There are many tools
which will enable you to create clear, effective websites.
However, if you are a first time web designer, it is helpful
to
- gain an understanding
of effective websites
- fit your concept into a
process of design
- have fun creating your
website!
There are three ways to
create a website:
- HTML: a standard
or system of plain text and tags which formats a
page. Can be thought of as the programming
language of the Internet
- HTML Editor:
HomeSite and BBEdit provide tools and shortcuts for HTML
formatting and editing
- WYSIWYG (What you see
is what you get): FrontPage and Pagemill create
pages/websites without knowing HTML. FrontPage has
the advantage of working directly on the server (no need
to transfer completed files)
Summary of design:
- identify your audience
- motivate your audience:
treat them with respect and provide proactive
feedback opportunities
- establish clear, measurable
web site objectives or design purposes
- acknowledge reactions,
effort & success, and built in help for failure
to meet expectations
- Content
- focus and define your
website content
- language should be simple,
understandable for an international audience
- promote scanning for
important concepts
- build in white space
- prioritize your information,
as with an outline
- Navigation:
- simple
- clear
- layered (site maps)
- organized (think
"outline")
- Incorporating graphics
Developing
websites begins with its text and structure. After
the basic structure is developed, the content should be
analyzed as to what would benefit from illustration
whether line or photographic graphics.
Principles:
- choose a background and text
colors with high contrast
- use a browser safe palette
to be consistent across platform and browser
- be consistent with text
formatting:
- avoid color changes
- avoid
italics (hard to read), color changes, and
underlining (mistaken for links)
- avoid overly-large text
- avoid textured backgrounds
which make it difficult to read;
- use simple, symbiotic,
scaled (small), stagnant (non-moving) graphics to
illustrate content
- avoid "dancing
dogs": graphics that show off but do
nothing for content
- file formats:
compressed (.jpg) photographs, and drawings in
(.gif)
Study Guide
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