I find myself often at a crossroads when planning a concept for a new website. When I first began building websites in the days of Flash, there were no rules. If I could dream it up, then I could produce it and if all goes well it would be praised for its innovation. Nowadays there is such a stress on web standards and usability that a flashy unique concept just doesn't have the same appeal. A majority of the web audience would be turned off by something that doesn't fit their preconceived notion of what a website should be. As an artist I'd like to say well too bad for them, I am going to make this as creative as possible. Unfortunately the audience is such an important factor in decision making that I can't use that frame of thought or I would be out of a job. I find myself always thinking hard about how I can make a website introduce something new and exciting without alienating its viewers. It's a rather tough line to walk and you can't be sure without actual testing and analysis. I want to push the boundaries of web design, but in doing so I can't forget the standards that have come into play over the years. As technology advances there will be more and more options to create anything you can imagine for the web. The real challenge is how well your innovative ideas comply with web standards and keep your audience comfortable while navigating the website.