SIMPLICITY.
We saw few examples and points on one of the principles of user interfaces - structure. This features focuses on Simplicity.
Why do you need your site to be simple?
Site visitors will rarely visit your site to "enjoy" the design. The design should be very transparent and complementary to the content. From the visitor's point of view, the best design is pure text that echoes the content they're looking for. Nobody really has the time and patience to interpret your design. Remember, the complexity and abstractness that some design concept introduces does not command any appreciation for the hard work that's perhaps gone into creating the design. Strive for simplicity - easy to comprehend layout and text.
How can you achieve simplicity in your web site?
The idea is to achieve a perfect blend of details and their presentation on screen.
- Use graphics sparingly and meaningfully; also make sure it's light on size.
- If short text is sufficient, avoid having complex wordings. For ex: Use "Search" instead of "Quick Keyword Search" for your search functionality.
- Use suggestive and direct icons that are consistent with web terminology and use less space on screen.
- Use colors and fonts sparingly.
- Do not use jarring animations and advertisements.
- White/Blank Space is underrated; use it effectively.
- Use elements that work consistently across all browsers (HTML + CSS); avoid elements that cause issues across different environments (JavaScript, Flash).
Few examples of Simple web sites:
KISS philosophy has been around since the dawn of web site design. KISS does not mean boring and dull sites. It is possible to create great looking sites and still keep it simple using simple techniques, as exemplified in the above list of sites. Concept of simplicity is more complex than it may seem; but achievable.
Stay on for more discussions and examples on principles of user interfaces.
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