Web design encompasses a variety of disciplines and skills in the creation and maintenance of web sites. The various fields of web design encompass web graphic design; web interface design; document authoring, which include standardised software and proprietary coding; web user experience design; and Search Engine Optimisation. Web design is a growing field which sees the constantly changing technology landscape. This ever-changing technology landscape is forcing designers to adopt new approaches and techniques which are effective and which can support the ever increasing complexity of today’s web sites. Some of the methods used in web design are known as object-oriented programming (OOP) which uses a single code for a specific task; the designer works within an existing framework, which is then extended by the designer’s personal knowledge of the system.
Another method of web design which is becoming increasingly popular with website design professionals is known as visual design. This form of design focuses on the overall look and feel of a web-site rather than the function or functionality of the website. Using a visualiser can help the designer to focus on the look and feel of a particular piece of web-site rather than concentrating solely on its technical specifications. When dealing with the usability of a website it is important to remember that a site may be totally functional but visually appealing. Thus, while the functionality of a website is extremely important it should not be at the cost of the usability.
In the area of web design, visual elements such as fonts, background images, logos, pictures and illustrations, are used for the first time in interactive media. They help to establish an identity for a company, an image of the company, a brand image or a slogan. These visual elements are usually measured in pixels (yscrapers). There are four basic kinds of colour which can be used in web design: raster colour, bitmap font, vector font and raster graphics. The use of text styles in web design can result in much greater page load time; however, this should not be the primary aim, instead the aim of optimising load time should be to improve user interaction.
Web designers often talk about ‘visibility’ and the designers and developers need to pay close attention to achieving maximum visibility and minimum visibility. Invisalign is a new addition to the list of web design technologies available for aligning the content with the invisible alignments. Visibility is one of the key success factors in web design and should not be overlooked by the designers. The designers must always aim to create as simple and clear user flows as possible. This means that the visual elements of a website such as the header and footer, side bars and sub pages need to be focused on so that there is no confusion about where to find what you are looking for.
Usability testing is very useful in web design and is an essential part of the usability process. This process involves a number of steps and tests designed to help assess how users will interact with your website. It is also a good practice for the web designer to implement usability checks during pre-development stages. This helps make sure the website meets the requirements of the users in terms of usability.
First Impression is very important in web design and it is the main reason why you should get a website designed and created only after the customers’ first impression. The first impression is usually created by the way the website looks and feels on the users’ screen. It is through this that the company can gain their prospective customers’ trust. A well-designed website helps a lot in creating consistency between the products and services you are selling and establishing a first impression in front of your potential audience.
User Research is an essential component of web design and it helps the web designer to determine what the audiences need and want from their website. The usability research is usually carried out through user surveys. Users’ responses and feedback are used to explore and discover new ideas and approaches for designing a website. By carrying out user research, web designers can understand and identify the problems that users encounter while using the site. It is through this that the web designer can improve the site and make it more user-friendly. When the audience fully understands what the website is offering to its users, they will most probably come back to use it again.
The speed of your website is also important if you are selling products or providing services through the Internet. The web design services you acquire should be able to deliver quality website design and Internet connectivity at a fast pace. A website design that is too slow may result in reduced wage rate and the inability to access information on your site. The web design services should also be able to deliver a high page speed so that pages load easily and without many breaks. The more page speed that is delivered, the faster a person can browse through your site and access the information that they want.