Website Design: The good, the bad & the just plain UGLY!

Posted: April 8th, 2009 | Author: Lilyficas | Filed under: News Letters | Tags: bad websites, examples, good websites | 6 Comments »

What makes a good website? What makes a website bad? What makes a website just plain ugly?

Error Messages

Need we say more? Other items that would go in this category would be broken links. Anytime a browser (potential customer) encounters a broken link or error message of any kind, you’ve lost them.

What does an error message say about your company?

• Incompetence
• Unprofessional
• Disorgainized
• You’ve wasted their time

Bad Navigation

If you want to get creative, do it somewhere besides the navigation. People like standard forms of navigation because they WORK. People using them know what to expect, and they are able to easily use it. It makes them feel like they are in a familiar environment, which makes them feel more comfortable about your website.
Generally, people will click ONE link level if they don’t know quite where to find something. If they go through the links on that level and still do not have a clue where to look, they won’t bother digging anymore.

The most common navigation problems are:

• Too many main links. The main navigation needs to be the information that the visitor really came for.
• Inconsistent navigation – it changes from page to page.
• No way to make contact. The site might have a contact button but the contact page doesn’t have a phone number to get a hold of a REAL PERSON. This is a big one for me, if I have to dig for a contact number…I’m gone.
• Images for navigation. You don’t want to make the visitor GUESS what a picture of “cat yawning” leads to. Simply, they don’t care and they are mad you are wasting their time. USE TEXT for navigation.
• Button “sounds” when you roll over or click a button. You never know how loud the visitor has their volume. I can’t tell you how many drinks I have spilled on myself after being audio-ably assaulted by someones sound effect on a button.

Examples of websites with really BAD navigation:
http://www.deptofenergy.com/
http://www.bow-wowbooks.com
http://www.snarg.net/

The “I don’t know what you are” Syndrome

The main theme/main purpose for your site needs to be completely obvious within the first 3-4 seconds of someone landing on your homepage.

Common “I don’t know what you are” mistakes:

• Nothing in the name or tagline tells the viewer what the organization is or what they do.
• Background image or home page imagery has nothing to do with the companies mission or purpose.
• The design is distracting and overpowers the personality of the actual company it is supposed to be promoting! The design is supposed to compliment the company, not dominate the page.

“I don’t know what you are” examples:

http://www.valweb.org/
http://www.kcthecatalog.com/
Golden Eagle Video
http://www.artvawards.com/
http://www.meru.si/

Examples of GOOD websites!

Amnesty International

Why do we like this site?

• Great use of color, the yellow on the black really pops and creates a fantastic visual and emotional impact on the viewer. Usually I am not a huge fan of audio used on sites unless it is in a video, but the audio used here is just chilling and adds to the ambiance.
• The headings are over-the-top bold but effectual and tasteful.
• “Sign the pledge, get a pixel.” Great campaign, very creative.
• Amazing imagery and imagery placement.

Mint – Free Personal Finance Software

Why do we like this site?

• Good use of graphics, people like statistics and the pie chart has great placement and appeal.
• The main navigation only uses 5 links and they have good placement.
• Great use of space, just enough white space to balance out the design

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