“Never solve a problem from its original perspective.” - Charles Thompson
That’s what I have been sharing with people around me. There are innumerable ways to look at the same situation. What seems as a humongous task may seem easy after you look at it from a different angle. Somehow, a problem may seem as a challenge only if you change your perspective!
The same thought process can be applied even in terms of design. An interesting thing about anything related to design is that one can have as many views as required for the same topic. Another unique point is that every individual has a different method of approach. This reveals many interesting options. Which is why, I come back to one point I have been pondering about, why can’t this be applied to web design as well?
Take for example site maps on websites. I have often observed how these are repetitive in terms of design. I agree ease of use is important, but surely there can be a better way of presentation! It should make a user want to browse the site.
On this note, I thought about creating something on my own to explain it better. Here’s my creation below. A little bit of Photoshop with website interactivity…that’s the key to visually enriching site maps!
(This interactivity is created with Raptivity Web Expert’s Site Booster Pack.)
In this example, I have attempted to design using food as a subject for the sample. What I have tried here is to bring attention to the important sections of the website. Many more sections can be added depending upon the design. This will not only make the section visually-appealing, it will also serve in making users browse the website.
I hope this example has given plenty of new ideas for your web design. Once your inspirations are ready, do share it with me too! It would help other readers as well as me, to find out about the many approaches towards web design.
Monday, April 12, 2010
Monday, April 5, 2010
Adding Spice to Websites!
There’s a lot that goes behind designing a website. It requires more than just designing and programming skills! In fact, the creation of a website should be done with ample amount of consideration and care, which involves thinking from the users’ point of view. One needs to bring together different ingredients for a creatively designed website that communicates the message effectively! In fact, the process is the same one goes through while whipping up a very sumptuous dish! What goes behind such a dish is the careful use of ingredients measured in the right proportion. Only then, can one enjoy a well-cooked meal!
Some of the main things required to be presented in a website are the company/service information; products and offers, contact information, etc. This is required to connect with users globally.
Through the Internet, users have easy access to information. They can access information such as their favorite brands, company, product, service, personality and lots more! The website then is the main medium of communication between a company and the user.
A creative web site requires a good balance between design and content. When words are supported with an attractive display of visuals, it engages the users of the website. Many successful websites are able to get visitors involved in one way or another. By making the website more engaging to visitors, you are more likely to get a high number of repeated visitors.
Even before a user reads the content of the website, it is the design and layout of the website which attracts the user. As the famous saying goes, “First impressions are the last impressions”, this holds true even in terms of websites. A content-rich website can drive away a user if it is not displayed properly.
Hence, a web site needs to first look attractive and engage users so that the whole experience of surfing through the site turns out to be an interesting one. Attractive panels, banners, color schemes, buttons, graphics etc., are some of the ways used to turn a website into a visually attractive place! Although a lot of effort is channelized in this direction, many web sites do not meet the expectations of the end users. Even if they attract users, it hardly generates interest to hold a users’ attention span for a long duration. This is when we come to the vital question, how do we add that right element of spice to a website?
Whip Up the Right Recipe!
Recipe No. 1: Interactivity is the Main Ingredient
Interactivity is about keeping the user on the page. Earlier, website designers used Flash to make a website appear attractive and interactive. However, adding Flash interactivity to a website would take days to program and customize, as per the website requirement. On the other hand, rapid interactivity, a new paradigm, allows web designers to add exciting interactivities to websites within a matter of minutes through simple customization.
Why interactivity? Interesting and interactive pages encourages users to stay on the page for a longer duration. This also gives the website owner enough time to convey a message across effectively.
In the above image, important action items have been grouped together. This interactive feature holds user attention in one area and makes a user perform an action. An attractive and interactive display ensures users spend time on the website exploring it further.
As seen in the above image, a site map which usually does not form as an attention-grabbing element has been used to capture attention. The site map highlights important sections of the website which makes it easier for a user to navigate. The visually pleasing elements stand testimony that site maps need not always be designed in a plain manner.
A product/service website usually declares special offers. For example, a special discount for only first hundred users on its website. These kind of special offers can be effectively shown using a peel banner as shown in the above image, which generates curiosity amongst users to explore what’s underneath the hood.
Creating such interactions does not require one to spend hours on programming using rapid interactivity! For many other interactivity ideas read the following blog post.
