Web Design

Why, in the Information Age, do our biggest problems all have to do with information? We have too much of it. It comes at the wrong time, in the wrong package, at the wrong intervals, in the wrong format. Or the information itself is just plain wrong. The result? We lack understanding.

Too often, people don't commit to what they want to say, so they have a hard time communicating it. Define what's important, and design becomes simple.

A Well Designed Web Page (Web Site)

Because your website is the window through which the world sees you, if it is not designed correctly, the effectiveness of the site is dramatically reduced.

Acknowledged experts in the field of web page construction have identified a number of clearly defined principles that make up a well designed web page. While many of these principles may seem obvious, it remains sadly true that a significant number of websites fail to integrate even the simplest of these concepts into their architecture. The old axiom "you get what you pay for" is as true on the web as it is in the real world.

We are dedicated to bringing each of these principles into the construction of every web site we create, whether a simple site for a one person business, or a complex site for a larger firm.

Here are 25 fundamentals of good design that you should expect when you consider a site for your organization:

1. Avoid visual clutter. Often, on the web, less is more.
2. Always strive to maintain a balance between images and text - too much reading will tire the viewer's eyes, and overly bold or poorly designed images may repel the viewer.
3. Reading a webpage on a computer monitor requires the text font to be of moderate size - not too big, and certainly not too small.
4. For maximum legibility, keep your text concise, each of your paragraphs a moderate length, and almost always "align text left" [as in books] rather than "centered".
5. Text colors should be a distinct contrast from the background, and the combination of text and backgrounds should be pleasing to the eye.
6. When chosing backgrounds, avoid highly saturated primary colors and excessively "busy" textures or patterns.
7. Use only "browser safe" colors.
8. Once you establish a "look" to your home page [or sectional start page], stick with it to build a consistent rhythm and unity across all the pages in the site [or in that section of the site].
9. Make your contact information readily and clearly available throughout your site, not just buried on one page.
10. Keep your navigation logical and simple. Always give the visitor the opportunity to return to the Home Page from any other page within the website.
11. Make it easy for your customers to order from you by linking each image to your order form or shopping cart.
12. Keep in mind that many (if not most) of the screens on which your site will be viewed will be from 14 inches to 17 inches in size, which translates to a minimum screen size of 640 x 480 pixels. Keep the width of your page layout within these parameters.
13. The upper part of the page is dominant and therefore the most important, so place your most essential information at the top (including your logo and name).
14. If you need to present a body of complex or detailed information, do it as a secondary link off of a more simple and concise primary page where the content has been summarized.
15. Keep the file size of each image as small as possible: a single image in the 2 inch to 3 inch range should not exceed 20k; an image 5 inches to 6.5 inches should not exceed 50k. The overall "weight" of the page - the text and graphics combined - should ideally not exceed 60k. Think of it as one second of download time for each one kilobyte of file size.
16. Do not put too many graphics on any one page. Since graphics by their very nature are larger files than text, they will inevitably slow the download time. For example, it is often better to use two pages of 4 graphics each than one page of 8 graphics.
17. Avoid multiple animations on one page - they can be annoying and distracting.
18. Don't include too many hyperlinks in any one text block. Readers will lose their train of thought if every other word is colored and underlined.
19. Keep in mind the technical capabilities of much of your specific audience. Pages which require too many special plug-ins, or which utilize HTML tags that are not universally accepted, or are overly laden with advanced features such as Javascript (or Active X) may result in a significant loss of viewers.
20. Make your site interactive. Use a "Message Board" or "Guestbook" to encourage your visitors to communicate with you and/or with other visitors to your site.
21. If you have any original graphics on your pages, protect them with the copyright symbol.
22. Check and doublecheck all spelling and grammar. If typos are pointed out to you, fix them immediately.
23. Check every single hyperlink to make sure each one takes the visitor to the right place.
24. Remember that, on the WWW, "Content is King." But before you put content on your website, ask yourself:
    • Will anybody really care about this?
    • Does this help fulfill the goals of the site?
    • Does this enhance the overall look of the website?
    
    
25. !!! Finally: KEEP FLASH MOVIES or JAVA APPLETS OFF YOUR HOMEPAGE!!! If you have ever gone to a new URL that results in your just sitting there as you read the message "Starting Java" and watch a spinning disk, you know the aggravation that wait can be. If you do use Java: identify those pages on the site with Java so the visitor will realize in advance that these particular pages will likely be slower downloading.

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We have been custom designing websites for small business owners, non-profit organizations, and government agencies since 1998. If you would like your website to be professionally designed and uploaded to a hosting provider of your choice, please contact us.