Web Design Methodology

Web design is unique in that it combines so many aspects of different mediums into one experience. That's great because through the internet and web design, you can often deliver what one traditional medium alone cannot. However, this presents an interesting dilemma in certain ways. With all the tools that are at your disposal on the web, how do you give your users the right experience? It all starts with learning basic web design methodology.

The "Problem" of Web Design

A lot of designers, (web design and other mediums), approach their projects as such, "problems". Doing this allows them to more easily define what could otherwise be a very loose endeavor. It also gets their mind thinking in terms of "solutions". If someone were to come to you and say, "Make a website", you have a problem of sorts. You don't know what kind of site they want, how many visitors they expect, if they need e-commerce, etc. On the other hand if someone said "Make me a website that posts my opinions on the latest gadgets", that's more doable. So when thinking in terms of the web design of your site, first figure out what your problem is. For example, if you want to make a site that helps 7th graders with their algebra, your problem would be, "To make a website for 7th graders that helps them with their algebra". Defining the web design of your site as a problem allows you to devise solutions for it. And as you may have already recognized, problems, solutions and your site's overall web design are often centered around, your audience.

Web Design and Your Audience

Your audience will dictate basically everything about your site including it's navigation and how it displays content. For instance, if your audience is comprised of older people, you should be mindful to use large text size, or at least text that can be resized by browsers. On the other hand, if your site is for the 20 somethings out there, a smaller font size could certainly do the job. Colors are also definetely important in regards to web design and if you haven't guessed it, your audience will shape that too. For example, if your audience is primarily children looking for a "fun experience", vibrant colors and cartoony images could be a very prudent choice. But if your audience is a bunch of doctors, maybe something a little more professional is in order.

Navigation and Usability

Navigation on any website is of paramount importance to it's web design. If users cannot immediately identify how to navigate your site, you're basically sunk. And if they can't find what they need easily and quickly, you're also dead in the water. This also plays into the notion of usability, which basically is a measure of how easily someone can use your site. Do they really have to work to download what they need? How easily is it for them to navigate your content? Do the colors distract from the text being read? (And those are just the basic questions). You can tell that a lot falls under the general term of usability, but it really is that important to web deisgn.

And there you have it! The most basic of basics when it comes to web design. While this article is just to get you thinking in the right direction, with time, practice and experimentation, you'll undoubtedly craft your web design skills and put together some truly awesome sites!

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