How Web Designers Build A Better Design

June 28, 2008 |

by Chris Channing

One of the biggest online industries right now is the web design industry- with its many demands to create the newest and biggest thing in awe inspiring websites. Web design may be a big industry, but it isn’t the easiest to get a foothold in. In order to best “wow” the competition, there are a few practices to keep in mind.

The first concept to understand in web design standards is readability. This is something too many beginners forget about when trying to make an overly stunning design. Font sizes are generally accepted to be 12 pixels in height for maximum readability, and going higher never hurts. A contrasting font color that is readable against its background is also important for keeping visitors free of frustration.

Navigation is an aspect of web design that is a very close second to readability. Without proper navigation, a website will not provide the average Internet user with proper information on what they can access on the website. It isn’t the 1990’s anymore, and that just isn’t acceptable! Pretty rollover effects and menus aren’t a necessity, and the average navigation box is more than sufficient for most applications in web design.

How accessible a web design is to the user is another important factor that dictates how many Internet users can even access the website at all. Different web browsers use different engines to read how a website is coded. This means that how the website appears in one browser may be totally different in another. In some cases, it might not even render at all- meaning extra work needs to be done to standardize the design among multiple browsers.

Once all the basics in standardization and readability are maintained, the act of being creative and reestablishing the norms becomes the next test. Using different palettes of colors, using new forms of shapes and blocks (The rounded rectangle box is a current favorite for web designers), and ultimately thinking of new ways to display information has become the measuring stick in how a web design project is rated.

Lastly, it’s a good idea to make use of previously popular web design tactics. Newer and better forms of web design options are great to engage in, but the popular forms of web design options have been made popular for a reason- they are visually appealing and they just work. Thus, it’s always nice to conform to certain web design trends even if a unique look is desired. It isn’t always so much as trying to create a unique design as it is trying to create a unique experience for the Internet user viewing it.

In Conclusion

Coding and designing layouts is quite a profitable skill to have, but it will take time and effort to get to the skill level needed to do so for actual clients. And if the web design process is more of a personal gain situation, even more emphasis on creativity and inspiring designs is needed to make others take notice of one’s creations. Either way, web design is a fun industry and learning more on the subject is highly recommended.

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