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It's been said before but I'll say it again: Just because you can, doesn't mean you should!
Everyone new to the Web seems to be afflicted with a love for whirling, spinning, and flashing Web pages. I remember the first time I made a GIF animation. I wanted to put wall-to-wall GIF animations on every page. It was fun! This tendency seems to exist for most of us as each new advancement in technology becomes available. So, play with the new toys -- but use them wisely.
The following are elements I have found to be common to all well-designed sites:
Simplicity
Study the site design of any large corporation. Scrolling text and GIF animations are used conservatively or not at all. Too much repetitive movement is distracting and sometimes annoying. Try to keep scrolling text and GIF animations to a minimum. In my opinion, you should also limit the number of times a GIF animation will loop.
Simplicity in design should also be reflected in background choice. Busy, loud backgrounds detract from content and make text illegible. Too many colors or fonts can also be distracting and give the site a cluttered feel.
Consistency
Use one design throughout the site. Remember that to a visitor, a Web site is a physical place. It is confusing if pages within a site are not consistent in design. Color is sometimes used to identify different sections of a Web site but the design and navigation should remain consistent throughout the site. Fonts are also part of the design. Be consistent in your use of fonts.
Identity
Keeping with the concept that a Web site is a physical place, consider the purpose of the site and reflect that purpose in the design. For instance, a Web site for a bank most likely will not look like a Web site for an amusement park. A Web site should reflect the philosophy and identity of the business or entity for which it was designed. Use of color and fonts again has a large impact on the 'look and feel' of the site. Choose these elements carefully.
Content
Have you ever taken the time to hunt down a Web site, waited for the page to load, and then not found the information you needed on the site? I am usually not only irritated by this but also inclined to never return. Make sure that as much information as possible is made available on your Web site. I have yet to see a site that had too much information.
User- Friendly Navigation
Navigation is one of the most important elements of your design -- take time to lay out a logical and effective method of navigation. Consistency is again important. Spend time navigating your site. Ask the opinion of others. Will your visitors ever have to hit the back button?
If you use graphics for navigation, provide alternate text navigation. One simple technique I particularly like is the use of small text navigation at the bottom of each page. I usually include top level links, links to other pages in a section of the site, and an E-mail link. After putting all that good content on the site, you want to be sure your visitor's can find it!
Visual Appeal
Visual appeal at first seems to be a hard quality to define. Certainly part of visual appeal involves personal preference but another part is reflected in adherence to the qualities of simplicity and consistency. Visual appeal is also dependent upon the quality of graphics used in a site design. Spend some time visiting sites that you think are appealing. Notice the graphics on corporate and designer sites. You won't find any 'jaggies' on these sites! Images must be properly anti-aliased to the background of the site.
Compatibility
Make your Web site platform, resolution, and browser compatible. If the site is not compatible to all viewers, consider creating alternate pages for those without the capability to view the enhanced site.
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