Web Design Considerations

Good web design starts with planning. Forethought should be given to the many aspects affecting the site before coding begins. This section takes a look at some of the things which should be considered. Answers to questions in some areas will affect the answers in others. Web design is a composite not a collection of individual factors.

Questions to ask include:

  • For what audience is the site intended? (The answer will affect most other areas.)
  • What impression should the site give the viewer? (The answer affects most every area of consideration.)
  • For what bandwidth should the site be designed? (The answer affects download speed.)
  • How important are graphics to the overall design of the site? (The answer will affect both the look of the site and download speed.)
  • How important are multimedia affects to the design of the site? (The answer will affect the impression given to the viewer and the download speed.)
  • For what browsers should the site be designed? (The answer is affected by the perceived audience and affects the number of visitors who will have a pleasant experience visiting the site.)
  • For what resolution should the site be designed? (The answer will affect how the site appears to various visitors.)
  • For what color depth should the site be designed? (The answer will affect how the site appears to various visitors.)
  • What content should the site include? (The answer will be determined by and affect numerous other considerations.)
  • How should the navigation of the site be designed? (The answer will affect how easily a visitor can find the information he or she is looking for.)
  • Does it matter if the visitor must scroll to see all of a site's page? (The answer will affect how much information will be included on a page and how the page will appear.)
  • Is there a need for forms? (The answer will affect back-end considerations and a need for personnel to review responses.)
  • What accessibility issues should the site address? (The answer is affected by the intended audience and will affect a visitor's ability to receive the information presented on the site.)

Good web design will address these questions. The answers will help guide the design of the site. The result should be a pleasant experience for the site's visitors.

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