Four Web Design Concepts
When you surf the Web, you know immediately when you've landed on a poorly designed website. Even if you don't know why, you know that its appearance is displeasing; you are confused about what to click on and where to look to find what you are seeking. All you really want to do is move on. This is not the reaction you want from visitors to your own website, and you can avoid it if you follow some simple design concepts.
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Factors in Design
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Consider your content and your audience when you design your website. Video content means a page that is centered on the video. Articles mean you need to make sure your font is readable and your page isn't too wide. If your content is primarily photos or illustrations, display them so they are not too big and not too small. Your audience also affects your design choices such as the font you choose and what size font you use, the colors, and other design elements. A website aimed at women will have a feminine look to it, while a site for men will often be darker or more masculine looking. Fonts and graphics and the way you display them can give a modern look or a classic look, a whimsical look or a more formal look.
Navigation
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Navigation is a vital part of making your website inviting to your audience. If navigation is properly designed, visitors will effortlessly move around the website and back again. "Back again" is too often forgotten: Users should always have a clear way to quickly get back to the home page. Often this is done by clicking on the website title or logo. A link in a menu bar near the top or bottom of the page is useful. Navigation must be easy to understand and consistent on all pages.
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Balance
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An essential design principle is balance. This means one area of the design shouldn't overpower the rest of the page. Balance is especially important when considering one side versus the other. One side shouldn't seem bigger or brighter than the other side.
Unity
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Unity refers to the overall design of the entire site: The pages should look like they fit together, parts of the whole, with no section or element looking out of place. If you have selected several muted colors, don't drop in one glaringly bright one. If you pick several traditional fonts, don't use a very informal font in one spot. All elements should work together to produce a unified look.
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References
- Photo Credit BananaStock/BananaStock/Getty Images
