Important Factors in Web site design
The following items can be used as a checklist, or as a review sheet when starting a web site design project. I find it helpful to provide this list to my clients, as a tool to help them understand the design process, and to help them prioritize the information on their website.
Important factors to remember when developing a web site:
Communicate
Don't ever forget that the website is a powerful communications tool. It should be designed to communicate with your customers. Design content, visuals, and functionality to pull the user in.
- Encourage users to interact with the web site
- Provide tools that enhance and facilitate communication.
Architect
Information architecture is at the core of your website's success. It is critical to evaluate and organize information so that it is easily accessible and makes sense to your viewers.
- Prioritize the information on the web site.
- Organize the information using a clear visual hierarchy.
- Exclude all non-relevant information.
- Organize the information so that it best communicates the desired message-this sometimes means making some items not as accessible as others.
- Remember! – any user can only do one thing at a time, and only one thing can be the most important.
Visualize
Differentiating your website with unique graphic design style can push you past your competitors. Graphic design has the power to help you better communicate the messages that you want to communicate to your customers and partners.
- Be unique!
- Base graphic design decisions on company goals and web site goals, not on what is "cool."
- Be sensitive to file sizes, design for quick download times, but don't compromise your design for speed if you are certain that your audience won't mind, and that they will benefit from the extra graphics that you are pushing them.
- Create graphics and styles that enhance the message being communicated.
Implement
Develop to a standard. A web site is a living document that must be updated continually. Good development practices can make your web site much easier to maintain, and reduce costs over time.
- Define a standard for web site development (Use existing standards or develop your own.)
- Use a source control application
- Use industry best practices (www.w3.org)
- Develop with clean, easy to read code
- Use templates wherever possible
- Implement a good content management system if your site requires frequent updates.