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Below is a list of webdesign guidelines for designer and client both to consider. If adhered to, these tips will help reduce the risk of website failure. Includes:
Design |
Content |
Home page |
Navigation |
Design guidelines
- Quality content and a fast downloading site are the two most important issues
- Ensure real content is available before commencing the design
- It is important to give immediate benefit to the user. The cost for a user to leave your site is zero - compared, for example, to a magazine, which would be the cost of a new magazine plus travel time. By nature, web users are very goal driven, so design accordingly
- The overall web user has a pessimistic predisposition to websites since they have often been disappointed many times by badly designed sites with poor quality content - pleasantly surprise them
- Only use multimedia where it clarifies or enhances the users experience
- Use Templates and Style Sheets to allow quick site structural changes and easy maintenance.
- Use fonts that will be available on most users systems. Common fonts include: Andale mono, Trebuchet, Georgia, Verdana, Arial, Arial black, Impact, Times New Roman, Courier.
Content guidelines
It is important to remember that reading from a screen is 25% slower than print and is generally unpleasant. In short, screens are slower and more painful to read from. Additionally 80% of Internet users scan and do not actually read the text. The following tips will increase user satisfaction:
- Be succinct - keep text short and concise - approximately 50% of a printed equivalent
- Get to the point right away
- Use headings, highlights and lists if possible
- Use short paragraphs, subheadings, and bulleted lists
- Employ a content editor if at all possible
- Use meaningful headings
- Use highlighting, emphasis and diagrams
- Ensure the most important points are at the top of the page - if possible, start each page with a conclusion
Home page design
- The home page of a website should be distinguished from the rest of the site
- If the site is reasonably large a search feature should be included. Many users are search oriented
- Latest news or features can be put on the home page
Navigation
The navigation design of a website should aid the visitor - not hinder them. Website navigation needs to answer the following questions:
- Where am I?
- Where can I go?
- Have I been here before?
- How can I get back to a place I was before?
Navigation tips:
- Offer a depth indicator for deep sites
- Offer section differentiation if it would help the user navigate. E.g. A different colour for each of the main sections
- Follow conventions. E.g. Only underline links
- Having related links at the end of a page may answer a users next search thought
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