subject: Essentials Of Web Design [print this page] The essentials of web design, while seemingly common sense, can actually be quite difficult in certain areas. It really helps if you can break it down into smaller parts and have a really good penetrating look at it. What web design is at best, is information. And you need to know how to get that information to your visitor while keeping them there, and leading them where you want them to go. This is done by giving different parts of the design a heavier presence than other parts.
At first, it's all about the eyes. Catching the visitor's eyes with your web design is 'first contact'. It's from there that you want to 'guide' them along to the information that will capture the mind. It shouldn't be left up to the visitor as to what they're looking at, you should already have planned that ahead of time. The things that determine the effectiveness of your ELEMENTS are SIZE, POSITION, COLOR, and CONTRAST. Big trumps little, bold trumps subtle, clearness trumps fuzziness. This knowledge can help you in your web design efforts as far as 'leading' your visitor.
Another one of the essentials of web design is spacing. Readability is an important factor for the visitor. Less strain on the eyes when reading the better. Too big is also not good. You need to find a good comfortable medium in your spacing. Padding is an essential, and it should never be touching any of the other elements. You text and your images should never be touching, nor your tables and borders. It's sloppy and unprofessional.
White space is one of the essentials in web design. But just because it's called 'white' space doesn't mean it has to be left white. It's just a term used to define empty space. Some call it 'negative space'. It plays a very big role in your web design.
Now for one of the biggest essentials of web design, and that is 'Navigation'. It's truly a frustrating experience when you get on a site that promises to have the information or product you're looking for, but you can't find where you want to go. It's one of the things that should never occur in good web design. All links and buttons should be easily recognized, and easily accessed and found. The visitor shouldn't have a hard time understanding what it does or where it goes. They should stand out and draw the visitor to themselves.
The fonts for your text are another challenge for your web design. The font choices should be appropriate for the type and feel of the site. The font size whould be chosen to fit comfortably within the space of the site, and should stand out in the appropriate manner.
Other essentials of web design are things like color and paragraphing and line length. But the bottom line for successful web design, is overall 'usability'. Good web design will come from a place of putting yourself in the visitors shoes, and delivering to them an experience that's easy, not confusing, and pleasurable. You need to understand what you're visitor is trying to do. Why did they come here? Show them the way.
