Things to Avoid in Web Design

• Sites That Never Change
  Have you heard the expression "Been there ... done that"? Once a user has gleaned information from your site, they won't be back, that is, unless you provide a changing arena of information. Keep your site fresh and people will constantly come back for more.
  
  
• Long Scrolling Pages
  Few users scroll beyond the information that is visible on the screen when a page comes up ... many don't even know they can! All content and navigational options should be on the top part of the page.
  
  
• Lack of Navigation Support
  Don't assume that users know as much about your site as you do. They may have difficulty finding information, so they need support in the form of a strong sense of structure and place. Start your design with a good understanding of the structure of the information space and communicate this structure explicitly to the user. Provide a site map and let users know where they are and where they can go. Also, you will need a good search feature since even the best navigation support will never be enough.
  
  
• Obnoxious Backgrounds
  Would you like to read a book if the text were printed on a wall of red bricks? How about a nice blue paisley surface? Yet how many sites drive people away by creating ridiculous backgrounds? Keep it simple. A white or light gray background is all that's really needed to get the job done.
  
  
• The 30-Second Rule ... Long Downloads
  Tests have shown that users will wait a maximum of 30 seconds for a new site to download. After that, they're out and going somewhere else. Even websites supporting high-end users need to consider download times. Bandwidth is getting worse, not better, so it's important to balance information with reasonable download times.
  
  
• Moving Text, Display Marquees and Animation Effects
  Never include page elements that are always on the move. They have an overpowering effect on your users. Blinking text, GIF89a animation and marquees that display information distract users.
  
  
• Use of the Latest Bells and Whistles
  Technology and animation coupled with sounds and video don't attract visitors to your website ... INFORMATION is what most Web surfers are after. You may attract the curious, but most users will care about content. Using the latest filters and HTML tags discourage users. Wait on newer technology until the bulk of the Internet has had a chance to catch up. Besides, it's very possible that some of that wonderful technology will be bypassed by something else ... Remember 8-track tapes?
  
  
• Lost Pages
  Make sure that all web pages clearly display what website they belong to. You may not know this, but users can (and frequently do) access websites without going to the home page. Therefore, every page should have an indication of who owns it and also contain a link back to your home page.
  
  
• Only Hyperlinks Should Be Underlined
  New links to pages are coded in blue; links to old (visited) pages are purple or red. Please don't change these colors since it's hard enough to figure out the navigation of some sites. When it comes to navigation, stick to the basics and don't fool with the norm.
  
  
• The Overuse of Frame Technology
  Splitting a page into frames can be very confusing for users since frames break the fundamental model of the web page. You cannot easily bookmark the current page and return to it (the bookmark will point to another version of the frameset), and printouts become difficult. Think long and hard before adding frames to your web presence.

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Having a presence on the World Wide Web does not have to be expensive. We will design and develop your website based on your ideas and specifications.

The way we do this is to set up a free initial consultation in order to determine your needs and requirements. Then we will give you an estimate in a couple of days.

You can start with a couple of pages in the beginning and then add more later, or you can do it all together ... the choice is yours.

• Why do you want a website?
• Is this an information site? Retail site? Portal?
• Who is your target audience?
• What do you want to accomplish?
• What do you want your audience to do once they arrive?
• How long is your design timetable?
• Who is responsible for gathering what?
• What do you or your clients do?