by John Stephen Jones

Created on: January 18, 2007   Last Updated: October 31, 2011

Here are my 10 tips for good design methods and achieving good functionality.

(1) Usability

The Interface should be as usable and as functional as possible. The user should be familiar and comfortable with the web interface design. Clear navigation is paramount as this is how your user will access content. They need to do this as quickly as possible in order to find the content they are looking for.

(2) Accessibility

Web-Sites have to be accessible as possible. This means that users with cognitive,physical or sensory disabilities can access your site. These individuals may use peripheral devices such as screen readers, braille translators, or audio translators to read your content. Therefore, it is important that you include alt tags with your images and titles as a user with images switched off or using a peripheral device will be able to understand what is on screen. An image cannot be 'read' by these devices so it reads the alt text and the title. Also never use flash for navigation as this is one of the most inaccessible methods you could implement onto your site.

Choices of colour and text are equally as important. No garish or contrasting colours should be used. (We really love pink text on an orange background don't we?)  The typeface should be legible and easy to read (No comic sans or fantasy fonts please!). Check out www.w3c/wai.org for more on accessibility.

(3) Use Semantic mark up

Separation of style from structure is a MUST to create a standard compliant web site. This means using CSS instead of tables. Due to accessibility purposes, screen readers and speech devices have lots of trouble deciphering information or data within a table.

Also you file sizes will be smaller, maintenance will be easier, your code cleaner and sharper all because you use CSS. Don't use a WYSIWYG editor! This will create a 'code soup' or 'spaghetti code' as it is sometimes called, making your file sizes enormous and difficult to pinpoint errors.

(4) Look and feel

Web Design is not all about graphics, colour and all the bells and whistles that come with it. Its simply the character,layout,and functionality you give to your site. It must have good functionality and above all great content presented in a way that will make the user come back time and time again to your site ie: 'The Sticky Factor'.

(5) Know your audience

You must always ask, 'Who is this site for?' and 'What is it's purpose?'
This is critical to any good design and is one of the first questions you must

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