Overview | Download Speed | Web Page graphics | Search Engine Optimization | Scanning and Skimming
Text Copy | Navigation | Frames | Scripts
Here are some basic issues that have to be addressed in the web page design process:
Download Speed:
The attention span and impatience of web surfers has not changed. Eleven seconds is still the threshold to aim for, within which time some web element must appear onscreen that will capture the interest of the visitor. This eleven-second threshold is especially important for the home page or landing page, less so for the supplemental pages. If interest in your web site is generated in the first page, and the visitor is enticed to dig deeper into your web site, he/she will wait a little longer for the next page to load.
The web page element presented for first contact used to be text such as a heading or a catch phrase, because a web browser can render text almost instantaneously. Now, with the growing popularity of broadband and other high-speed Internet connections, other options are available to the web designer, and some graphics can be deployed within those crucial eleven seconds. I personally prefer some sort of motion that catches the eye, or a combination of text and motion in that order.
Web Page Graphics:
Color scheme and graphics establish the ambience within which the message or theme of the web site is presented. Solid primary colors denote various aspects of energy and intensity while different shades of pastel can suggest merriment, comfort or tranquility. Photographic images add personality to a web site and animated illustrations can spike that interest or curiosity which is so important for that first impression.
The major limitation upon the use of graphics is file size, which affects download time. With the development of browser support for animation software such as Flash, it is now possible to present more intricate animations within a reasonable file size. Depending upon the theme of a web site, the web designer can now use animation software to enhance the impact of the landing page, or create a gentle flowing background, or images that morph into one another, or create text that explodes or shouts at the visitor, or even present a story.
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