Site design

Web site design presents a challenge few have mastered since. Success requires a range of skills. Companies need to use harness internal skills and/or use specialist agencies on all of the following success factors for web site design which we will review in this chapter:

• Accessibility – this should be built into all web sites since it is a legal requirement under disability and discrimination law. An accessible design supports visually impaired site users and other disabled users with limited limb movements. It also helps users accessing the site with a range of different web browsers using different devices such as mobiles or PDAs and it also assists search engine optimisation.
• User-centred design and usability – With a user-friendly site, visitors can find the information they are seeking, have a satisfactory experience and complete actions efficiently. User-centred website design is an essential approach to ensure the web site meets visitors needs. Research to identify appropriate personas, customer journeys and relevant content is a key activity.
• Information architecture and findability – Analysis and design to create a sound system of structure and labelling content in headings and navigation is essential to help findability through standard navigation and on-site search.
• Search engine optimisation (SEO) – If SEO isn’t considered in site design and within content management systems, search robots will be unable to crawl content and the relevance of different pages will be unclear.
• Web standards – Through complying with standards like those promoted through the World Wide Web consortium and the Web Standards Project.
• Persuasion to deliver commercial results – Your design should emphasise specific content and journeys through the site in order for your site to meet it’s objectives. Users should not be given free rein to visit any content instead you should prioritise your most valuable content in a similar way to a supermarket uses merchandising to promote specific products. We also need to study the psychology of customer engagement (Chapter 1 and 4) to understand the content, messages and visual design that influences customer perceptions (remember Robert Cialdini’s 6 “Weapons of Influence” from Chapter 4
• Visual design – the experience of a brand and a site will not be memorable and positive if the visual design isn’t energising and doesn’t fit with what the visitor would expect from a brand.
• Web analytics – Analysis of site visitor journeys can help improve navigation and conversion to different site goals.
• Legal requirements – Site owners need to check they comply with the many laws to control a web presence.
• Internet marketing planning and improvement process – the web site must fit within the wider world where it supports different organisation goals, integrates with other sales channels and is continuously reviewed and improved to achieve them.

Topics and learning outcomes for site design chapter

• 6.1 Introduction Identify the main objectives of effective site design
• 6.2 Integrated design Ensure web sites are integrated with the rest of the business
• 6.3 Online value proposition Develop an online value proposition (OVP)
• 6.4 Customer orientation Be able to translate customer needs into web site design
• 6.5 Dynamic design and personalization. Explore options for added value through dynamic facilities
• 6.6 Aesthetics. Identify different aspects of aesthetic design
• 6.7 Page design. Understand and apply best practice for page layout
• 6.8 Copy writing. Grasp and apply the fundamental principles of copy writing for web sites.
• 6.9 Navigation and structure. Assess best practice for navigation and structure.
• 6.10 Interaction. Assess best practice for interaction (including conversion rates and customer services).

Most recent articles related to site desgin

This page lists my latest articles on recent developments in site design

Links for Site Design Chapter

• A List Apart. Explores the design, development, and meaning of web content, with a special focus on web standards and best practices”.
• Boxes and Arrows. A collection of best practice articles and discussions about Information Architecture.
• Disability and Discrimination Act. Code of practice including reference to web sites.
• E-consultancy Web Design Best Practice
• Jakob Nielsens UseIt. Detailed guidelines (alertboxes) and summaries of research into usability of web media.
• User Interface Engineering. Articles on usability that often provide a counterpoint to those of Nielsen. (www.uie.com).
• Royal National Institute for the Blind web accessibility guidelines.
• Sitepoint online publisher with a range of blog articles in all web design categories
• Step Two. This design company has introductory outlines and more detailed articles on information architecture and other aspects of usability
• UsabilityNet. A portal about usability with good links to other sites and an introduction to usability terms and concepts.
• Usability News. A compilation of articles from different sources, plus jobs and events.
• Webby Awards – The Oscars for the web – international.
• Web Standards Project WASP) – a consortium that promotes web standards.
• Worldwide Web consortium web accessibility guidelines.