Using such rapid interaction creation technology, one can easily customize Flash interactivities through a template library. It not only brings about a fresh change in the way content is presented, it saves web designers those grueling hours spent on programming!
Recipe No. 2: Social Interaction is the Dessert!
A website with a fantastic design and layout can be useful only when it connects with its users effectively. The more people that connect and interact on the website, the better it is for you! Take for example, a product website. The moment such a website includes elements for social interaction; it will create a more loyal base of users. The inclusion of activities such as FAQs, Debates, Polls, Presentation Sharing, etc, will ensure users interact with each other. Besides, users of a particular product may even recommend the product to others. A user may even come up with valuable suggestions to be included in the product. The suggestions from users are very important as they are the users of your product or service. They can be the best one to suggest improvements or new features in your offerings. After all, co-creation is what every company would aim for from its users.
Isn’t it time you switch and try out these ingredients to spice up your websites? I am sure you will have a successful website with all these elements!
Some of the main things required to be presented in a website are the company/service information; products and offers, contact information, etc. This is required to connect with users globally.
Through the Internet, users have easy access to information. They can access information such as their favorite brands, company, product, service, personality and lots more! The website then is the main medium of communication between a company and the user.
A creative web site requires a good balance between design and content. When words are supported with an attractive display of visuals, it engages the users of the website. Many successful websites are able to get visitors involved in one way or another. By making the website more engaging to visitors, you are more likely to get a high number of repeated visitors.
Even before a user reads the content of the website, it is the design and layout of the website which attracts the user. As the famous saying goes, “First impressions are the last impressions”, this holds true even in terms of websites. A content-rich website can drive away a user if it is not displayed properly.
Hence, a web site needs to first look attractive and engage users so that the whole experience of surfing through the site turns out to be an interesting one. Attractive panels, banners, color schemes, buttons, graphics etc., are some of the ways used to turn a website into a visually attractive place! Although a lot of effort is channelized in this direction, many web sites do not meet the expectations of the end users. Even if they attract users, it hardly generates interest to hold a users’ attention span for a long duration. This is when we come to the vital question, how do we add that right element of spice to a website?
Whip Up the Right Recipe!
Recipe No. 1: Interactivity is the Main Ingredient
Interactivity is about keeping the user on the page. Earlier, website designers used Flash to make a website appear attractive and interactive. However, adding Flash interactivity to a website would take days to program and customize, as per the website requirement. On the other hand, rapid interactivity, a new paradigm, allows web designers to add exciting interactivities to websites within a matter of minutes through simple customization.
Why interactivity? Interesting and interactive pages encourages users to stay on the page for a longer duration. This also gives the website owner enough time to convey a message across effectively.
In the above image, important action items have been grouped together. This interactive feature holds user attention in one area and makes a user perform an action. An attractive and interactive display ensures users spend time on the website exploring it further.
As seen in the above image, a site map which usually does not form as an attention-grabbing element has been used to capture attention. The site map highlights important sections of the website which makes it easier for a user to navigate. The visually pleasing elements stand testimony that site maps need not always be designed in a plain manner.
A product/service website usually declares special offers. For example, a special discount for only first hundred users on its website. These kind of special offers can be effectively shown using a peel banner as shown in the above image, which generates curiosity amongst users to explore what’s underneath the hood.
Creating such interactions does not require one to spend hours on programming using rapid interactivity! For many other interactivity ideas read the following blog post.
Using such rapid interaction creation technology, one can easily customize Flash interactivities through a template library. It not only brings about a fresh change in the way content is presented, it saves web designers those grueling hours spent on programming!
Recipe No. 2: Social Interaction is the Dessert!
A website with a fantastic design and layout can be useful only when it connects with its users effectively. The more people that connect and interact on the website, the better it is for you! Take for example, a product website. The moment such a website includes elements for social interaction; it will create a more loyal base of users. The inclusion of activities such as FAQs, Debates, Polls, Presentation Sharing, etc, will ensure users interact with each other. Besides, users of a particular product may even recommend the product to others. A user may even come up with valuable suggestions to be included in the product. The suggestions from users are very important as they are the users of your product or service. They can be the best one to suggest improvements or new features in your offerings. After all, co-creation is what every company would aim for from its users.
Isn’t it time you switch and try out these ingredients to spice up your websites? I am sure you will have a successful website with all these elements!
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