Web Design 2.0 Step Up, Then Get Out of the Way

September 30, 2008 at 1:01 pm · Filed under Web_Design

Technology, at its best, is transparent - it’s the invisible lubricant between what I want to do, and having done it. A ball-point pen, for example, is successful because it requires very little from me to make it work. I can put ink to paper without needing to think about all the messy and mechanical things a writer had to deal with in the past.

The same idea holds true for Web 2.0 technologies. We’re seeing a decentralization of media creation and distribution as blogs grow to challenge traditional publications. Wikis and open source are driving the co-operative creation of everything from content to code. This in turn is leading to an environment in which applications are becoming as rich on the Web as on the PC, with the advantage of being faster to market, adaptive and componentized, so they can be snapped together to create any number of new user experiences. Why not pair a satellite mapping service with an ad-supported local business directory? What about being able to update your code base in a matter of minutes, rather than hours? In a way, the original promise of the Web - what you want, how you want it, easily - is coming true.

Unfortunately these great strides aren’t always being matched by great design. The leveling aspect of free Web applications is also creating a lowest common denominator in terms of user interface. If 2.0 marks the Web’s adolescence (with emphasis on personal independence, what friends think, and defiance to the establishment), then Web design could be in for a rough ride. And it’s the responsibility of the design community to provide some proper adult supervision through this phase.

So what does that mean, practically? It means embracing new technologies like AJAX for a dynamic page; tagging searches with multi-directional ‘folksonomies’ rather than ranked taxonomies, for more flexible, intuitive results; and providing multiple points of entry versus hierarchical navigation schemes for friction-free flow. How this translates into design on the pixel level will vary, but as professionals, I think we have a mandate and a responsibility to our clients to be best-in-class in any design arena, and it’s incumbent on us to be fluent in all aspects of the web as it continues to evolve.

I don’t presume to tell you how to design sites here, but I do want to suggest this guiding principle: understand how these new technologies are shifting the way people use the Web, and shift your approach to interface design accordingly. Provide the appropriate technology in the most user-directed, functional way, and get out of the way. Because at the end of the day, the utility of a design isn’t measured in how many technology stripes you can point to on your sleeve. It’s measured by how often people use your site, and how good the experience is. The goal, for any of us, should be to provide an experience that asks as little as possible from an end-user. It must be seamless, much as the smooth motion of that ball-point pen.

Jamie Monberg is the new director of interactive for Hornall Anderson Design Works, a brand-focused, graphic and interactive design firm in Seattle. Get in touch at j_monberg@hadw.com or by visiting http://www.hadw.com.

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Web Design Tips

July 29, 2008 at 8:12 pm · Filed under Web_Design

Web Design is an art, yet following basic steps can help lead even a non-artist to a good design. For the novice or the expert, there is always more to learn with these web design tips.

Web Design Tips

1. Graphic Design of the Site

There is a saying “First impression is the last impression.” The design of the site is one of the most important aspects to be considered while creating a web page. If the design is good and easy to understand then visitors are more likely to view many pages of the site. An ugly, unclear site is likely to result in pages being closed without looking at the content at all. The layout of the entire site should be consistent and each web page should look as a part of one web site. The same content presentation style and color scheme should be followed throughout the pages of the site. The content of the site should be divided into logical sections. For purely artistic sites, there are obviously exceptions to these rules. For sites aiming to make money these guidelines should almost always be followed.

2. Limit the Use of Plug-ins Required to View Your Site

Try to avoid the use of extra components which the user needs to download to view the web page. People tend to avoid downloading unnecessary plug-ins and they might close the web page without viewing it if they have to download and install a new plug-in. However, some external components have become very common. Components such as Java Applets, Shockwave and Flash components, and Active X components are becoming standards for web development.

3. Avoid Unwanted Tools and Effects

Don’t use every tool that is freely available on the market. Page statistics buttons are common, yet most decent web hosts provide the same service with no advertisements required. People also use effects like fade-ins and outs, which can slow down a user looking for information. This is a potential source of irritation.

4. Clear and Concise Content on Web Site

In most cases, the content of a site should be clear so that the visitor knows from the very first page what the site is intended for. To reach the most visitors, the information should be clearly conveyed without the use of jargon that an average person might not understand.

