The SharePoint user experience is critical in application architecture and user acceptance. Using tools available to all developers, Building the SharePoint User Experience will show you how to rebuild a SharePoint site, taking it all the way from the default out--of--the--box experience to your very own customized user experience. Along the way you will receive a solid understanding of the SharePoint architecture that will enable you to take full advantage of the capabilities of SharePoint as a platform. This will allow you to tailor the SharePoint user experience to increase the value of solutions and to work more effectively with projects. And that, of course, leads to successful SharePoint solutions in your business that your users are happy to accept and use. What you'll learn * Learn the tools needed to create effective and highly tailored user interfaces and experiences. * Dissect an out--of--the--box site to learn how every user experience element is built. * Master the core functions of sites, lists, content types, and fields. * Build a site from scratch using tools available to everyone. * Speed up development time by using little known tips and tricks. * See how new skills can be applied to everyday tasks with simple exercises. Who this book is for This book is for SharePoint developers who want to learn how to work with designers and other developers to create custom and tailored user experiences, including custom forms, content types, lists, fields, pages, and navigation that will better match your project's requirements. This is not a book for graphic designers--you'll find no Photoshop tips here! Table of Contents * Checking Your Gear for Departure * Taking a Crash Course in XML * Exploring Feature Basics and Not-So Basics * Excavating the Site * Evolving the Default User Experience * What Lurks in the Forest of Lists? * Encountering the Monsters in the Cave * The Liquid Nitrogen of SharePoint * Strolling Through Fields of Gold * Intermission: The Mentality of a SharePoint Developer * Starting Field * Creating Your First Content Factory * Accounting Gone Haywire * Pages and Pages of Fun! * Our Empire United