A Few Components of ‘Good’ Web Design

What makes a ‘good’ web site design?

If you can answer that, you’ll be the best web designer of all time.

Truth is, good web design is one of the most complex things in the digital world.
Yes, one of the hardest things in the digital world.

I said web design. Not web coding. Web design.
You may be able to code a web site backwards in your sleep while hanging by your ears over a lake of boiling water and still not be a good designer.
Web design is not just coding.

Coding is the easy part of design.
Coming up with the layout, color scheme, components, etc is the hard part.

So what makes a web design good?
Like I said, if you can answer that, you’re a billionaire.

Though we may not be able to nail down all the components off good web design, we can nail down a few.
So let’s get started.

1: Simplicity and Contrast Draws the Eye

If you make your site busy and without any contrast (Like the Microsoft 404 Page), you’ll confuse your visitors.
They won’t know what the site is for, nor what they’re supposed to be focusing on.

A good example of simplicity and contrast is Expression Engine’s Home Page. The layout is clean, simple, and too the point.
The dark blue/grey background and white content area contrasts with the bright blue featured section. That contrast draws your eye instantly to the featured section - which also includes their sales pitch. Exactly what they want.

2: Icons Convey Ideas and Stick in the Head

Just look at Apple, everyone recognizes the apple with a bite out of it.

Another good example is Elixir Graphics.
On their home page are three main icons: two test tubes (for their Themes), a radioactive symbol (for their Icons), and a brain in a jar (for their blog).
While they’re not as memorable as Apple’s logo, they’re very good at drawing the eye and stick in visitor’s heads longer than plain text.

3: Ease of Use

This right here is the most important component of web design - yet often the most ignored.
Designers will pass over ease of use for what looks cool.
Don’t do that.
If someone won’t return to your site because it’s hard to read, navigate, etc - then why bother creating it?

1ogro.com is an excellent example of poor usability.
Sure, it looks neat, and the flash based scrolling adds a neat effect - but it’s difficult.

Among the first things you’ll notice is that you can’t use your scroll wheel. That’s because the scrolling is flashed based.
You’ll also notice that the text is small and can’t be resized. Again, that’s because it’s flashed based.
And finally, there’s no about page or sales pitch. Sure, it’s good looking design work and all, but it’s missing it where it counts - usability.

They say the customer is always right.
The same goes for web design.
If your visitor can’t use your web site, then they’ll find someone else. There’s plenty to choose from. (Choose me! :-P)

Skelliewag, on the other hand, considers the visitor first.
The layout is clean, fast loading, easy to navigate, and easy to learn.
The About page is very prominent. The tagline is clear and stands out, but isn’t overwhelming. There are links to the popular post.
Very nice design - very easy to use and understand.

So Now What?

Now what?
Experiment.
I have just shown you three components of ‘good’ design.
What else is there? What makes your web site ‘good?’
Have something new? I’ve experimented with different design ideas. So should you.

Have a new idea?
Know of something that works?
Share it!

Image Credits: Spider’s Web by ScoobyGirl | Easy to Use by luisvilla