Chapter 7. visual design

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don't miss ...

  1. The value of visual design

  2. Front door design

  3. 8 design tips for non-designers

  4. 5 raging debates in web design

  5. Color on the web

  6. Typography on the web

The consensus among most web professionals is that a site must, above all else, be functional, usable, and clear. But that doesn't mean it can't have style.

"Most people agree that you have to have a functional site in order for your product to be successful, and that it takes a lot of skill and expertise to create a site like that," said designer Wendy Owen. "But I also strongly believe that if the experience of that well-functioning site is pleasurable, it's going to create a much deeper relationship with the customer and ultimately lead to a [more successful] site."

"We're such a pleasure-driven culture and such a visual culture, it seems pretty obvious that visual design has an impact, even if you can't quantify it that easily."

What visual design does for your site:

  • Brings the site structure to life in a way that users can immediately grasp

  • Defines your brand by making a visual statement

  • Tells the user what's most important by giving greater visual emphasis to certain sections or page element

  • Creates a mood through the use of color, type, imagery and possibly animation, video, or sound

bringing the site structure to life Job one for the visual design is simply to give form to the site's content, features, and navigation. The challenge here is to create a design that gets the job done without calling too much attention to itself.

"Design in its purest form should be completely invisible and transparent," said Doug Bowman, former Network Design Director for Terra-Lycos. "When you notice design, it can get in the way."

defining your brand Whether you know it or not whether they know it or not your site's appearance will resonate with visitors on an emotional level, creating an impression that affects the way they think about you and act on your site.

Look and feel make a big difference in the initial brand impact. And since a lot of people do their initial research on brands online, it turns out to be deceptively important.


As more and more people use the web and use it as part of the purchase process companies have to take the web more seriously as a communication outlet.

"Look and feel make a big difference in the initial brand impact," said Hunter Madsen, online marketing expert and former senior partner with the ad agency J. Walter Thompson. "And since a lot of people do their initial research on brands online, web presentation turns out to be surprisingly important."

telling the user what's most important Using color, size, and placement, the designer can communicate what's most important and where the user should start. But a lot of sites overlook this step, offering many options of equal weight.

"More often than not, web sites aren't paying close enough attention to hierarchy," says Doug Bowman. "So when the user arrives on a page, they have no idea where to start. Or if they do, the hierarchy's reversed compared to what it should be."

creating a mood Sight is our strongest sense, and humans respond deeply on an emotional level to their visual surroundings. So your site's design can impact the mood and behavior of people using it.

Derek Powazek, author of Design for Community, learned this the hard way. His site, Kvetch, originally had an all-black background. And he found the design colored people's comments, making the site's outlook rather bitter and bleak. "If you want dark, black thoughts, make a dark, black site," he said.



The Unusually Useful Web Book
The Unusually Useful Web Book
ISBN: 0735712069
EAN: 2147483647
Year: 2006
Pages: 195
Authors: June Cohen

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