Design - Changing the Way People See Your Site
Design matters. It's that simple.
If you don't take into account how your design, look and feel will work together to generate a visually appealing site, you'll quickly find that usability and comfort drops for visitors. At that point you can probably throw repeat visitors out the window.
That said, what does it mean to have good design from a good web designer? Not long ago, it meant acquiring someone who could put together some nice imagery and graphics and that was about it. Increasingly, though, it now means having a designer who is graphically strong, understands marketing, brand, visual impact and programming. Follow these helpful rules to give you a good starting point in thinking about your web site design - and your web designer.
Style does not equal good design.
Be careful of the all fluff no stuff model. Contrary to what you may believe style is not the same thing as design. Style refers to a particular type or kind of adherence to a particular form. Design, on the other hand refers to an expressed purpose and reason.
You can have a stylistic web site that has no purpose and reason - and it would operate as such. But, if your design is strong, your style can be expressed as a result of this more fundamental and foundational strength.
The caution is to remember that style is not a substitute for functionality. But good design will allow you to include good style.
See what works - then don't reinvent the wheel.
There are established best practices for good design. You should research, or contact somebody who understands good design, in order to get your site to where you need to be. The best designers understand what works on the web and how to incorporate your brand and web needs in a seamless fashion. Whatever you do, don't create a good style first and then hope to create the design later to match.
Templates are good - if you want to be a template.
You see them proliferate across the internet now. Whether it's a designer upstart, or an established mega corporation like GoDaddy.com; everyone is offering templates to ease into the website world.
Pay attention to the advertising on the sites that offer templates though. Usually they have disclaimer information such as: "If you'd really like to get a customized site, call us for a quote." Why do you suppose the converse isn't true?
The reason you don't see good custom web designers ask if you'd like a template is because they understand the power behind a truly aligned web site design. When you go into your web site project, expect to spend more for your design to be custom. But only if a unique customer experience is what you desire.
Otherwise...use a template...and be the template...
Repeat after me - I am not a professional designer.
Unless you are a professional designer - you have no business designing a site. Get a professional to design for you. It's been said in the publishing world that if you give people the chance to edit, they will edit. The same is true in the design world. As a result, give your designer room to provide the very best design and integration of functionality. Stand back a few feet to get the best view. If you stand too closely, you'll be tempted to get involved in something you aren't practiced at.
If you bring in a designer to provide that particular expertise, then give them room to provide it. You will be happier in the end as the designer gives you the full vision as the project proceeds.
Of course, it is important you can trust the designer as well. Check references, and consult with others who have used the design company. What does their portfolio look like? When you are ready, get the project underway.
Integrate everything.
Design needs to take into account your entire business. If the designer is simply focused on what images to use, or whether or not you have six colors or three for you site, you may want to make sure they understand the complexities of what you want. While visual representation is key, it has to work with your brand, your business and your back end console. Make sure they designer is able to integrate all of the elements into the visual representation of the site.
If your designer doesn't have the capacity to program, you make want to consult a web developer who can also design visually as well - as opposed to a style first designer who is weak in their programming skills.
Preference is fine. Best Practice is better.
This may be a tough pill to swallow - but it is vital to the success of your web site (business) solution. It is important for you to make sure your vision, mission, and business objectives are communicated well at the beginning of the project - and that you have a web development team ready to continue conversing with you as the project progresses.
But equally important is that you state your preference and then let the designer put to work the best practices for design, implementation and web site management. The rubber meets the road when you can trust your designer to have a different plan than what you'd prefer to have happen - and you let them do it anyway.
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Source: http://ezinearticles.com/
Added: April 18, 2008
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