Check Your Web Design Vital Stats

There are certain aspects of web design that you should make absolutely sure you are getting right. Here is a short list of the most important ones:

Web Design Vitals:

Logo Position

Is your logo positioned in the upper left corner? This is the most valuable branding real estate on a website. It is just like putting your name on the top of your homework in middle school. It’s a bonus if you displayed a short description or tag line with your logo.

Color

Does your site have a consistent color scheme that reinforces branding and supports your site’s purpose? Need a little help developing a color scheme? Check out www.colorschemer.com.

Grid System

Have you implemented a grid system to organize your content? Increased screen resolutions and multi-column grid systems make it easier to organize and display more content above the fold. Especially effective are sites with a grid system with three or more columns. Keep in mind that as grid systems have become more important, they have also become harder to spot. Make sure you take steps to disguise your grid. (Tip: Rounded corners are also a nice touch.)

Navigation

Is your navigation located in the same place on every page? Does your navigation have a consistent arrangement on every page? Have you prioritized your navigation to prominently display important or popular links? Does your site’s footer contain navigation so visitors do not need to scroll back to the page’s header?

Graphics

Do your graphics support your site’s focus and help to create hierarchy? Ideally all of your site’s graphics are a consistent style.

Photos or Illustrations

Do the images on your site support its focus through emotion, culture, information, or demonstration? You should be using professional quality images to increase your credibility.

Hierarchy

Is your web page’s primary figure also its focus? Organize your content so that the most important information is found within the typical “F” viewing pattern. Does your hierarchy establish 1st, 2nd, 3rd… points of interest? This will not only help you to better organize your content, it will also allow you to control the order in which visitors experience the elements of your site.

Typography

Does your choice of typography reinforce your site’s focus? (Tip: Use hard returns instead of indentation to separate your paragraphs.)

Readability

Is your reading text between 12 and 16 pixels?

Multimedia

Does your site contain a multimedia element that draws visitors’ attention in a professional manner through sound or motion?

Web Design Risk Factors

Page Does Not Center

Amateur and outdated are the two thoughts that will quickly pass through the minds of your visitors as they leave your site if your page does not center.

Flash Intro or Splash Page

Flash intros and splash pages are nothing more than barriers to your site. Visitors want content, and they want it now!

Animated Graphics

Moving arrows and dancing hippos may get your visitors’ attention, but they will also get them running towards the exit like a fire alarm.