E-NEWS VOL2 ISSUE 3

Web DESIGN 2.0

The word which best describes good design of today is "simple". A simple design doesn't mean you can't sell a complex idea however. A simple design is one that corrals the user's focus and drives their experience. It is a design that focuses user attention so well that they cannot help but come away with the message you intend to convey.

To do this, defining your target audience is essential. Once you know who you are speaking to, step into their shoes and define their needs. Then define how your site will address these needs and most importantly, what action you wish the user to take.

With simple as a credo, rather than displaying all you have to offer and asking the user to find what it is they are looking for, guide that user's experience. Allow your user to self-qualify and move naturally toward the proper channel. Intelligent information design provides clear and unmistakable direction and steps the user toward that which will satisfy their individual need without losing them in a clutter of choices.

By crafting your information to lead, you provide a more focused user experience which results in higher user satisfaction, reduces frustration, and increases user retention. And since user attention span is short, focus is key. The more focused your call to action, the more likely that message will be successfully received.

To this end, every aspect of a web 2.0 design should have purpose that supports the site goal. Content dictates design in contemporary layout. Function dictates form. Content presentation, placement, quantity and order must be clearly thought through from the perspective of user experience. Design elements should all clearly support that central message and not clutter or distract. Every element of a 2.0 design works as a team to direct users to the call to action.