as contradictory as it sounds, with almost all my projects in the past, they’ve either been too complex, or not complex enough, to take advantage of an open CSS framework.

recently i’ve started a site that has a definite magazine-style feel to it, and my first instinct was that a grid-based CSS framework might save me a lot of time to build it. i chose the Blueprint CSS framework as the basis of my development, and after a fairly friendly learning curve, it’s greatly sped up my process.

an added bonus: an open CSS framework is far better documented for future maintenance and development than anything i would have built from the ground up. that’s important to me and my clients as well - maximizing the efficiency of billable hours by leveraging proven tools and techniques.

you can retrieve Blueprint from the Blueprint Google Code page, and there’s a quick tutorial to get you started.

in the past, some frameworks i’ve used have advanced initial development, but hampered the process when you get into intricate details. thankfully, Blueprint looks like it’s structured to be unobtrusive; it only affects what you want it to. when this project is completed, i’ll follow up with my reflections on the experience.