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Is Design Important to Your Website?

July 23, 2011 by Leave a Comment
A person navigating through a Chilean bank web...

Image via Wikipedia

A lot of web designers put a lot of their faith into the visual aspects of their websites. However, a lot of these people forget that the aesthetics of a website are of less importance than the ultimate functionality of the site itself. The functions of a website go beyond just looking good.

For one thing, a website can be perfectly ugly and still work extremely well. If a website has to allow people to buy or sell something, they don’t need to be on a pretty website. Of course, being pretty does tend to allow a website to attract more visitors, just as being attractive allows a person to attract more suitors. However, the look of a website and its design are not the same thing in some cases. Sometimes it’s far more important that a website does what it needs to do.

When a website fulfills its intended function, nobody really cares what it looks like. If it has the ugliest colors arranged in nearly seizure-causing patterns, a lot of people won’t mind in the slightest. This is because in the end, the ultimate measure of a website isn’t in how it looks but in how well it does its intended function. If a website is making you money, do you really want to invest a lot of time into changing what might be working? In some cases you want to push onward, but in others you might already be satisfied with a bad-looking but ultimately functional site.

Filed Under: Computer, Web Design Tagged With: , ,

Design Tips and Techniques

May 16, 2011 by Leave a Comment

Web design — you’re certain — is a simple thing: a collection of quickly chosen traffic counters and Java scripts. All pages can be formed without delay; all information can be tucked into HTML strands. Creating a site should be easy.

It’s not… if only because there are rules that must be obeyed:

Understand Intentions

The purpose of the Internet is to offer information — to detail every possible fact and consideration. Those wishing to claim a corner of the online world must therefore understand precisely what they want to explain. A web site must have a purpose. Recognize what you wish to create. The point is not to merely experiment with design; it’s instead to offer guests what they need.

Avoid the Common

It’s a Technicolor horror: a collection of JPEGs and Flash-ware, the endless scrolls of texts and animations. Your site is a tribute to all things common… and guests will not be pleased. Novice designers can easily find themselves overwhelmed by the potential of graphics. You must not succumb to this temptation, however. Tailor your pages to relevant — and subtle — techniques.

Redefine Style

Facts are forever in flux. Progress is forever barreling forward. And web sites demand constant revisions to keep pace with the technological world. Your first attempts at design may impress but they can’t remain stagnant. You must instead update your information to reflect the days, keeping your readers informed of what they seek. Style should also be redefined as new tools and techniques are made available. All content should be current.

Use these tips to create a platform for your opinions — and a site that will amaze.

Filed Under: Technology, Web Design Tagged With: , ,

Installing Survey Software Made Easy

April 9, 2011 by Leave a Comment

When it comes time to conduct a survey, there’s no better tool to use than online survey software. Online surveys are more efficient and effective in collecting, organizing and analyzing data than paper-based models. Best of all, most are very easy to install on any website. Just follow these two simple steps:

Step One – Copy & Paste

Most survey software packages will provide you with the HTML code to install in your site. After designing your survey via the survey service interface, decide if you want your survey to appear static on your webpage, or if you want it to pop-up in a window. Copy the HTML code for the format of your choice, and then paste the code into the section of the HTML on your site.

Step Two – Customize & Test

Once the code is part of your site’s HTML, then you can customize the code to meet your needs and ensure the survey software works properly. Take the survey yourself from your website to see how it flows and if there are any kinks. If you discover a discrepancy, or just want to make a change in the survey, then go back to the software interface and make the corrections. Then, repeat these two steps to install the survey again on your website. Just be sure to delete the first code you pasted onto your site, so that you won’t have duplicate codes.

Surveys are popular, effective tools for collecting data online. Following these two simple steps, installing a survey on your website is quick, easy, and often free.

Filed Under: Programming, Technology, Web Design Tagged With: , ,

How to Build a Website

January 9, 2011 by Leave a Comment

Sometimes building a website can be a bit of a task or even overwhelming. To techies though, the steps can be simple if done well and often they use open source or freeware programs like FileZilla and Putty to help them in their task.

The first step to building a site is to choose a domain. This is the address that viewers will type in the address box to access your website. Domain names are paid for on a yearly basis and must be registered.

After selecting a domain name, it is important to choose a web host. It is best not to gravitate to free web hosts. Although they glamorize the no-cost to house your files and web pages, they have too many strings attached. They also issue long and impractical domain names that can hinder the traffic of your site. Since choosing a web host is critical to your website’s success, take some time to shop around for a site. You will get the most for your money by paying for a host on a monthly or yearly basis rather than going with a free host.

Next comes the actual building of your website. This can be done through several methods. You can check with your web host to see if they offer tools that will help to build your site. If not, you may need to use your knowledge of HTML to write out the code to create your site. This may be your preferable method. If neither of these options appeals to you, there is the option of using HTML templates to create your site or actually purchasing web design software.

Often there is open source freeware that web builders use to assist them in the task. FileZilla helps to upload large and numerous files, Putty will establish secure connections and NotePad is a convenient free source code editor.  Web designers will often also utilize the convenience of Tight VNC to work on computer desktops remotely.

When considering which avenue you will take in building your site, remember that you also need to be able to update and maintain your site. This could mean mere editing or possibly overhauling the site. Maintenance, although sometimes tedious, is essential for optimum appeal and increases the trafficking of your site. Be sure to choose a web-building option in which you will be able to easily maintain the site later on.

Filed Under: Internet, Web Design Tagged With: , ,