Web Page Design: Best Practices

Your web site should be designed to appeal to your target audience. Follow these recommended design practices with your target audience in mind.

Web Site Organization Techniques

1. Hierarchical
2. Linear
3. Random

---

Clearly labeled navigation on every page is helpful. The user should not be lost on your site.

Navigation best practices:

• Use Breadcrumb trails for larger sites
• Use the "alt" attribute for image tags
• Use a table of contents for large, text heavy pages

---

Four Visual Design Principles

Repitition

Keep the site consistent and unified by repeating common, recurring elements.

Contrast

Make sure the site is easy to look at and read by using a light background with dark text.

Proximity

Keep related elements close together and provide space between unrelated elements.

Alignment

Make sure each element has a particular place in relation to other elements on the page. Every element should be aligned either horizontally or vertically.

---

Major Components of Web page design and Three guidelines for each design element

1. Page Layout Design
• Ice Design
• Jello Design
• Liquid Design
2. Text Design
• Hyperlink keywords or phrases, not sentences.
• Use common fonts such as Arial, Verdana, or Times New Roman.
• Use appropriate color combinations. Text color should make text readable against the background.
3. Graphical Design
• Only use colors on Web Safe Pallet.
• Keep image files as small as possible.
• Limit the use of animation.
4. Accessibility
• Image tags need to use the "alt" attrbute.
• Make sure the site does not rely on images to convey meaning.
• Text navigation links in the footer area of the page.

Joshua Barry

---