What Makes (or Breaks) a Good Website
I have been around the internet a long time. Longer than some I imagine, and shorter than others, but either way, definitely long enough to have seen some really awesome sites, and on the other end of the spectrum, some really horrible ones.
While there are no hard and fast rules that apply to every web site out there, as much depends on the target audience, the type of site it is, the type of business (or individual) the site belongs to, as well as what type of information the site is providing, there are however, basic factors that need to be considered when designing a web site and some generic rules (or opinions) to follow.
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Absolute Necessities
Navigation - There is no getting around the fact that navigation is perhaps the single most important facet of your web site. Without it, everything else you have to offer is rendered meaningless, for how can a visitor find what they are looking for if your navigation is poor or non-existent.
Esthetics - The prettiness, attractiveness of the site. Let's accept it, we are shallow. We want beauty. We surround ourselves with it on a daily basis in every facet of our lives. However, as most of us have grown to understand, beauty is not everything, and must be balanced with usability, friendliness, and value. Depending on the site, the graphical elements vary in importance.
Purpose - Every web site, from the lowliest to the loftiest must have a purpose. Whether it is simply to share information about an individual, their thoughts, opinions, lives, etc., or whether it is a massive e-commerce application, they both have a purpose. A personal opinion is that posting a single page for a business web site and listing a phone number and address, pretty much falls into the category of 'no purpose'. Technically, they are providing some information, but is it what the customer wants and needs?
Usability - This somewhat goes along with navigation, but not entirely. The site must be user friendly, intuitive and easy to understand. If there are dynamic aspects to the site, or an application is involved, is it usable? Is it almost impossible to NOT understand what you are expected to do? Are there additional sources of information to help the user in the event that they don't understand? These are all factors of usability.
Absolute No-No's (In my honest opinion)
Frames - Frames are very common tools used by amateurs when creating a web site, as they are easy to use and they aid in keeping a site organized. They do however, have a few serious drawbacks which lead me to make the statement that they should never be used. One is that they never allow the user to see what page they are on, as each page opens within the main frame of the main page. Two, they hinder search engines as important meta information is lost by embedding pages within each other. Three, they can be extremely touchy when opening external pages, and usually end up having the external link opened within a frame. Not nice. And last...the scroll bars. There are two scroll bars possibly available on every page, there should not be more.
Graphical backgrounds - Unless done in just the right way, using a graphic as a background is just not good. Often when you see this on a web site, you are tempted to throttle the designer as you are unable to read the text. Or, the graphic repeats endlessly and becomes extremely hard on the eyes. Or, it is simply too large and takes forever to open the page. Graphics are meant to accentuate, to draw attention to, or to display. Use them well.
All black text on an all white background - This is at the opposite end of the spectrum as my last point. This is where there are absolutely no graphics whatsoever, no color, no formatting of text. I have seen an entire site that looked as though I were reading a stack of sheets that just came off of a typewriter.
Background MIDI sounds - This is the music that starts playing when you go to a web site, and typically it sounds like MUSAC blasting out of a tin can. There are times when music is appropriate for a web site, but it should never be MIDI music and it should have the option to be turned off by your visitor.
Pages that go on forever - Sites that include all of their information on a single page, requiring the visitor to scroll through a ton of information with no idea where a specific item may be. Each page of a site should contain only one topic of information, and if the information relating to that topic makes up a long page, there should be places to link to allowing the visitor to move easily through the page.
To Flash or Not To Flash (that is the question)
Flash has bombarded the internet, and has become a widely accepted and enjoyed aspect of the web browsing experience. In fact, on my home page there is a flash movie, and scattered throughout my site I have created little flash movies as a way of displaying items of interest and breaking up the page. There are good and bad things about using Flash, and as with graphics, it should be used in the right way.
Of all of the sites that I have developed, only one is entirely in Flash. That one is a photographer's web site, and one where Flash is a great solution for providing the interactivity and artistic bent that was appropriate for that site. Because there is very little text, but many pictures, Flash was the way to go. Sure, it could have been done in pure HTML but it wouldn't have looked quite as good, or as impressive.
Flash does take longer to load up than a standard web site, though if the graphics are optimized, Flash does a good job of compression and optimization itself. It also provides a fairly secure way to share pictures without worrying about surfers copying them from your web site.
When Flash becomes a drawback, is when a visitor to a site that they go to often, has to sit through a Flash introduction page, time and time again, especially if the designer did not include the ability to 'skip' the intro. Or, when a Flash site is very large, the download times can be daunting, and often the visitor will simply leave the site.
Dealing with Graphics
Graphics are really the most fun part of doing web design. They are what give the theme, the feel, the ambience to a web site. They are its image. One of my pet peeves are 'cartoony' looking graphics. You know the ones I mean, the standard clip art that is available anywhere, with silly looking characters and people. I am sure there are times when these types of graphics are acceptable, but honestly, I haven't found one yet.
I feel the same way about the cutesy animations, dynamic cursors that follow your mouse around, menus that slide up and down the page when you scroll, all of those kinds of things. For personal web pages, where one is trying out each available option known to web creation, I suppose it is a matter of live and learn. On a serious business, informative and valuable web site, I honestly don't believe they have a place.
Graphics need to be smooth, pleasant to view, quick to download, optimized and beneficial in order to be included on a web site. They should also be placed with care that they don't look as though they were just cut and dropped on the page. Graphics should blend into the environment of the site.
Color
Color, along with graphics, is the most important visual aspect of a web site. Just because you can use a ton of graphics and every color in the rainbow, doesn't mean that you need to. Keep consistent, stick with the theme, and don't use too many. The human brain can only take in so much.
Also make sure that your colors match with your graphics, that the text is visible against the background, and that the level of brightness doesn't either blind or cause your visitor to squint in an effort to make out the words.
Merlee Bos
Merlee Designs™
Your website IS your first impression™ ...
http://www.merleedesigns.com