By: Holly M. Burns
1.
Using Frames
Often web designers break up the browser
window with separate sub-windows. These divisions are called
frames. Although frames are supposed to help web visitors
navigate easier, frequently they just confuse them. When clicking
on an item to move forward, visitors are uncertain what
information will appear where, or in what sub-window. A
sub-window used as a reference can suddenly disappear and be
filled with new information about the last thing requested. And
to make matters worse, after hitting the back arrow to return to
the sub-window, the visitor may be popped out of the entire web
site altogether, possibly jumping back several places to the
earlier page, just before entering the framed web site. This can
be particularly frustrating for the web visitor.
Another difficulty is many framed web sites depend on specific screen sizes. When a visitor with a different sized screen tries to view the framed page, all of the site's information may be garbled or misplaced. Designers who insist on using frames should create a no-frame version of their site, as well, for the people who prefer it.
2.
Going Overboard with High Tech
Some designers delight in
using little "tricks," such as input boxes, opening new
browser windows or background music. The first time a visitor
experiences these, the visitor may be impressed. However, after a
few more visits, the viewer will just be annoyed. It is best to
stay away from these types of things.
3.
Under Construction Signs
All good web pages are always
under construction, but some web designers still insist on
placing a under construction icon on their site. This graphic
comes from the designers feelings of insecurity. They know their
page is incomplete or not functioning, so they put up a little
sign that is supposed to excuse them from any problems their site
may have. Problem sites are recognizable with or without under
construction signs. Good web designers should not put up a site
until they feel comfortable enough to display it without the
under construction warning.
[What UC icons say about you!]
4.
Misusing Graphics
No matter how fast an Internet
connection is, the graphics on web sites take a long time to
load. Large graphics can take several minutes to load, because
the average computer user is only receiving 28,800 bits of
information per second. To avoid having people leave a site, due
to boredom, designers must omit large graphics or large amounts
of graphics. When selecting images, they should include only
graphics that add value to their site content, and they should
"shrink" large graphics using computer software
specifically made to re-size images.
Because some users still cannot see pages graphically, a web site should not be overly dependent on graphics. For graphics that direct the visitor to an alternate location, designers should include a graphic's text equivalent through navigational bars, and the ALT attribute when using the IMG element. The ALT attribute allows web visitors who are using text based web browsers to view a short text description where graphics are normally displayed.
5.
Ransom Notes Fonts
It is a problem with desktop designer
newbies and now it is a problem with web designer newbies.
Designers are caught up in all the available fonts, colors, sizes
and styles, and they are using them all. Because text needs to
convey information, and not complicate it, good designers must
limit themselves to one or two fonts. Also, when text is too
small or too large, it is difficult to read. Type for body text
should be set to "normal" while headlines should be a
little bigger (+1 to +3). Large body copy is distracting, and a
sure sign of the web designer's insecurity. "Big"
information does not hide a page's lack of content.
When emphasizing text, do not underline it. Highlight text by using bold, italics or different colors. Underlining makes words more difficult to read and it also confuses the web visitor, because text that links visitors to alternate locations, is underlined as well.
6.
Complex Backgrounds
Many web sites offer libraries of
background graphics that designers can use free on their web
sites. It is tempting to pick the most beautiful or ornate
background styles, but these should be avoided at all costs. A
complex background may make a beautiful art piece, but it does a
lousy job as a backing for text. It confuses the eye.
In this same vein, designers must remember to use contrasting colors for the background and the text. If a light text color is used on a light background, it will be hard to read, as dark text on a dark background will be hard to read as well.
For web visitors unable to view graphics, text should be readable for them as well. Even if the designers have a background image, they must assign a background color for their site that does not blend in with the text. For users who can see graphics, it will not make a difference because they will see the background graphic, and for users who cannot see the background graphic it will make all the difference in the world. Remember, type must always be readable.
7.
Too Many Animations
Designers must never include more than one or two page elements that move
constantly. Moving images have an overpowering effect on vision
and distract the viewer from observing any other elements. These
misused moving elements include animated graphics, blinking text,
and scrolling marquees.
8.
Orphan Pages
All web pages should include a clear
indication of what site they belong to, because some users may
access the minor pages indirectly without coming through the main
home page. For the same reason, every page on a web site should
have a link returning to its home page.
9.
No Organization
Pages should be user-friendly. An index
or menu helps the web visitor find the desired information. To
support simple navigation between the pages on a web site,
designers should use a similar layout between one page and the
next.
10.
No Unique Content
One of the biggest threats to the
Internet is the amazing number of people beginning to use it. It
is starting to become a large entanglement of meaningless
information. Many pages say nothing more than "This is my
home page," with a collection of links that connect to the
same collections of sites as the last page the web visitor just
looked at. The real key is content. Before any site is created,
its designer should have something to say. The web site should
not restate what other web sites have said, and should not
attempt to create the ultimate navigational tool for web
visitors. A page of only links adds to the clutter and chaos of
the web. There are plenty of great search engines out there, like
Yahoo
and Alta Vista, that already provide an adequate assortment of links.
11.
Too Many Ideas
Some people have too many things to say.
They are excited about the opportunity to make a web page, but
they do not know why they want to make one or what they want to
accomplish by doing so. Many small business pages also include
hobbies and facts about their employees. Although personal
information can be interesting, it does not belong on a business
web site. It is unprofessional.
Personal web sites can also run into the difficulty of mixed motifs. Some web designers start out by saying their name, and then talk about the company they work for, and then their pets, and then how much they like scuba diving, and then all the great things that can be done with shell fish. This information is unfocused and scattered, and does not display well on a web site. The web designer's solution is either to focus on one topic or to create a menu page that includes links which bring the visitor to separate pages for each topic.
12.
No Authoritativeness
What makes the web so frustrating is
that there are no tests or rules designers have to take or follow
before they can post information about anything, and claim they
are experts. A web page should be more then another
unsubstantiated source of information. Designers should include
their names and credentials on their web site, and provide the
source materials and raw data to justify any conclusions they may
make.
13.
Outdated Links or Information
If a page claims to be
current, designers should put the time and effort into it by
keeping it current. No one wants to read outdated information or
see broken links
14.
Negative Declarations
With the discouragement that some
web designers receive after realizing how hard it is to create a
good web site, they become negative and insecure towards their
page and themselves. This frustration causes numerous designers
to put negative comments about their page through out it. It is
not uncommon to see a page start with, "This is my stupid
page." Even though these statements may help the web
designers feel less embarrassed about their web pages, negative
statements make the site worse. Most web visitors are turned off
by this approach. If the page's own designer thinks the page is
stupid, why would any one else want to see it?
15.
Link Problems
When creating documents, links should be
meaningful and readable. The text of links should flow well
within the context of the rest of the text, and the text should
be able to stand alone as a printable document. Oftentimes
designers either make full lines of text link-able or use
click-here statements to navigate the web visitor. Instead,
keywords should be highlighted and link-able within the text.
Content is by far the most important element on any web page. If the page says nothing, the web visitor will leave. By avoiding these 15 mistakes, web designers can use design as a tool to enhance their sites' content, rather then distract from it.
© 1997 Holly M. Burns
Contact us: Golcor@home.com
This is an excerpt from "http://www.doghause.com/top15.html"