When it comes to designing, we all have created things that
we may not have been so happy about. So here are some tips to fix a bad design.
{1} Scrap Bad Photography
This single step can have a huge impact on a design. Modern, on-trend
photography is the only kind of photography that should be included on a
website. If it isn't good, it's better not to use images at all. Cheap and
tacky imagery makes the website look cheap and tacky. Unless you can replace
your photographs with a professional's work, scrap them all and rely on your
font choices.
{2} Make Navigation Simpler
Your users won't stick around unless your website is easy to browse
and navigate. Surfing the Internet is all about doing something fast and
getting it done without obstacles. Clever, easy-to-use bars, straightforward
menus and clearly demonstrated buttons ensure that site navigation isn't a
problem.
{3} Choose Better Fonts
Fonts can present all kinds of problems in your site's
design. Is the font size consistent with the site as a whole? Does the color of
the font clash with the background or other text? It is almost always best to
go for a unified appearance. It is a novice's mistake to choose more than is
absolutely necessary. Use no more than two font sizes and one, or at most two,
font styles.
{4} Declutter
Your site's layout can always get better by getting rid of
the clutter: minimalist design wins in most cases. Try to eliminate anything
that stands out in a distasteful way. You don't want your users to be overwhelmed.
Eliminate badges, links and networks, and if you absolutely must include them,
put them on the About page.
{5} Fix Bad Call-to-Action Buttons
Call-to-action buttons are a tricky business. They're
needed, but when used badly, they can make the site look more like a cheap
advertising setup than a classy service. Be discreet. Make them evident but not
overwhelming. Camouflage them subtly. Find appropriate positions for them and
make sure they work correctly and don't lead the user anywhere irrelevant.
{6} Use a Grid
You make think alignment issues have gone the way of the
dinosaur because of grid systems, but amateur site designs almost always suffer
from this problem. Sometimes a seemingly cluttered site design can be
drastically improved by imposing a much-needed grid layout. Also, if the
client's site isn't responsive or at least optimized for mobile, there's a
serious discussion to be had on that front.
{7} Correct Broken Links
If a client hands you an aging site and is looking for a
refresh, you can bet good money that you'll find some ancient links floating
around that no longer work. Checking all the links on a site can be a dull,
tedious task, so be sure to use a tool like the W3C's Link Checker.
{8} Coordinate Colors
Another mistake amateur web designers make is choosing
terrible color schemes. If the site your client hands you makes your eyes
bleed, your first task should be to update the colors. Like everything else,
the rule here is to simplify. Like removing ugly wallpaper from an old house,
you might find something decent under that bad color scheme!
{9} Harmonize
the Text-Background Relationship
Don't let the background harm the readability of your
content. This kind of mistake is considered the ultimate crime by professional
website designers. Browse your site and pay close attention to any background
choices that don't complement the text entirely.
Your best bet when it comes to your website's background is almost always white.
{10} Is It Worth The Effort?
The most important consideration to put forth when
attempting to fix a bad design is whether or not it's worth the trouble. Always
give your honest opinion to a client and let them know when starting from
scratch will be faster, easier, and/or better than putting a band-aid on an
ultimately doomed project.
No comments:
Post a Comment