Good web design may be a matter of taste. And taste varies, depending on the region and culture, as well as other factors. However, there are some standards that should always be considered. If you have only a minute to decide about the overall quality of a website, here are some guidelines to follow:
1. Don’t make me think.
When you enter a website, you should understand its purpose in two seconds. You should be able to navigate through it instantly. Does this apply to the website you have on your screen? Good. If you’re lost, leave the website. No need to continue.
2. WOW factor.
Is the website attractive? Does it make you think: “I like this idea?” You probably found a good website. Most of the websites today are a copy of a copy of a website, so when you find a website with a fresh design concept, give it an extra point.
3. White space.
This is the space which is NOT filled with images and text. When a website is completely covered with content, even into the tiniest corners, it is barely legible. The use of more “white space” drastically increases clarity.
4. Navigation.
As already mentioned above, a clear navigation system has to answer two questions instantly: ‘Where am I?’ and ‘Where can I go from here?’. If you get this information at a glance, the navigation is great.
5. Typography.
This is an area where inexperienced web designers make the most mistakes. Typography should be used to transport content to the reader. The way type is chosen (serif and sans serif) size and appearance, line length, line spacing, and kerning increases or decreases legibility. It is not about how many kinds of type in crammed in the smallest ≈available space, but about you, the reader. Less is more.
6. Grid.
How are the web pages organized? Are they organized at all? When text and images are aligned in a way that the overall impression translates into clarity, harmony, and comfort, the website gets credits. A well organized website has an invisible grid underneath it. If content is placed wildly all over the page, the designer probably had no idea where he was going with the design and now neither does the visitor.
7. Colors.
There is a science called Colorimetry that dictates the rules used for color theory in the graphic design industry. Despite such theory and science, it all comes down to a simple statement: there are colors that fit and others that don’t. Colors in web design should be used to emphasize or to support content. When the colors distract the visitor, the design has failed.
8. Consistency.
Is the overall visual impression of the website the same from page one to page “end?” Or does the design change drastically? Are text and images displayed differently? The design concept of a website mimics that of a book: it has to be consistent from the first to the last page.
9. Browser Compatibility.
All browsers are different, and—sorry, it’s true—they all allow different rules and code in websites. So sometimes websites look good in Firefox but look terrible, or won’t even show up, in Internet Explorer. Professional web designers know this and only use code that will be interpreted in the very same way in all browsers. Check a website in all browsers to see how it performs.
10. Speed.
If you can make yourself a cup of tea while you’re waiting for a website to open completely in your browser, there is something amiss. Either you have an extremely slow Internet connection or the website is way “too heavy”. Even today, with super high speed Internet, a website should be built light and fast. With today’s technology, it is possible to present even the largest images crisp and clear with almost no remarkable problems with file size and website loading times.
If you practice, you can analyze a website quickly by following the 10 points you read above. Practice and sharpen your analytical skills and have fun.
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