Tag Archives: elements
Web Portal Development: 5 Things You Need To Ask Your Potential Web Portal Designer
It is not difficult to find web portal designers: post your project requirements on any freelance site and dozens of freelancers will contact you within 24 hours. However, choosing the right designer for your web portal development project is not easy. Unless you have hands-on experience with web development or web design, you will not be able to separate the wheat from the chaff.
You must look for experienced designers an inexperienced web designer will not be able to take complete responsibility of your project. Also, it is important that your web portal designer is creative: you wont do yourself any favors by hiring an experienced designer whose only ability is using ready-made templates to create boring, flavorless sites. Once you shortlist 5-6 of the best resumes, you need to dig a little deeper. To find out if they are worthy of working on your project, ask the following questions to your potential web portal designers:
Are your previous clients happy with your work?
Your best bet is to talk to your friends and colleagues. If they praise a designer who has worked with them in the past, you have found a reliable designer. But if you cant find the right person that way, the next best thing is to ask for references. Talk to 3-4 companies the designer has previously worked with, and ask them if they are happy with his work. If a number of people say that he is good, chances are he is good.
Have you worked on similar projects before?
If you want to design an ecommerce site, or if you are looking for someone to design a community portal for you, you need someone who has done similar work. If you want an ecommerce site, you need a web portal designer who is aware of all the elements that go into making such a site. You will increase your chances of getting a good website by entrusting your web portal development project to someone who has worked on a similar project.
Do you have creative ideas to engage the audience?
If you are selling something, providing a particular service or you want the people who visit your site to react in a particular way, you need a creative and interactive format that inspires the users to take action. Ask your potential web portal designer about his approach. Find out if he can accomplish this task by using creative design elements.
Do you use Flash and Java?
There are three types of designers out there. One uses a lot of Flash and Java elements, making it difficult for the reader to focus on any particular part of your website. The second type of designer shuns all Flash and Java as window dressing. The third type of web portal designer uses it in moderation. Ask your candidate about his ideas regarding the use of animation; also, ask him how he intends to use such elements to make your website more attractive.
Do you adhere to standard web development practices?
Considering the fact that you do not have an in-house team of designers working on your web portal development project, many different designers may work on your website from time to time. Ask your candidate if he adheres to standard Web 2.0 standards. If your website is built using standard practices, it is easier for other developers and designers to make changes to it.
Tips for effective web design
Web design is not simply about adding images and words to a homepage- its about implementing clever designs which incorporate strategy, structure, visual impact, usability and conversion elements. In this article, we look at some elements which one needs to look for in effective web design.
Usability:
Usability is probably the most important element of effective web design, as nobody wants to navigate a web page which isnt easy to use and does not help the user to find information. When one enters a website, they are there for a purpose, and that purpose is to find information, contact the company or perhaps purchase a product. If the design of your website does not make this process simple, then users are going to look elsewhere.
Establish your websites goals:
Well-designed websites need to be focused around specific goals. This means that you need to think about what the aim of your website is, and it needs to be easy for users to perform the action which they want to take. For example, think about including a contact form for information pages, and allow resources to be easily downloadable. Users will get frustrated if results dont happen fast enough.
Visual Hierarchy:
Certain parts of your website are more important than others, so you need to get these parts more attention by means of visual hierarchy. You should rank elements on your website based on your business objective. More important information such as calls to action and business propositions would usually come first, while other less important information wont be as visually prominent.
Effective writing:
Effective web design is also about incorporating effective writing which is adjusted towards users preferences and browsing habits. Rather than using promotional writing which is long and exaggerated, get straight to the point and use images along with your text to illustrate your message. You should also use headers to break up content so that its easier to read. Use language on your website which is easy to understand and keeps users hooked. As mentioned before, users dont want to spend time searching for information on your website. They want the process to be swift and easy.
Impact:
A good website should have an impact on visitors, meaning that it incorporates clear images, uses colour smartly, and fonts which are easy to read. Always think from the users perspective as this will help you decide whether this is a website which you would want to visit and share.