Dave Scales

In this lesson you are going to learn the rules of good web design and how you can apply them to create an attractive and effective website.

You will learn what to consider and why when designing your web pages.

You will start to create a ‘Storyboard’ for the home page of your own website.

(ask students for examples)

Many people think of web design as being closely related to graphic design. This is fundamentally the wrong approach to designing websites. Web design is much closer to product design……..

Consider a mobile phone◦ Features◦ Functions◦ Form

The features of a website are often the most important aspect.

Think of some websites that have good features e.g. BBC has up-to-the-minute news.

When the cordless kettle was invented, people bought it because it did something other kettles couldn’t

How well it works and how easy it is to use?

Think of some websites that have good functionality e.g. Google wasn’t the first search engine, but it has become successful because it was easier to use and produced better search results.

Dyson vacuum cleaners do the same as any other vacuum cleaner – they suck up dust. However, they have sold more because they suck up dust more efficiently than their competitors

How good the product looks.

Note, people often use ugly websites that offer something unique. Consider eBay, where the features and function are more important than the form.

People buy iPods because they look and feel better than other mp3 players

Go back to your examples of well designed and popular websites and check whether they have good Features, Functions and Form.

Before you can start designing your website you must first plan it thoroughly

Planning includes:◦ Setting a goal for your website (what do you want your

website to achieve?◦ Identify your target audience (know who your visitors

are going to be)◦ Use the 3 click rule (don’t make visitors click on more

than 3 links to achieve a task)◦ Create a sitemap (a visual plan of your website showing

the pages and how they link together)

Computers are fantastic tools for designers, but there is nothing like the speed and simplicity of a piece of paper and a pencil.

Sketching helps you clarify and refine your thoughts and ideas and allows you to show them to other people for feedback.

There are two types of sketches that will help with designing your website – Storyboards and Mood boards.

A storyboard is a mock-up webpage drawn on paper (or you could use Word)

A mood board is a collection of objects which will reflect the look and feel of the website

TASK – Design a storyboard for the home page of your own website. (Refer to handout for examples and guidance)