Principles are a must! Everyone needs them. You may try to ignore it, but you can never avoid it. Hey, don’t worry! We are not getting all philosophical out here. The principles we are talking about are some pretty practical steps.
These principles are those individual values and guides that emerge in any discipline over time. Web designing is no exception. Here too, you will find some essential principles/guides according to our own company, Warrington Web Design.
Web designers ‘can never’ create a good design without considering them. So, all web designers have two choices –
- Ignore it you and end up with a design that would be quite distasteful with all due respect.
- Accept it, and work with it, then thrive with it.
For those who like this idea of thriving, you should know these basic principles of web designing.
Purpose
All web designs should be clear about this. What needs of the customer are you trying to accommodate? Every page should be very clear about intentions. Is it an educational website, an entertainment website, or a marketing website? The Call To Action (CTA) should be simple and effective.
Appealing design
The graphics and colour is the key here. The website should be a pleasant experience for users. If you want the users to ‘SIT’ happily on your websites, you better learn the ‘principles of ‘CIT.’
- C for Colour – use complementary colours but keep it limited to five. The right colour palette will help the customer base to grow.
- I for Imagery – the visuals leave the first impression, and the imagery used should suit the brand’s personality.
- T for Typography – don’t use more than three different font sizes on the website.
Easy navigation
The users should easily find whatever they need to see. Keep navigation features at sight. Follow the ‘3 click rules’. The user should get the required information in 3 clicks.
Quality content
The language used should persuade users. Great content is equally important as a great design. Avoid useless fillers.
Organised visual hierarchy
The elements are to be arranged in terms of importance. You want the users to get all the necessary points, but endless buttons and drop-downs won’t help. Imagine a menu with ten options vs. one with a hundred options, especially when you are hungry. You get the point.
Faster load time
Make the users wait as little as possible. Research says that longer load time would make users leave a website within five seconds. So, take necessary actions to optimise images and sizes wherever possible.
Use F-shaped pattern structure and grid layout
The F-shaped pattern follows the natural reading pattern to the west and from top to bottom. Also, the grid-based layout with columns and sections gives a balanced feel.
Mobile friendly
The website design should support all screen sizes. Web designers have to keep this in mind to create an adaptive and responsive layout.
