"Becoming web designer designer may be a long time process, but it is worth to follow this path. Do not discourage yourself if you will have some difficulties along the way, because every single step forward will bring you lots of satisfaction!" - THALION
The design is about the client and for the target audience, not for/about the designer, so resist the temptation do something just because you like the way it looks. So here’s the Dos and Don’ts in designing a website for the client and user satisfaction.
DON’Ts :
1.Don’t make users wait for content to load
A few extra seconds could have a huge impact on your website performance and ability to engage visitors and make sales. It’s an undeniable fact that high performing websites has higher SEO ranking which in result brings in more visitors and higher conversion rate. Website speed is one of factors that is used in many search engine in their ranking algorithm.
Avoid blank pages during loading. If its is really inevitable (which is impossible), consider displaying a loading indicator. This will entertain the user to make them wait till the page is fully loaded.
Optimize images. The higher resolution the image has, the larger its file size is. Large sizes images can slow down your website’s page speed. This hurts your users’ experience and, eventually, your search engine ranking. You can significantly reduce the loading time by optimizing your images.
2.Don’t let promotion steal the show.
Having too many ads on a page can easily overshadow the main content and make it harder for users to accomplish tasks. If you have too many ads on the page, they’ll all be competing to get your readers to look at them. Customers find ads very annoying and interruptive.
3.Don’t sacrifice usability for the sake of beauty.
No matter how beautiful a design is, it should never interfere with a user’s ability to navigate or interact with a website. The usability of the website (user-friendly) should your, as a web designer, top concern. Small things could have a huge impact on your design, start by making sure that the text are readable and use appropriate colors. Also, avoid using busy backgrounds behind content or insufficient color contrast.
4.Use blinking text and ads.
Blinking texts are so ‘90s;
When creating ads and animations, don’t even consider using flickering flashing effects. Content that flashes or flickers can trigger seizures in susceptible individuals, and is likely to be annoying or distracting for regular users.
5. Auto-play videos with sound.
Auto-play videos, music or sounds in the background irritate users. These elements should be used sparingly and only when appropriate and expected. Not only the users hate it but also the Google Algorithm. To avoid these auto-play videos, the latest update of Google Chrome now mutes annoying videos that auto-play with sound.
We’re done with the don’ts in web designing. Let’s now take a look at some of the dos.
DOs
1.GIF instead of Videos
GIFs in web design are so underrated.
GIFs are a great alternative to embedded videos because they use less bandwidth. Mobile users react better to GIFs than video because GIFs are faster.
You can use a GIF to demonstrate what a tool does or how to interact with a web page. A GIF is easier and faster than reading a long-winded text paragraph of explanation.
2.Ask your Client
Never forget to involve your client in web designing.
Know their Target Audience
The answer can give you an idea on how to come up with a design that would connect to your clients audience. Design and develop your site with your users in mind, not just yourself. The users’ perspective may be very different from yours, which includes making your site user-friendly. Users should be able to move quickly and efficiently through your site. When information is buried and not easily localized, users tend to give up and feel frustrated with a brand.
3.Take content seriously.
Content is king. Probably 95 percent of information on the web is in the form of written language. Even if your site is beautifully designed, it’s no good without high-quality content. A good website has both great design and great content. It is your job as a designer to make sure that the design aids and complements the content.
Your visitors will appreciate high quality. Publish quality content and they will keep them coming back for more.
4.Make your website responsive.
Making your website mobile-friendly is no longer optional. The most important thing to consider in web designing is to ensure that no matter how the visitor sees your site, all vital information will be displayed correctly on different screen sizes be it on desktop, phone and tablet.
5.Let the White Space In.
Users want to have plenty of room to breathe and fully respond to a ‘less is more’ strategy. They don’t want to be overwhelmed with information, graphics, pops-up and an array of disoriented visuals. What they want is a simple, clear and well-designed page that gives them exact and important information and lets them know what they can do to learn more. Anything other than that is best replaced with a nice chunk of white pixels.
White space, also called negative space, gives website elements room to “breathe” visually. If you group items too close together, you risk overwhelming visitors and convincing them to click away.
LET’S WRAP IT UP
A good designer is a keen observer. Start to observe people around you, the products you interact with and everything in your surroundings. And remember “Creativity is never rushed. There is no such thing as ‘INSTANT’ design only instant coffee ”
LET’S END IT WITH A TIP FROM : THALION (uxmisfit.com)
“Stay a beginner – Now you have a fresh mind, but when you will become an expert you will be tempted by your experience to follow only known paths. Do not ignore new, fresh or even weird things because of your knowledge. Having a beginners mind is one of the most important assets of every UX Designer.”