| Well, the title probably says it all but nevertheless I | | | | * Last but not least, would you re-visit the site (with |
| am going to emphasize on this very essential web | | | | your design) considering you're an outsider? |
| design tip. | | | | I just cannot emphasize the importance of the first |
| A website would not gain constant stream of visitors | | | | tip, namely, to imagine yourself in the shoes of the |
| or even repeated ones if users find the design | | | | end user of the site you're designing. Without doing |
| inaccessible. A dumb and probably even useless fact | | | | so, its rare that one is able to churn up a design for a |
| some of you might say but people still forget it. You | | | | site that will keep visitors coming back for reasons |
| have to agree that the visitor is the most important | | | | that include aesthetic appeal as well as accessibility. |
| person when drafting out a design. If you can | | | | As a web user yourself, I'm very certain none of |
| successfully draft out a design thats appealing yet | | | | you wants to go searching through the whole site |
| easily accessible to the visitor, then I assure you that | | | | just to find that link that says "Contact Us" or even |
| your client would feel the same. (with the exception | | | | wait minutes for images to load on a site. Therefore, |
| of 0.0001% :p) | | | | thinking of the end user in mind while drafting out |
| Easier said then done, how do you think of the end | | | | your design would ensure that you go to great |
| user in mind while drafting out that layout/design? | | | | lengths to ensure a pleasant visit for your visitors |
| There are several ways you can go about in doing | | | | and it would show indefinitely. |
| so. | | | | Some people prefer simplicity, some just awe at |
| * Imagine you're the end user every single second of | | | | graphical excellence, but the fact remains that if the |
| your design phase | | | | end user does not enjoy his time while on your site, |
| * Have friends test out your layout after you're | | | | you're most definitely not going to get him to visit |
| done with drafting | | | | your site again lest he's forced to. So it doesn't |
| * Don't think whether you or the client would like the | | | | matter what kind of design/layout you go for, just |
| aesthetics of the design but more on whether the | | | | remember, |
| end user would know where to go to get what he | | | | Your target audience/end user has to enjoy their |
| wants. | | | | stay while on the site. |
| *Place aesthetic criteria aside and make sure you | | | | I can assure you a 100% guarantee that you would |
| have a sitemap so that everything is easily accessible. | | | | be getting revisits on your site. And that is always |
| * What's the purpose of the site? | | | | good because then, word of your site would spread |
| * Target Audience? | | | | in time to come. Remember that tip for it is like the |
| * Get outside opinions, critiques, especially those NOT | | | | holy grail of essential web design tips. |
| adept at web design. | | | | |