What Are The Main Web Design Principles?
Learning web design can be excruciatingly difficult because it encapsulates so much. For a master, it’s a canvas, and the different languages and tools you can learn are brushes. And, like with everything, there are certain web design principles most specialists follow. Those aren’t official, but they are quite helpful.
What are the main web design principles?
Basic design principles still apply
Design is design, and beginners should start with universal principles of design. Any design course or book on the subject can help, even if they have nothing to do with web design. Keep reading about design, and surround yourself with good design.
Simplicity
No matter how ambitious or creative you are, if a user can’t navigate your creation, it’s not good. It’s that easy. A website should have a purpose and be easy enough to access, even for a non-tech-savvy person. Don’t distract your visitors with useless flashy elements, and don’t overcomplicate that which should be straightforward.
Consistency
Stick with one design concept, and don’t let yourself be distracted. All your pages should follow the same script, your typography must be consistent. The same goes for colors and layouts. There’s a reason users don’t like redesigns: it makes them relearn, and they should never feel discomfort when using a site.
Purpose
Before doing anything, including creating a website, you should think about the purpose. Every site has one. Is it an informational portal? Then make it easy to read and find new content. Is it a portfolio? Then make it eye-catching, with a certain flair. A site should work for you, but it can’t do everything.
Good looks aren’t everything
On paper, designing websites is relatively straightforward. You learn the basics, start by copying the others, and then begin making gorgeous mockups for the others to build. But this way, you’ll never become great. You should always learn and become knowledgeable about usability, data architecture, and user interface. Pretty is good, but without usability, you won’t get far. After all, usability comes before design, always. They say that form follows function for a reason.