5. Update the Site Regularly

If you want people to revisit your website then make it a point to regularly update your site. If visitors always find new information on your site then they are likely to visit again. If the information is always stagnant then it is very difficult to keep a visitor’s long-term attention.

6. Limit the Use of Graphics

Using many images can cause page downloads to be slow. Slow web sites are irritating to visitors on slow connections and fast connections alike. Further more, search engines do not index text in images.

7. HTML Coding Standards

Proper coding standards should be followed for cross browser compatibility. For example, many people omit the use of alt tag for images and people with slow internet connectivity might have problems viewing the images. If alt tag is present then at least the visitor will know what is missing. Proper height and width attributes ensure the page is viewed correctly as the page loads. http://www.w3.org/ provides a widely used standard.

Web design tips can help you over a hump with a site. Use them to get the most bang for your buck.

Halstatt Pires is with the Internet marketing firm - http://www.marketingtitan.com - a San Diego Internet marketing and advertising company offering automated web site systems - http://www.businesscreatorpro.com - for e-commerce solutions.

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The Newbie’s Guide to Small Business Web Design

July 27, 2008 at 3:08 am · Filed under Web_Design

You’ve got a concept for a business, are excited about putting it out on the Internet, know a little bit about computers and the Internet, but know nothing about building a web site, or web design.

You can still be highly successful and save money by doing the job yourself so long as you’ve got the willingness to learn and the time to spend on the project. It can be fun and it should be.

The contents of this article will greatly improve your knowledge of web design without causing you to feel overwhelmed. Keep this article as a reference point, check off each part as you go through the process of development, and, in due time, you will have an effective web site for marketing the information, product, or service you wish to provide to your customers.

Domain Name

Keep it short and relevant to your business. Do not get frustrated trying to lock down a domain name by settling on anything to get you web space. You will soon realize that every word on your web site has relevancy to its success. Register for no less than two years. Serious businesses don’t renew yearly. You have to show that you’re going to be sticking around.

Web Hosting

Don’t mess around with small time web hosting. Affiliate yourself with a reputable company that provides top-notch service, as the rewards with regards to security and support are worth the extra dollar.

Web Site Construction

The basis by which people choose to build their web site is at their discretion. Microsoft FrontPage is a worthy choice for those of you who are new to web development and starting from scratch. Instead of reading books to learn about web design and development, you may be much better off using Google, MSN, or Yahoo to find the answers to your questions. Use “quotations” around your question in a search bar to get more specific answers.

Layout

Building your web site on a template is a fine way to start, but you may want to learn how to build from nothing. The mistakes that you may make along the way will prove invaluable. It is strongly recommended that you go with Tables instead of Frames, and if you don’t have a clue what either means, just do a little reading about the two on the Internet before you start building.

Resolution

It would be a safe bet to keep your web site at no more than 750 pixels wide, regardless of the fact that more and more people are going to 1024×768. If your site is geared towards older folk, then you can count on the majority being at 800×600 for easier reading. You don’t want to alienate your visitors by having them scroll to see the whole page. Be sure to check that your web site pages show up the same in all browsers.

The Intro

Never ever put “Under Construction” or any other type of phrase that says that you are incomplete on your web site. Your site is young it is never incomplete. Try to refrain from saying “Welcome to “. You should think of your web space as being real estate. The space you use up with unnecessary text is a waste of advertising.

The Text

Keywords, their place on a web page, whether they are bolded or not, and the number of times each word appears on a web page are factors that determine how high you end up in search results.

HTML Tags

Before I say anything further, don’t get freaked out by HTML code. It not as hard as it looks. Again, do a little reading on the Internet this time about Meta Tags and Keywords. You will have to make sure that your Title, Description, and Keyword Meta Tags are bang on with the text on each web page you build. You can use many free Tag Analyzers found on the Internet to check relevancies.

Graphics

Graphics increase load time and looks. There’s a fine line between too little and too much. Use customers, not friends and family to gauge what is appropriate for the way your web site will look.

Random Tips

You may need to read a little to learn how to implement some of these tips, but nonetheless, they are here for your consideration to improve the placement of your web site in search results:

1) Make sure your TITLE is right below the HEAD in the HTML code. 2)Use one or two keywords in an ALT Tag to describe your images. 3) Get links pointing at you from sites sharing similar content.

Austin Culley is the Chief Operating Officer for Oil-Net.Com Inc.
http://www.oil-net.com

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