Designing Good Web Pages

Form versus Function A good website is a compromise between form and function. While creativity is encouraged, you have to meet the expectation of your audience. Form deals with the creative aspect of web design. The user experience (designers). Function deals with accuracy of codes, accessibility issues and upload time of website (programmers).

Design Principles Clement Mok’s and Vic Zauderer’s four principles for web design are: 1. Problem definition 2. Target audience 3. Information organization 4. User interface and execution

Design Principles (problem definition) Developing an understanding of the problem. Defining the needs and goals of the project.

Design Principles (target audience) Establish a target audience. Find out who your client wants to reach with the website. Understanding your audience will answer other important questions about which design approaches to take like: screen size to design for, connection speed and over all level of sophistication of website.

Design Principles ( Information organization) Work closely with your client to ensure you understand the entire scope of the site's content: how much information the site will include initially, and in the immediate and long-term future Create a blueprint that defines the overall scope of the website and the pages' relationships in a hierarchy.

Design Principles (User Interface) Create an intuitive system: use a navigational system that is already established so as not to confuse your users. Interpret consistently: all your buttons and links should behave in a similar way Use logical progression: information should be presented in a hierarchy of importance. Anticipate user error: Design your website to minimize mistakes.

Design Principles (User Interface) Make the nature of functions apparent: Make sure website elements function like they are suppose to. Focus on content: An interface should allow the user to focus on the content and the task at hand, yet still find controls when applicable Provide feedback: Every user action should have an obvious, immediate effect. Distinguish between actions:

Design Principles (User Interface) Allow speed control Design appropriately