Defining Good Website Design
According to The Principles of Beautiful Web Design by Jason Beaird, there are 2 main standpoints from which most people determine whether a Web site design is good or bad- usability and aesthetics. A good design must maximize both. A good Web site must be able to reach people and retain their interest. Imagine having a Web site that presents information well, but looks ugly. On a similar note, visualize having a beautiful Web site, but you have to figure out what to do next.
I’m not a usability expert nor a design guru, but I desire to be both. Reading books about Web design, Web standards, design theory and the like is, I believe, my first step towards becoming a good Web designer. These precious bits of knowledge, when tied together, make something that is more than fulfilling. It’s a personal achievement.
What Defines a Good Website?
The book discussed 3 factors that make up a good Web site. Below these factors are good examples from the blogs at my BlogCatalog neighborhood.
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Users are pleased by the design but drawn to the content
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Users can move about easily via intuitive navigation
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Users recognize each page as belonging to the site
When information becomes too crowded or too limited due to design constraints, then it’s not a good Web site design. The design should not be a hindrance. It should act as a channel between the user and the information.
The navigation block should be clearly visible on the page. Having interactive links such as mouseover effects and active page indicators help users know where they are.
A cohesive theme or style should exist across all the pages to help hold the design together.
So there you go. Just remember these basic factors when designing or making your Web site. There are still a lot of useful design topics in the book and I’ll definitely share with you the lessons that I’ve learned. Be sure to check out my future articles, okay?
June 29th, 2007 at 3:20
You can find good websites nowadays and some of them can be an eye catchy. I like it too but then I need to look at the content too hehe.
June 29th, 2007 at 17:04
Yup! Balance is important, both in the design and content aspects. Thanks for your input Syaf!
July 2nd, 2007 at 11:47
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July 9th, 2007 at 12:04
I agree they are drawn by the design, but they stay for the content. Any good designer can put together a “pretty” website, but content is king. A nice looking website isn’t going to draw people in from Google, but original content will, and the design can help keep them engaged.
Regards
November 21st, 2007 at 13:04
Hi,
Its informative.I am looking for information regards website design and i am glad i found your blog.Really it is a timely information for me because just now i stepped in to web designing field.
I too agree that people are drawn to the site by attraction and they stay only and only if the content is effective.Navigation blocks also a major consideration while designing.Thanks for sharing with us!
May 8th, 2008 at 15:28
Hello there!
I’ve been studying HTML,CSS and Javascript and now on web designing and it’s actually frustrating at first coz you already have the idea but you don’t know where to start! Good thing i saw you’re article. =p
Most beginners get frustrated coz they don’t know how to present their design well and so i agree with the term “balance” it should be balanced on both design and content. And also the content is well delivered.
Practice also makes perfect and researching will add some information-it will help you gain more confidence on web designing.
Web designing is like programming! Have fun while doing it! =p
Thanks for the info! =p
May 9th, 2008 at 14:00
I always like ready made templates, coz I am a pure programmer…
June 3rd, 2008 at 20:20
[...] is good or bad- usability and aesthetics. A good design must maximize both. Know the 3 factors thahttp://afterlight.110mb.com/2007/06/26/defining-good-website-design/Amazon.com: Universal Principles of Design: William Lidwell …Universal principles of design is far [...]
June 28th, 2008 at 18:50
Interesting observations on design principles, thanks for sharing. Would you say that web design is an art form in it’s own right ? Some of the css designs on the web these days are really beautiful to look at aren’t they ?