Crafting the Perfect Web Environment

February 13, 2009; By

Filed Under: Web Design  

The perfect web environment doesn't just look good. It also functions well. Every web environment has a set of purposes, and the quality of the environment is defined by its effectiveness in fulfilling those purposes. Creating the perfect web design requires both skill and the proper focus. Skill gained through experience can help a web designer choose good combinations of color and shape, but a clear focus honed by following some basic rules will help the web designer choose the right design for each product.

Designs that Fit

Web designers need to know one thing first: the product. Designing a website without knowing what is presented on the site makes about as much sense as prescribing medication without making a diagnosis. A designer should learn everything about the product. The more they learn the better. Just like shoes, web environments need to fit right in order to "make the sell." Finding the right pair of shoes requires more than just knowing what size they need to be. For a shoe to fit well, the width, height, and shape of the foot also need to be taken into account. Even then, fitting the foot is not enough - total customer satisfaction also requires the shoe to fit the activity. You wouldn't run a marathon in dress shoes, no matter how well they conformed to your feet or how good they looked.

Similarly, for a website, looking good and running smoothly is not enough. The perfect web environment also needs to fit the purpose for which it is being designed. Here are a couple of questions web designers should ask themselves about the product they are designing for.

• Who will be interested in this product? Young or old, male or female, the business man or carpenter? A designer who knows the target demographics for the product will be leaps and bounds ahead of one who does not.



• What are the characteristics of the product? Is it simple or complex, clean or rugged, flashy or conservative? How is this product better than the alternatives? The more the designer knows, the easier it will be to craft designs that fit.

Putting Ideas into Action

Once the designer knows the product forward and backward, they can take action and apply what they know. The designer should make the site appealing to the the target demographic. This does not always correspond with what looks best to the designer. Designers should also try to incorporate the product’s characteristics into the web design. If the product is fun, the site should be fun. If the product is the next big thing in the technology world, the site better be also. Imagine going to Apple Computers’ website and finding a wood paneled background with wild life running around! Designers should take what they know of the product and apply it to the web design.

Design with Flexibility in Mind

No website is timeless. Like clothes, the style and appeal of a website will change over time. In addition, demographics can shift and product changes may require the web environment to be updated to maintain a good fit. Because of this, a designer should craft each web environment with flexibility in mind.

A designer should never be afraid to make necessary adjustments, regardless of how personally invested in the design they have become. If the style does not fit, the site's effectiveness will be compromised. A designer should focus on a style that if effective, regardless of its look. If the design is flexible, and changes are made as needed, the designer can ensure that the perfect web environment remains perfect. This requires an ongoing commitment, but it is the consistent quality that will win the most customers.