dekkerfraser
Junior Member
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[FONT="]I would like to share with you a list of popular design flaws that I came across in the 100+ sites I reviewed in this forum. I hope this will provide some guidance for those starting out:[/FONT]
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[FONT="]1) No logo - not having a logo says to your customer that you don't have a unique identity, you don't care to be remembered, and that you products/services aren't good enough to put your "name" on.[/FONT]
[FONT="]2) Poorly designed logo - there is no easier, faster, way to build on-line creditability than a professionally designed logo. in seconds a logo can represent much more than a page of text can in minutes. A good logo symbolizes the attributes that make your company unique and competitive. In essence, your logo is a visual representation of the business itself. An amateur logo suggests an amateur company with inferior products and services. Likewise a professional logo suggests a professional company with superior products and services. [/FONT]
[FONT="]3) Splash Pages - splash pages are useful for entertainment sites that thrive on the WOW effect or to offer alternative sites for a diverse visitor base. Otherwise splash pages only provide one more obstacle in the way of the buy button. Even worse than a splash page is a splash page without a skip button. Many people will never return to a site is they know they have to wait through the intro again.[/FONT]
[FONT="]4) Poor layout - how many columns is your current layout? What is your dominate image? Can you describe the hierarchy of the content on your site? if you can't answer all of these questions I recommend a complete site overhaul. Your website, like any newspaper, magazine, poster, brochure, or annual report, no matter how creative - must have an organized structure and command your attention. Every major topic must be immediately accessible and every sub-topic in a logical placement. Your objective is to draw the visitors eyes directly where you want them to go - in order of importance. The layout should be as consistent as possible throughout the entire site.[/FONT]
[FONT="]5) What's in it for me? - what is the ultimate purpose of your site? Your visitor should be able to answer this question within 10 seconds of reaching your main page[/FONT]
6) Weak Navigation[FONT="] - Your visitors should never even have to think about your navigation system. Conventional navigation bars (top left to right, and left top to bottom) are widely accepted and familiar, why force a potential customer to have to learn a new system. If you are not a conventional company, there are still an infinite number of ways you can express your creativity in these locations. Make sure the text links or buttons to the major sections of your site are dominate and clear as soon as the page loads - no "mouseover required" or "click to find out". Do not overload these important links with Photoshop effects, slow animations, or poorly named titles. [/FONT]
[FONT="]7) The Sneaky Product page - does your customer care more about you? or him or herself? You can blab about yourself all you want, but please keep it in an "about us" section not on the main page. Every extra step a customer has to take to reach the buy now button is an opportunity for them to abandon the site altogether. Always feature at least one product on the first page of an e-commerce site and make all other product categories less than two clicks away. Use common terminology when creating your shop link. E.g., Shop, shop now, catalogue, products, store, etc. Do not use smart terms such as insider lingo. The same principle applies for the checkout or buy now button make sure these are clearly marked and at the top of the page or other obvious location. [/FONT]
[FONT="]8) Poor/no colour scheme - psychology of colour.
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[FONT="]The author is the creative director of Flame Design in Vancouver, BC: Flame Design: Vancouver Graphic Design, Web Design, & Advertising
[/FONT]
[/FONT]
[FONT="]I would like to share with you a list of popular design flaws that I came across in the 100+ sites I reviewed in this forum. I hope this will provide some guidance for those starting out:[/FONT]
[FONT="]
[/FONT]
[FONT="]1) No logo - not having a logo says to your customer that you don't have a unique identity, you don't care to be remembered, and that you products/services aren't good enough to put your "name" on.[/FONT]
[FONT="]2) Poorly designed logo - there is no easier, faster, way to build on-line creditability than a professionally designed logo. in seconds a logo can represent much more than a page of text can in minutes. A good logo symbolizes the attributes that make your company unique and competitive. In essence, your logo is a visual representation of the business itself. An amateur logo suggests an amateur company with inferior products and services. Likewise a professional logo suggests a professional company with superior products and services. [/FONT]
[FONT="]3) Splash Pages - splash pages are useful for entertainment sites that thrive on the WOW effect or to offer alternative sites for a diverse visitor base. Otherwise splash pages only provide one more obstacle in the way of the buy button. Even worse than a splash page is a splash page without a skip button. Many people will never return to a site is they know they have to wait through the intro again.[/FONT]
[FONT="]4) Poor layout - how many columns is your current layout? What is your dominate image? Can you describe the hierarchy of the content on your site? if you can't answer all of these questions I recommend a complete site overhaul. Your website, like any newspaper, magazine, poster, brochure, or annual report, no matter how creative - must have an organized structure and command your attention. Every major topic must be immediately accessible and every sub-topic in a logical placement. Your objective is to draw the visitors eyes directly where you want them to go - in order of importance. The layout should be as consistent as possible throughout the entire site.[/FONT]
[FONT="]5) What's in it for me? - what is the ultimate purpose of your site? Your visitor should be able to answer this question within 10 seconds of reaching your main page[/FONT]
6) Weak Navigation[FONT="] - Your visitors should never even have to think about your navigation system. Conventional navigation bars (top left to right, and left top to bottom) are widely accepted and familiar, why force a potential customer to have to learn a new system. If you are not a conventional company, there are still an infinite number of ways you can express your creativity in these locations. Make sure the text links or buttons to the major sections of your site are dominate and clear as soon as the page loads - no "mouseover required" or "click to find out". Do not overload these important links with Photoshop effects, slow animations, or poorly named titles. [/FONT]
[FONT="]7) The Sneaky Product page - does your customer care more about you? or him or herself? You can blab about yourself all you want, but please keep it in an "about us" section not on the main page. Every extra step a customer has to take to reach the buy now button is an opportunity for them to abandon the site altogether. Always feature at least one product on the first page of an e-commerce site and make all other product categories less than two clicks away. Use common terminology when creating your shop link. E.g., Shop, shop now, catalogue, products, store, etc. Do not use smart terms such as insider lingo. The same principle applies for the checkout or buy now button make sure these are clearly marked and at the top of the page or other obvious location. [/FONT]
[FONT="]8) Poor/no colour scheme - psychology of colour.
[/FONT]
[FONT="][/FONT]
[FONT="]The author is the creative director of Flame Design in Vancouver, BC: Flame Design: Vancouver Graphic Design, Web Design, & Advertising
[/FONT]