Week 5 : Basic Web Design

In week 5, we learned about basic web design and the do and the don't like about website. In this class, Dr. Dayana discussed the difference of website in couple years ago and today's website. There are many difference as we compared the couple years ago of website would have such a big banner while today's website mostly using slide banner. Design in today's website more modern and mostly using at least three colors as it will look neat and nice. However, there are also many websites today still not following the basic guide in web design. There are website which is too messy and not proper organize the content of their website.

Designing an effective web site needs more than just collecting information and simply post it on the web . There are guides and rules must be followed when designing a website. I searched on Google and i found this article about 10 principles of effectice web design (http://uxdesign.smashingmagazine.com/2008/01/31/10-principles-of-effective-web-design/). The 10 principles are:

(1)Don't make users think
(2)Don’t squander users’ patience
(3)Manage to focus users’ attention
(4)Strive for feature exposure
(5)Make use of effective writing
(6) Strive for simplicity
(7)Don’t be afraid of the white space
(8)Communicate effectively with a “visible language”
(9)Conventions are our friends
(10)Test early, test often

For, further elaboration about the principles, you can go to link above.

Today's class, we have to compared the best website and the worst website that we like. I choose 'Apple' website for the best website while 'Math is Fun' for the worst website.

I like the Apple website because the main page of the website have such a big ad which promoting their latest product. The big advertising board in Apple website makes the consumer update the latest product and can make their heart desire for it. They are using good marketing in promotion their new product. Other than that, this website using 3 main colors which are white, black and grey. The navigation of this website is good and you will not lost in this website. The website also have enough white space so that the consumer will not feel heavy as in this website contains large image of their products. Overall, it is a best website in my opinion.

On contrast with Math is Fun Website. It is an educational website which specifically in Mathematics for K-12. The website is a bit messy as in the content of the website is too many in one page and you have to scroll down more than 3 pages. The content of the website also not been arrange neatly. As the image sometimes in the left side or center of the page and there is no consistency in arranging the content neatly. However, the design of this website still can be improved since the content of the websites are useful for educational purposes.