November 2008
This year DMS has had the opportunity to build websites for a number of clients. In many cases, we have been given complete control over the site’s design, but in others we have been asked to work with external graphic artists who have been given overall control of the site’s look and feel, while we were given responsibility for the technical aspects of the site.
In almost every case where we have worked with an external graphic artist, we have been left feeling somewhat disappointed with the results that we have been able to provide the client.
While some of the work these artists have produced is very visually appealing, we feel that most do not have a good understanding of web standards, user interface design, usability or the technical requirements of web marketing. This has resulted in some fundamental aspects of the site design being less than ideal.
The input from a graphic designer is vitally important to a site’s appeal, don’t get me wrong. Designer skills help make a site more appealing and attractive to end users. They help strengthen your branding and the connection with your clients. But the design of a website is a complex process involving a variety of skills and disciplines and a graphic designer whose history is most often in designing printed media pieces often does not have the understanding or skills to develop a website interface alone.
When it comes to developing a website, make sure that there is a fair balance between:
- Visual appeal
- Usability
- Marketing
- Technical characteristics
If any one of these areas falls down, the effectiveness of your website will suffer.
Here are some of the things we’ve experienced recently:
- Common standards and conventions ignored; like the Home button not being on the top left-hand side of the page
- Marketing objectives compromised when key functions like “Donate Now” aren’t emphasised sufficiently or are crowded out by a range of less strategically important options
- Search results compromised by overuse of search engine unfriendly flash and graphics
- Too many menu levels or overly complex menu structures that make navigation difficult.
So use a graphic artist by all means, they serve an important function. But remember that in all media, television, direct mail, print media etc, there have always been examples of beautifully crafted marketing that has failed to meet the business objectives because of shortcomings in other areas.
In web design, this is a much greater problem, so let someone who understands the web control and design your structure first, and THEN let the graphic artist work their magic.
