Here is an example of why one should proofread home page content:
Monolithical Failure
We point this out because it is in the “ingenious” section and has been there for over a month.
Posts Tagged ‘Web Design’
September 1, 2009
Hey @_Monolith_ – Read Your Home Page
August 19, 2009
The 5 Rules for Wannabe Web Designers
The 1st rule of web design is:
Just because you use the web, doesn’t mean you’d be good at making web sites.
The 2nd rule of web design is:
Just because you use the web, doesn’t mean you’d be good at making web sites.
This may seem obvious to some, but I think it needs to be said. Clients, developers and graphic designers seem to think that one can pick up web design after reading a few books or putzing around on Youtube for a few minutes (dripping sarcasm).
Trained monkeys can use Photoshop and learn HTML. Adults that deserve money for it work hard to get good at it. Interactive design, standards compliant HTML/CSS and having a site that functions in every web browser is a rare talent.
The 3rd rule of web design is:
As a new web designer devote a lot of time, thought and user testing into hammering your terrible designs into workable shape.
In doing this, prepare to have your ego hammered to shit- then, you have to grow it back and in full force (and then some) once you know what you’re talking about. This will allow you to talk clients out of terrible terrible ideas.
Most people (maybe even you, reading this, right now) think that good web design somehow falls out of the sky, perhaps from angel farts. I assure you this is not the case.
Ask for critiques from pro web designers often, and do user testing early and often, even if it’s bugging your friends or cubicle neighbors. You’ll be shocked to find out what works and what doesn’t.
As a rule, most site designs are missing one of two things:
- The “design” looks like hell. The colors are weird, disagreeable, or not there (it’s bland, and not minimalist). Or maybe the typography is poorly spaced, sized or illegible for other reasons.
- How do you use this damn thing? So maybe it looks AMAZING, you open up Photoshop and crap your pants thinking about how sweet it will be. But your menu doesn’t look like a menu, no one knows what’s a link and what isn’t, or maybe the user has no sense of the scope, purpose or their location in the site.
Web design is a two legged beast, form and function. It’s not multiple choice, you’ll need both. Occasionally a designer will be forced to negotiate something that isn’t the best visual choice in the world, but really makes intuitive sense.
Don’t be the guy that makes something look a little bit nicer, but harder to use.
Don’t tell this to 2advanced, they’d have to go back to school to unlearn all of the poor UI design they’re so used to making.
The 4th rule of web design is:
When you are but a grasshopper, and you feel something is cool and different, it’s probably been done before and failed miserably.
Human computer interaction is still in it’s early teens, it’s cranky, whines a lot, and doesn’t want to work. You have to meet it halfway, because it’s ass isn’t going to budge.
Unless your site is only for trendy web designers or database jockeys (both of which tend to have “bad UI blindness”), you’ll need an easy to understand UI.
Create your site for Grandma Jenkins, who can’t read small type, is unsure and untrustworthy of things that look strange, and things Google is the internet.
Web sites shouldn’t have a learning curve, leverage the design conventions that are out there on sites people use every day. Once you know what you’re doing you can add to the web design lexicon.
Usability, interactive elements looking “clickable”, readability are all priority 1.
The 5th, and final rule of web design is:
No one cares about your design concept.
No one cares how long it took to make it.
No one cares about your concept.
No one cares about all of the cool new technologies you used to make it.
At the end of the day, the only thing that matters is what the design contributes to the experience. It should be KY Jelly for all of the information or experience on the web site.
Web design is creating picture frames, if your frame is louder than the painting inside of it, you’re doing it wrong.
August 4, 2009
Design is Science, Friend: How most of the web sucks
Parts 1 & 2
I’d like to start my portion of this blog off right. By making fun of any site that gets more visitors than us.
Because screw them, and their visitors.
You may have heard of a little saying “Good design goes unnoticed“, and the converse can also be proven to be true.
Exhibit A
I will spend my next 6 articles making fun of all of these sites. Although I can complain all day, as my co-bloggers can attest to, I will keep it down to three strikes, or occasional compliments on each example.
Site #1 : Evangelical Cathedral
Disclaimer: If you have a history of seizure, you are pregnant, drunk, a typographer, allergic to enthusiasm, or any combination of those, please do not visit this site. It is the worst thing to happen to eyeballs since grunge type in the early 90s.
I believe all of us, from every creed and color need to unite against terrible design, can I get an “Amen”?
Strike 1: All Flash site for no reason.
Unless you count the visuals as a good reason to do anything, other than vomit or shake violently in a ball, this site should really be static HTML. Unless Jesus healed all of the blind people already, this site is only usable by sighted users that don’t get motion sick easily.
Strike 2: Someone actually made this, then someone else approved it
May there be a curse on the mind that imagined this. I can’t imagine what kind of horse tranquilizers the creator must be on to be able to just interact with another human beings…
But the sadder part, someone saw this and decided that this accurately represents what they are all about. Which must be CRAZY BULLSHIT AUGMENTED BY SPECIAL EFFECTS!!!11
If they don’t have fireworks that emit from all corners and sides of the stage after a good “HALLELUJAH”, I’d be really disappointed.
Strike 3: Try to read any of the body copy on this site without losing your mind
I dare you. Go ahead. Try.
Click on About > Bishop Don Meares, if you haven’t lost your mind yet, try to read one paragraph of his bio. Semi-transparent backgrounds on all of the containers allow you to enjoy the ENERGETIC BACKGROUND GRAPHIX as they FLY BY AS GRACEFUL AS A ONE WINGED DOVE ON FIRE.
Site #2 : MSN
We’ve all seen it, at least once. Install Windows XP, power up IE6 and this is what you get, Microsoft’s poor understanding of the Web, design and usability. Yessss.
I’ll ignore the “US Weekly” style web content, the images that are saved at 40% quality, and all of the tacky ads everywhere. That’s just the tip of the iceberg.
Strike 1: Hierarchy Please?
Nope, not allowed. There are at least two Ad locations that are larger than any one content area, almost all of the type is the same exact size, and there are very few clear divisions telling the eye what’s associated with what.
It’s fine tho, if you can’t wade your way through the poor design, maybe you don’t deserve MSN’s content. Did you ever think of that?
Strike 2: Would somebody please think of the grandmas?
I don’t know what alternate plane of reality a lot of web designers live on, but 11px font size for body content is a dick move. We all know that Grandma Jenkins doesn’t know how to get to the Accessibility options in the Control Panel or the browser settings.
Unfortunately for Grandma Jenkins, even if she could find Accessibility options, they’ve used white type on a medium blue. Of all of the rods and cones in your eye, the blue cones are the first to go, meaning white type on a medium blue is going to be a problem for Ol’ Lady Jenkins.
Strike 3: Designing with an Iron Fist
Like most of Microsoft’s products, MSN has been designed by some intern for a few beers. What little visual separation that is there is either to subtle or really harsh. Not only is your eye looking for anything that resembles organization, it’s constantly being irritated by the tight spacing, hard lines, and uncontrolled palette.
Welcome to the jungle, we’ve got… bad content n’ games?
