This week's material covered the importance of first impressions when designing the layout of a website. A lessoned learned was from the Smart Insights article, "Good web design is crucial for making the right impression" was "web design is not art." This statement threw me for a loop and had me rethink web design all together.
Being a visual person, I immediately looked at web design as an opportunity to express the individuality of my brand/company. However, I learned web design should be built on function, ease of use, and purpose with an emphasis on "clarity and absolute completeness."
In addition to this, from the readings, assignments, and discussion boards, I learned an effective website design requires a combined visual and functional hierarchy to maintain interest. The layout should meet the needs of commerce, but also the needs of visitors through compatible payment options, easy to use interfaces, and consistency in branding throughout the website.
Moving forward, I would like to keep these tips in mind when designing a memorable website:
1. Imagery used on a website shouldn't over power the content. Authentic images should be be relevant to the the product and/or service while creating an emotional connection between the brand and the consumer. White pace and cohesive topography are also important elements to consumer engagement.
2. Navigation on a website should come with ease of use. There should be no more than 3-7 menu items on a web page. Anything more will overwhelm, distract or become forgettable for the user.
3. To much content, video or ads will clutter a site and slow down loading times which will decrease traffic to the site. In contrast, faster load times will increase interest and generate more followers.
4. When creating a website, keep in mind most people use phones, mobile apps, and tablets to search online. Its important for a layout to adapt to varying screen sizes (responsive web design).
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