# Top-down page design

**URL:** <https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/top-down-page-design/139663>\
**Category:** Rails\
**Created:** [June 5, 2008, 9:34pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/top-down-page-design/139663 "2008-06-05T21:34:06Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![churp](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/c/f14d63/32.png) [@churp](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/churp)\
**Post date:** [June 5, 2008, 9:34pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/top-down-page-design/139663/1 "2008-06-05T21:34:06Z")

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Hello All,

I am trying to shake my cob-webbed memory for a link.  
The document/whitepaper (possibly by 37-signals or friends?) was about  
designing a page/module by going “top down” from the napkin-drawing down  
into the data layer, first drawing the basic frame fo the page as simply  
as  
possible, then identifying the basic objects represented by the drawing  
(modules), then identifying relationships with the modules (BDD  
“shoulds”  
and “haves”), and then finally identifying the data layer to support  
storage  
of the modules.

So, now that I outlined the document, does someone have better memory  
than I  
and can find the original link or download?

Thanks so much for your memory!

## – Peter F.

## iPhone – “IT”-ness. href= [Apple’s iPhone could become iconic ‘It Object’ - MacDailyNews](http://www.macdailynews.com/index.php/weblog/comments/apples_iphone_could_become_iconic_it_object)

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**Author:** ![churp](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/c/f14d63/32.png) [@churp](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/churp)\
**Post date:** [June 5, 2008, 9:53pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/top-down-page-design/139663/2 "2008-06-05T21:53:06Z")

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> and can find the original link or download?
> 
> Thanks so much for your memory!

> **[Getting Real](https://basecamp.com/gettingreal)**
>
> The smarter, faster, easier way to build a successful web application

maybe…

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**Author:** ![churp](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/c/f14d63/32.png) [@churp](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/churp)\
**Post date:** [June 5, 2008, 9:56pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/top-down-page-design/139663/3 "2008-06-05T21:56:03Z")

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On Thu, Jun 5, 2008 at 2:52 PM, Philip H. [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid)  
wrote:

> > of the modules.
> 
> >

Very close, probably the inspiration for the page I remember. The  
page/doc  
I remember had images of teh actual napkin drawings in teh step-by-step  
walkthrough of the process.  
Any takers?

Thanks!

## – Peter F.

## iPhone – “IT”-ness. href= [Apple’s iPhone could become iconic ‘It Object’ - MacDailyNews](http://www.macdailynews.com/index.php/weblog/comments/apples_iphone_could_become_iconic_it_object)