No.1 is being able to think like the target audience of a particular website…just like you might do for a print piece. That should be easy for you.

No.2 is getting familiar with how functional, data-driven websites work. Not the actual scripting and such, but being clear enough on these concepts so that you know how you’ll design not only the overt visual aspects of a site, but how you’ll layout, style and graphically enhance dynamic content that might change. It’s a key diff from print, where you have a finite space. Dynamic web content might change in volume or type of content on a daily basis. A space in a website might grow and contract as different content cycles through it. This is key. Many times you can set the rules as the designer, other times content will set the rules and you have to accommodate it in its various forms.

Otherwise, you just need to get familiar with the structure of web presentation. With XHTML and CSS, web layout is becoming much more like layering graphics and text in InDesign…meaning you throw down boxes that stuff goes into and you can style it a million different ways. You don’t necessarily need to write an ounce of code. But, understanding how it works so you can design within those parameters is essential and being able to write basic XHTML/CSS is a huge plus. It isn’t rocket science. It’s just layout control. You can leave all the fancy scripting and database stuff to the dev guys and make sure they make it look the way it should.

My opinion is that you should find a local dev person to collaborate with that is willing to help you ramp up your basic knowledge. You’ll get nothing of that sort by outsourcing to people you cannot even site down with to truly discuss a project. The right designer/developer team can do wonderful things when they understand the logic behind each other’s tasks and goals. So, look for a dev person that has experience working with designers to accomplish both visual and functional goals.

I’m not sure why you’d forgo vector graphic production methods (Illustrator). Vector graphics are resolution independent. Vector source files are the flexible between web and print, as they can be resized to any dims with zero degradation. Vectors are your friend.

I use Illustrator for certain graphic elements’ creation then bring them into Fireworks. I also use Photoshop for certain graphic elements’ creation, then bring them into Fireworks.

Fireworks is a real gem of an application. It’s too bad that Adobe is minimizing it’s use by stating it’s good for “website prototyping” rather than web design.

Careful with the interchangeable use of DPI and PPI. PPI is all that matters for web. You’ll attract the wrath of the rabid digital semantics police. ;^)

Number 7 is often overlooked and a good recommendation.

Number 8, is true for any design, not just web. Number 9 – for real, come-on, that is not advice, that is true for any career that uses software often.

Number 10, come-on, common sense for any position that uses software alot. Sorry, but article is largely amateur and so sad is it so high on the google list for “from print to web design”.

Here is how I’m breaking it down. The designer does there job but on the web, the “Lena’s” are like your pressman and bindery people behind the scenes making sure each impression by the viewer is consistent.

Lena, you are right, the learning curve is steep, I need a Lena in my backpocket. Designing a site purely in photoshop is not keeping it real, I need to know what goes on under the hood and what toolbox to use. I think this article is misleading to print designers, it just ain’t that easy.