Web Site Design

Displaying Information

• Although you can choose your favourite font style, size and the colour of the text, you should bear in mind that whoever looks at your site might only have a few common fonts available on their computer, so it is best to stick to those. We recommend 'clean' styles with a good contrast between text and background. The main content is usually best with dark text on a plain light background. Watermark backgrounds with a company logo can often detract from the clarity of information. Let your logo stand out proudly in its own right at the head of the page!
• Small text is difficult for some people to read; large text restricts the page design by making columns impractical. I find this size is the best for design purposes.
• Pictures and diagrams should show because they are directly associated with text on the page - not because we like them.
• Numerical information is best in tables.

'Static' Information

Your web site will display information in text, tables and pictures. Perhaps much of this will rarely change; company details, history, location etc. This is 'static' information and is best kept together on pages that do not need to be updated regularly.

'Live' Information & Web Updates

Be aware of those pages on the site containing information that is 'live'. When that information changes in your office, it should be changed on your web site as soon as possible; price lists, events diaries, vacancies, availabilities etc. You will need a built in office procedure for sending me the information to be added as a matter of course.

It is possible for much of this information to be stored in a database on the web server, so that you can update it yourself using a simple web form (like buying on Amazon!). This is more expensive to set up initially, but will save on routine updating costs.

Photographs

When using photographs, it is necessary to make a slight reduction in size and quality, to make the image file occupy less memory. You should be aware that, although pictures might download quickly with a broadband connection, there is still a significant proportion of internet users with a much slower dial up connection, who might get impatient if they have to wait too long to see your photographs, and move on to a rival's site instead.

Tables and Forms

Information can be displayed clearly in tables or handled using a form. The form information can usually be transferred back to you automatically via e-mail. It is possible to control what information is accepted by the form, for instance, by rejecting invalid dates and performing automatic calculations, as below.

Slideshows

If you have a lot of pictures to show on your website, it can look clumsy if they all appear on the same page at once.

To avoid this, we can use either the 'thumbnail' approach, which shows several small pictures at once, and allows the user to click on each in turn to see a full size picture.

Alternatively, the pictures can be shown in sequence as a slide show, with button controls for progressing through the show.

LOOK AT THE EXAMPLES OF SITES WE HAVE DESIGNED TO SEE HOW THESE DESIGN ELEMENTS WORK IN PRACTICE.

Dave Titchmarsh

trading in UK as StowiITnShowIT, 4 Saxty Way, Sowerby, Thirsk, North Yorkshire YO7 1SA
tel: 01845 523637 email: dave.titchmarsh@btinternet.com