Basics of Web Design
Designing Web sites isn’t all sizzle and multi-media hype. Just because you can do something does not mean you should do something. I am sure we have all visited sites that have some form of blinking GIF we as visitors would love to turn off. As a Web developer in hopes of creating a successful Web site, you should consider the following:
1. Why are you creating a site and how many other sites with the same type of content and ideas are already on the web. The bottom line is identifying your site’s key purpose. What is the one thing you want your site to do? What benefit or experience do you want your visitor to walk away with?
2. Recognize yours and everyone else's bandwidth limitations. Do your pages take too long to load on a 28.8 modem? Current studies show the average web surfer is using a 28.8 or slower modem. Make sure you optimize all images and keep file sizes small. Remember that on the Web less is more.
3. Who is your target audience? Who are you designing your site for? How will you deliver the information on your Web site so that your target audience will benefit from it? Make sure to design your Web site with end users (rather than yourself) in mind. For example the viewers of a hard rock site and a classical site would more than likely have different viewing styles.
4. GIFs or JPEGs? The basic rule of thumb here is GIFs for images with hard lines (i.e. maps) JPEGs for images with soft flowing line (i.e. landscapes). Make sure you don’t waste bandwidth by limiting JPEGS to full-color photographic images. Unless you display photos on your site, use optimized GIFs for all graphics if at all possible.
5. What monitor resolution will most of your visitors be using to access your Web site? Make sure your site is accessible by users with monitors limited to a 640x480 resolution. Vertical scrolling is bad enough do not add horizontal scrolling to the list.
6. Have you optimized your site for multiple platforms and multiple browsers? Make sure that you use the "browser-safe" palette for Mac/PC compliance as well as testing your site on at least Netscape and Internet Explorer browsers and various systems with differing monitor sizes and resolutions.
7. Make sure that your site’s navigation is consistent and easy to use through out the pages of your Web site.
8. Plan a strategy to get your audience to click deeper within your site. Remember the three-click rule. Generally speaking if a user has to go more than three clicks deep to retrieve the information they want they WILL go elsewhere.
9. If you specify fonts with the <FONT> tag or with CSS, make sure you specify fonts common to most platforms (in other words,Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, Courier New, Courier,Times New Roman, and Times). Remember if the viewer does not have some weird font you are trying to use their view will not be what you intended.
10. Make sure to use your own images rather than "borrowing" from others. When in doubt ask permission do not assume it is okay. Copyright infringement is a serious offense.
11. Always keep two copies of your entire Web site. You should back up your entire site as often as possible in case of server crashes or hacks by cyberterrorists.
12. Plan a strategy to ensure that your visitors return. This may mean changing you site often to keep its content fresh. No one really cares about last weeks sports scores.