Aeris Click Blog

by Jason

Effective website design is a key factor in web usability and creating a consumer oriented online business. However, more often than not web design is overlooked and causes big problems for everyone involved. This article aims to help smooth over some of the bumps along the road in creating an all round user friendly webpage.

1. Customer: The design must always have users in mind and cater exclusively to their needs. The design must be from a user perspective.
2. Clarity: Menu options should be on the visible portion of the screen without the need for scrolling and every page must have the same menu bar. This makes it easy for the user to navigate. No matter the scope of the company’s activities, navigation can be eased through a navigation bar and a box of quicklinks that can be enclosed to create more space. A successful web design exhibits clear design and navigation.
3. Cleanliness: Too many menu options only create confusion, so keep these concise and straightforward. Stay away from overusing sub-menu options which only makes the menu bar complicated and messy. A clean design will have attractive graphics with jargon-free copy.
4. Company credentials: Visitors to a website who are greeted with a company that pays attention to appearances like brand promise, efficiency, organisation, and global interest form emotional bonds that increase the probability of them becoming loyal customers. Showcasing positive PR items like charity projects and environmental awareness prominently can enhance company reputation and credibility.
5. Communication: Engaging website visitors via two-way communications increases involvement and allows them to control their web experience. Good communication re-enforces brand values. In addition, the website can include staff support with customer phone contact request made available.
6. Interaction: Interactive mechanisms include changing colour of text (mouse roll-over) when a mouse is placed over a text menu option, selection from drop down boxes, drag and drop, and typing requirements with a search through a list of appropriate services. 
7. Graphic Design: Designers need to cater to home users who view sites using a slow modem across a phone line and will lose interest if the page exceeds the maximum response time of 10 seconds. Designing for varying screen resolutions is necessary, as is the number of colours on screen owing to different monitor capabilities of users. Also, different browsers with different versions may display graphics or text differently and some may not even support a certain plug-in. The design must compromise between what is visually appealing and technologically savvy and what is compatible with older browsers and slower connections. Users can be offered a high tech or a low tech choice to ease this difficulty. Graphic design is still important in creating the character of a site and shaping users experience.
8. Online Forms: Information on forms should be minimal with inclusion of contact information. Many users will be reluctant to provide personal information, so capturing minimums can be helpful. Customers will more readily provide personal details and spend time on a form if they know why they are doing so. Incentives provide a good pull factor. Mandatory fields outline the bare minimum while checks ensure validity. Wrong information must be clearly prompted with what is wrong and why, possibly using javascript.
9. Crucial Features: A search facility will enable users to quickly locate a desired aspect of the website, minimalising frustration brought on by having to guess and test. Pop-up windows create confusion and make it difficult to keep a browsing history. Repetitive tasks of customers should be made accessible via quicklinks. Providing a map will let users know the site layout, easing navigation.
10. Careful Planning: The planning stage is essential to ensure a good quality site that does not need reworking in the later stage. Without a structured plan, first versions may not meet the needs of the end-user. Too much planning is also not advisable as over time the needs of users will change with market forces.

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Tags: 10 PRINCIPLES OF EFFECTIVE WEB DESIGN, EFFECTIVE WEB DESIGN, web design key factors, web design principles, web design tips, web usability

This entry was posted on Thursday, June 10th, 2010 at 2:48 pm and is filed under Web Design. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.