The Layout of a web site encompasses multiple dimensions. First
there is the question of how to lay out the items that are to
appear on a page; then there is the hierarchy of pages in the
site. To a degree, these aspects must be considered together.
For instance, is the site going to have a "cover page" like the
cover of a magazine? If so, the layout of the cover can include
a more extravagant graphical image and perhaps less detail, much
like a magazine cover. Also, if the site is going to have a
complex hierarchy, there may need to be a two (or more)
dimensional navigation mechanism which has to be accommodated in
the design of pages. Modern trends in site design seem to
indicate that covers, while they are great for a personal, or
family web site, are usually not the best idea for a business
site. The key to informational sites is to provide information
access in the simplest possible fashion. For commerce, the key
is to provide access to products and product information with as
few clicks as possible, including the checkout process. If a
business site is to have some sort of cover, it should include
and index (links) to all of the most important information the
site contains. It is not a good idea to waste your visitors’
time with superfluous levels of "click-throughs".
There are several things to bear in mind when laying out a page.
Western languages, including English, are read from left to
right and top to bottom. This provides a natural flow for
elements on a page. For instance, titles should be above the
body of material; introductory material should be to the left of
the material it introduces, much like a left margin. The layout
of a page in a legal notepad follows this principle. Following
this basic concept yields a page whose layout is intuitively
understood by the reader. This is a good thing!
Provide space between different ideas on a page so that the
separation of the ideas is clear. Too much information crammed
onto a page has the effect of concealing most of it. All
intuitive navigation is lost when the eye is overloaded, and the
usefulness of the page is diminished.
Color is also very important. Too little, and the page looks
dull and boring; too much and overload sets in — the visitor
will leave in a hurry to save their eyes! If you have an artists
eye, fantastic! That is the talent needed to use color most
effectively on a page. With my particular level of color skill,
I find it best to consult a graphic artist! To be most
successful with your site be realistic. If you have color skill,
you don’t need me to advise you. If your color skills are not
that great, or if you are not sure, it is best to consult an
artist. If that is not possible, make sure you don’t overdo it!
Too little color is better that too much.
When it comes to sound, the notion that too little is better
that too much needs to be taken to its extreme! With two
exceptions, ANY sound is too much! There is no such thing as too
little sound! Sound on a web page is an irritation, plain and
simple. The first exception is on a page whose known intent is
sound, such as a music sampler page or some humor pages. The
other exception is where the viewer has been previously informed
(that is, prior to linking to this page) that they are going to
hear something, such as by a link to a flash presentation, or to
a video page. The golden rule is: don’t subject your visitor to
sounds unexpectedly. One of the joys of web surfing is the
ability to absorb yourself with following an information thread
around to global net without disturbing anyone around you. As
soon as you hit unexpected sound, that joy is abruptly
shattered. The page that offends in this way is not likely to be
revisited!
Proceed to
The Non-Technical Intro
Part 5
Go to
The Non-Technical Intro
Index
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