The beauty of the Web is that it is a laboratory - you can try stuff, learn in a very short span of time and refine. You don't need me or anyone else to teach you, for the first time - everything you need is accessible. Observe what others are doing and test it for yourself. Recognize that we are all just discovering the potential of the Web. On an evolutionary scale, it's like we are just starting to use fire to cook our food!
Practical Thought:
It sounds as though you have already been busy collecting examples of things you like, finding articles and tutorials to get you started. Beyond the "How Tos", I would suggest a few books on philosophy of design and purpose for Web applications:
- Get to know Jakob Nielsen - user experience guru (Google him)
- Read The Cluetrain Manifesto - old, but good thought on authenticity
- Read The Long Tail - to understand the impact of Web technology on our economy (identify opportunity with a new mental framework)
As you think about design - first ask is the entity sponsoring the website in business. If the answer is yes, try to think of 3 or 4 things they can impact to increase revenue. Typically, one of those things is increase qualified leads. Then, think about how you will design and what applications you can employ to increase each of the 3 or 4 things you've identified. If you do this, your applications/designs will have purpose, people can track the results, they can look for ways to improve, they can start to hold your work accountable, etc.
Hope these thoughts help.
