Graphic-iti

Creating a web page is an interesting mix of art and programming. Every designer is unique and may structure his or her code in many different ways. Creating a web site is not an easy task (al though some say it is). Mistakes are made, usually because of poor pre-production planning. The most common ones are related to the navigation of the site. Good planning and following these 4 rules will help you tackle the task of creating your User Interface (UI) and ensure a good user experience.

1. Organization

I always insist that you have a good web page structure. With a good blueprint you will organize your time and effort on completing the web page and spend less time trying to fix some links that got lost. Try to create a flowchart that you can understand and work with. This will also help you se how many links are needed and how many you can group under a common name. Limit your navigation to few very important categories and group under them. I love to use the rule, “No more than 3 clicks”. This means that the user should not take more than three (3) clicks in getting to their desired information. Of coarse this may differ, there are huge web sites that this rule may not apply, but generally its good practice.

2. Simplicity

The overall design should be simple. Remember, 3 clicks. Don’t create a design that distracts or interrupts the navigation system. Your site is full of valuable information, so don’t make the surfer struggle to get to the next page.

3. Language

Relate to your users. Investigate your target and use their language in your navigation system. Don’t use hard to understand terms. Use vocabulary that is relevant to your audience. This will also help with your SEO (Search Engine Optimization). Using words that will most likely be used on a search will help you be among the first on the list.

4. Consistency

In definition consistency is:

• Agreement or logical coherence among things or parts: a rambling argument that lacked any consistency.
• Correspondence among related aspects; compatibility: questioned the consistency of the administration’s actions with its stated policy.

Consistency is a very powerful element. It ensures that your users will be able to navigate your site effectively. By using the above mentioned rules and unifying them with consistency you will have an effective and user friendly navigation system.

User Interface is, to me, one of the most important and difficult aspects of web page design. To achieve perfection one must read and practice. Following these will guide you in your first step toward your desired perfection.

Written by: Juan Rivera