"What Are
The Benefits Of Good Design On The Web?"
By Stephen Dill
Let's examine how important Web Design is to
the success of any Web-based marketing campaign. In a September
2003 report from Forrester Research titled "The Best and Worst
of Site Design, 2003" the authors stated, "Most of the problems
we found were self-inflicted wounds resulting from site managers
who naively allow designers to: hide value, turn interfaces into
dexterity tests, favor “white space” over information, and leave
users hanging.” The traps are subtle, but good design is a triumph
over more than the pitfalls. Good design is the result of a process
of deep thought. And therein lies the biggest benefit of good
design: visitors to the site who are thinkers know that the designer
is a thinker. They know that the designer was not acting out of
ego, but of thinking of the needs of others.
Sites that exhibit good design—those that anticipate
the needs of their visitors, prospects and patrons—are directly
rewarded with ROI: return on investment. Using scenarios and personas
to truly step inside the visitor’s likely situation(s) give designers
clear priorities in the numerous decisions around navigation,
use of imagery, arrangement of content, linkages within the site,
and required functionality. Without clear objectives and a firm
grasp of the audience, misuse of the opportunity to communicate
value to each and every visitor is the likely outcome. Using technology
to dazzle does little to convey meaning, much less compel thinking
customers to stay. For those who use the Web as art, technology
prowess is fine. For those who are intent on conducting commerce
and generating qualified leads, the name of the game is conscientious,
concise, controlled experience of the features and benefits of
the products or services the site owner offers.
There is more to achieving a site’s objectives
than good design, and we will in future issues address some of
them, but at the first view of a Web site is the visitor’s impression
of the whole site formed. If it’s not positive, the rest of the
site and its intent is fighting an uphill battle. Thinking becomes
the most important step in any site design. Who are the visitors?
What are they looking for? What is their situation, are they rushed?
Are they knowledgeable? Are they looking for opinions or facts?
Are they the kind of prospect the site owner is looking for? Knowing
the answers to those and more questions will better inform a designer
than any images, cool Flash techniques, or PHP application. |
