Web page design

• Be fast! Avoid overly long download times.
  • keep files small—40Kb or less in size
  • text is negligible in file size—images are what takes time to transfer

• Make it simple. Have a clear message.

• Provide visual consistency within your document and within your site.
  • keep your navigation obvious and simple

• Put content on every page.
  • design and graphics should convey information

• Have your company's identification on every page.
  • organization name
  • contact information (address, phone, email)

• Make strong editorial choices about the hierarchies of information.
  • don't try to show everything on the first page

• Break up a big site/file into minisites/minifiles that focus on just one concept.

• Keep critical content and navigation options on the top of the page.
  • not everyone is willing to scroll

• Monitors display in a horizontal space. Design appropriately.

• Use diagramming to organize your information and design your pages.

• Avoid using color and background images that make it difficult to read your text.

• Design your pages to be 560 pixels wide. It's easy to forget that most people don't have large monitors.
  • oversize pages make the user scroll sideways to see everything
  • more than 50% of computers have 13-inch monitors—design for this size

• Use hypertext links with caution. Interrupting content can create distraction.
  • creating a list of links at the end may be better
  • link editorially—where the link is placed can give readers a clue as to where they will go when they click

• Never include page elements that move constantly.
  • blinking or moving elements are merely distracting
  • give your users peace and quiet to read text

• Use lines with caution.
  • too many break up the page and make it harder to read
  • a better choice is to add white space between elements—use the <br> tag

This section was compiled by NDSU Agriculture Communication Copyright  © 2000  North Dakota State University. All rights reserved.

North Dakota State University Extension Service