My philosophy of web design is simple: a website should always be both usable and useful. This sounds similar, but there is a difference. Within a usable site, the designer makes it easier for a user to quickly find desired content. A useful site means having helpful content in the right place once it is found.
This goal is reflected in what I call the Web Strategy Pyramid. The top of this pyramid is supported by the three pillars of SEO/SEM, Design and Accessibility. The strength of these pillars are the principle foundations of a well-designed site.
Web Project Management
In my 15 years as a web designer, I discovered that the use of web project management helps create and launch websites in an organized and timely manner. When moving from concept to launch, I break a web project into six parts: Discovery, Exploration, Design, Implementation, Launch and Maintenance. Although designers may use different names or combine some of the stages, the process is the same.
A common mistake in web projects is to start with design. It is best not to think of design until later. The first two stages Discovery and Exploration often take the longest to complete, but are the most critical to smoothly launch a site.
Thoughts on content
I am a firm believer that the way content is presented is just as important as design. Poorly developed web copy will fail to properly convey the intended message.
Web content must have calls to action and active voice. This can be achieved with a combination of strong, powerful verbs and journalism standards. Best practices include:
- Avoiding long words where a short one will do.
- Cutting words that add bloat to sentences.
- Cultivate and active voice and avoid passive content.
- Make sure copy is of immediate value and gets to the point.
- Write in easily understood and focused sentences.