Logic Meets Creativity: Designing Your Website Thoughtfully

What is the purpose of a website? While the specific goals of each website vary, the bottom line is that visitors are supposed to use and interact with it in some way. Whatever you set out to do with your site, remember to keep your visitors in mind. Of course the design you choose or choose to make is your personal preference, but decisions you make are important—not just for aesthetic reasons, but for usability issues, too.

What’s Your Site Name Again?

Your site name is what visitors need to remember in order to return to your site—it helps them recall your URL. Not everyone will bookmark your website, even if they like it. Therefore, if they don’t immediately see your site name upon entering, chances are they’ll forget to look, and eventually forget about your website altogether.

So what does this have to do with design? First of all, make sure to put your site name in a prominent location, such as in your header. Not only must it be in an obvious location, but it should be easy to spot. Want to use a lot of text in your header? Then don’t make your name smaller than all of the other text. Also, don’t let it recede into the background! Got lots of bright colors? Chances are a neutral text color (or even another bright color) will either fade to the back or compete too much with the other colors. Your site name should not have to compete with the other design elements of your layout header!

Whoa! Where Is Everything?

Let’s talk a little more about headers… big headers. Are you making an image so large that one has to scroll down to view any sign of the actual content of your website? Unless your the best digital artist ever, chances are your gigantic layout image will not make the best first impression. Not only might it take forever and a day to load, but such large images can seem over-the-top or just plain obnoxious. Part of designing is knowing how to edit, and sometimes (or in my opinion, more often than not), less is more.

I Think I’m at a Dead End!

Unless you have only one page on your website, then visitors need to be able to navigate. Don’t make the search for your navigation impossible. Internet users are impatient. Not only do they hate waiting for a page to load, they hate not being able to find what they’re looking for. Like your site name, your navigation should be one of the first things your visitors see. Is it halfway down your sidebar? Too far down. Is it tiny and difficult to see? Make it bigger! Are you using an image map with no alternative navigation? Think again. Some people browse with images turned off, and if that’s the case, they may never know that there was more to see at your website.

What Am I Supposed to Look At?

Don’t have too much stuff going on at the same time. If you have giant headings, a vibrantly colored header, a crazy patterned background, and scrolling marquees, then your site is looking too busy. Avoid creating too many focal points; you’ll cause your visitors’ eyes to dart around from place to place to place. There should be a reasonable progression of importance when a visitor enters upon a page so that the visitor does not get overwhelmed or confused. Seeing chaos upon entrance to a website is certainly a turn-off. So think things through. Figure out what you want other people to look at, and then display them appropriately.