are often used as justification, which I find completely invalid. Two, they tend to re-enforce your pre-conceived notions of which types of web design would work well. Or even worse, they lock you into thinking that only a design which fits the grid is valid. I guess I think that grids are an unnecessary component which obstructs the possibilities of design for the web medium.
- sgdesign 16y ago
  For me, grids play the same role as something like Rails might on the coding side. Using Rails rather than plain Ruby constrains you and "locks you" into developing your app one way. But on the other hand, it makes you so much more productive that you're then free to use your creativity towards solving more interesting problems. And it also helps you to get the basics right when you're starting out. So I agree it's a trade-off, but you shouldn't assume that grids have nothing to bring to the table.
- wdewind 16y ago
  The grid is not a scaffolding or framework, the gridded structure is to help the reader's eyes decode and separate information.
  - tedkimble 16y ago
    What grid are you talking about? Are your eyes decoding 12 columns of information? Or is it just nice to have two things aligned with each other? I suspect it's the latter. And again, that has absolutely nothing to do with a 12 or 16 or xx grid.