Digital Media Tools - More About Web Design

In this lecture we learned more about web design and the main principles of making a website.
For a website to function, you need:

• Simple intuitive navigation
• Strive for consistency
• User feedback
• Don't make users think
• Focus attention
• Make use of effective writing
• Avoid content overload
• Follow conventions
• TEST!

Web habits are similar the the way customers have habits whilst shopping. Users do not read, they scan so this means you need to focus (grab) their attention. They are impatient and insist on instant gratification. So you should always follow intuition; they want control over what information they are being given and they want it to be obvious/self explanatory.

The principles of web design are - balance, rhythm, proportion and dominance.

The elements of web design are - line, form, texture and typography.

It is good to have a look at symmetry and asymmetry on websites because they can make the contents interesting. It is good to use symmetry like Apple for instance, because their site is very structured and organised. On the other hand, using asymmetry can make the content jump out more and be more creatively enthused.

We looked at good and bad proportions of websites and how the layout can effect the users perception of the content. 

Lines:

Lines are about movement, direction and can help separate content and have weighted value. Slight colour change can help - not obtrusive. Using lines subtly breaks up content and makes the site more engaging.

Form/shape:

Form/shape can be realistic, 2D, 3D or isometric. Creating unity through shapes. geometric shapes allow options for menu ideas. Creates depth on the page.

Texture:

Backgrounds should be neutral, but you can use texture to give the site a 'feel' depending on your websites theme or content. If in doubt, use white and beware of colour combinations - colours can be used to navigate.

Text:

Always stick to Times, Helvetica or Arial so that the text is always formatted correctly on ANY computer. Try not to mix serif with sans serif. Play around with the same font - bold, italic, etc.

Over reading week I am going to work on Photoshop versions of the pages I will have on my website. This will make the process easier in the long run because I can refer back to these mock ups and also use the images that I create from them.

Speak soon!