Techniques for Strong Web Design
While designing a website, it is important to follow guidelines that will help you build a successful site. Although visual designs have to do with individual aesthetic, a site will benefit from proper formatting. Firstly, site files should be kept as small as possible to avoid long waits due to slow downloads. You should also keep the screen size in mind to have strong resolution and complete visibility. Think about how your site will appear to the viewer and the order in which your information is presented. Therefore, you want to make sure you put the most vital and important information up front for the viewer. Web designers should also avoid placing to much information on one screen. This way the site visitors will not have to scroll forever to see the content. Make sure your content is clean, correct, concise, and uses purposeful emphasis. While employing graphics for your page, use anti-aliasing for the text, avoid halos that surround transparent graphics, use alternative text for the graphic, and turn of the boarder surrounding linked graphics. Although it is important to do these things, it is also important that designers avoid other actions throughout their design process.
Although animations can be informative, you should never use too many because they can distract form important content. Another design blunder is the use of “under construction” signs. If your content is not ready to be presented, then you should not publish it until it is complete. When formatting your site’s text, you should avoid using all capitals, overusing italics, or making your text bold, italic, and capital. You should not use large blocks of white text on a black background because it causes too much contrast. Color is integral to design. Web designers should not use too many colors, busy patterns, or rainbow designs, since they can appear tacky and make it difficult to format visible text. It is also recommended that text should all have the same alignment to maintain a strong layout. Designers should make sure that their site’s features are clear and not confusing to the viewer. Published sites can teach designers valuable lessons on the do’s and don’ts of web design.
https://www.jumponitfuncenter.com/
http://aquacultureswimschool.com/
These sites are poorly designed. Unfortunately, the Jump On It site has too many animations, colors and font styles and types. The business of the design takes away from the content. It has no clear aesthetic and needs to be simplified. Meanwhile, Aqua Culture’s site also struggles with its use of color. Its bold blue background takes away from the txt and causes them to use bright and unflattering colors. Their phone number is practically invisible due to poor color choice.
These sites are clean and strong examples of web design. Vouge.com uses a clear grid structure to frame their information and imagery. It fills the screen and creates a pleasing visual. Marie Claire’s site has a strong layout that presents the viewer with the most important information immediately. Its text is strong but has hierarchy and proper emphasis.
MY SAY 