New Rules of Web Design

Jeff Wisniewski, Web Services Librarian at the University of Pittsburgh did a presentation on new rules of thumb for web site design.

1.  Old Rule: Simplicity

New Rule: Simplicity, but with rich and interactive content–the user’s experience on the web site is important.

2. Old Rule: Content is king.

New Rule: Yes, but design matters a lot.
Novices make decisions about your site by how it looks. If users have a bad view/experience, this perspective will carry on throughout their use of the web site.Professional design = credibility

3. Old Rule: All content is created equally.

 New Rule: Yes, but some is more equal than others.Design for what users are doing.What is your mission? What are people doing on your website? Emphasize these services on your web site.

4. Old Rule: 7 Categories on a web site

New Rule: This is a guideline; depends on the context. If your site is well designed and well labeled

5. Old Rule:  3 click rule

New Rule:  This rule is dead.  Design instead for “scent”.  Users will happily click as long as they feel they are on the right path.

6. Old Rule:  800×600 monitor setting rule of thumb

New Rule:  1024 x 768 is the new rule of thumb.  Other considerations:  what other platforms are people using (e.g. phones, handhelds).  Also, flexible design rather than fixed–% based, rather than absolute.

7. Old Rule:  Colors:  using 24 bit color rendering

New Rule:  not necessarily as important anymore; optimize images for the web.

8. Old Rule:  scrolling is bad

New Rule:  …not necessarily.  Users will scroll if there is a clue that something is below.  (e.g. New York Times web site uses “the cutoff” look–a staggered content break, so that it’s apparent there is more information.)

9.  Old Rule:  Keep it above the fold.

New Rule:  …maybe.  In general, it can be a good idea.

Other Tips:

1. Overall, check design standards, normal design conventions, user expectations that have been established (whether on your web site or typical of other sites).  See also “Jakob’s Law”.  (NOTE:  the following web site includes information on this:  http://www.useit.com/alertbox/9605.html

2. Redesign Your Website–constantly; design revisions should be iterative and evolutionary.  Revolutionary change is disruptive for users.  Use A/B testing process to try out changes in advance of implementing.  (NOTE:  See the following website for more information on this:  http://www.marketingexperiments.com/improving-website-conversion/ab-split-testing.html) 

3. Follow established web conventions (e.g.  Home (upper left); banners (should be clickable); navigation areas (top and left); Contact Us links)

4. Support all Internet browsers…for basic web site content.  Then, make more value added content available for newer browsers/versions–progressive enhancement.

5.  Do not need to have text only versions of web pages.  With XHTML and CSS, the separating of text and layout no longer necessitates this need.

6. Only use tables for tabular data.

7. Top of the web page is not prime real estate.  (Experts have called this “banner blindness” because people don’t tend to look above a web page’s main heading.)

8. Because pop-ups are frequently blocked, don’t use second browser windows for important web site content.

9. Flash shouldn’t be used too often; particularly not for intruductions to web sites.

10. Mouseover menus are a problem because they are not scannable and prevent users from getting an overview of a web site.

11. Sometimes is ok to use links that open in new browser windows, however, let users know in advance. 

12. If you are using “Auto Forward” breaks, set the auto forward to 5 – 10 seconds, so that customers can use the Back arrow if they want to.

13. Photos of people on your web site increases trust.  However, real people–not models and staged situations.  Additionally, if the photos are labeled, users see this as even greater credibility.

For more information, see the presenter’s Powerpoint

Reviewed by:

Polly (SDCL Online)