A journalist and an information architect face exactly the same problem - how to give shape to the pile of information in front of you in a way that will make it easy and natural for people to comprehend. I can't imagine any better preparation for the work I do now.

But the best teams I've encountered have one important thing in common: their team structure and processes cover a full range of distinct competencies necessary for success.

Problems with visual design can turn users off so quickly that they never discover all the smart choices you made with navigation or interaction design.

Ajax is an important development for Web applications, and its importance is only going to grow.

The more everybody knows about all aspects of the problems we face, the better off all of us will be. Less time spent explaining things means more time for coming up with creative solutions.

Building technical systems involves a lot of hard work and specialized knowledge: languages and protocols, coding and debugging, testing and refactoring.

Ajax isn't a technology. It's really several technologies, each flourishing in its own right, coming together in powerful new ways.