Stick all your content in a row of tabs and the user can select which interests them most and click away. Well yeah… except it doesn’t really work that well.
All too often when web designers get a brief they are thinking about the pay off – the Call to Action – what are we driving users towards? But what surrounds that is important too.
Different customers value different things. When chasing cheaper car insurance I realised I actually prefer good customer service over paying less.
The transfer of knowledge between designer and their client is probably the single most important part of our process. There are a few facets to it but Personas rank as my number one.
The numbers are in and Facebook's dominance on mobile is as impressive as the continued relevance of the mobile web. Essentially, you probably don't need an app and most certainly, should have a mobile website.
How do you know what your customers want when they come to your site completely anonymously?
We are so connected we separate ourselves from everything around us. It’s crap! Sad, lonely, boring. I am over it.
Under-thinking a problem can be just as devastating as over-thinking it
Whether you realise it or not you have a personal relationship with your phone, it is a 1:1 relationship and they are the ones you most trust.
Lets talk about UX
As the soon to be departing Creative Director of Australia’s best Web Development Company I have had the pleasure over these 5 years of witnessing some impressive achievements, milestones and successes. The achievements are evident in the many sites Wiliam has launched. Big brand sites like Dan Murphy’s and Dick Smith, the explosive success of Cudo (built and launched in 6 weeks), the recent Choosi.com.au, Australia’s biggest grass roots political site GetUp.org.au and fund raisers like the NBCF are all stand outs. There were though, of course, some lessoned learned (and they are much more interesting to write about it) Here are just five of them.
A good Coming Soon page can be done at hardly any expense and can in fact be a very powerful way to build momentum for when your brilliant new website does go live.
I recently found a youtube video that asked a series of internet users "Does the quality of an organisation's Web site impact your perception of that organisation?”
If you are building a new website, significantly changing your old website or just adding new functionality then good planning should be where you start.
Building a good website isn’t easy. Buying a copy of Dreamweaver and a $9.95 hosting package isn’t going to cut it if you want a serious and successful site.
Good web designers understand content management. It is the difference between a good website and a great website. The age old cliche of content is king rings true.
User Experience quite often gets confused with Usability – some people (including Information Architects and developers) think that if all the links are underlined, you have breadcrumbs and alt tags then you have designed the ultimate user experience.
There are a few things though, that a 3rd party or even a custom solution can’t do for you. One of those things, often left up to your agency, your marketing department or even yourself, is the photography of your product.
Remember when Apple was cool. Not just because its products looked sexy, or they impressed your easily impressed friends, but because they were the antidote to Microsoft. Now they are Microsoft..
Last week I was walking through Surry Hills when I saw a sign on a telegraph pole stating “Professional websites from $599”..
Name a purely online company whose logo you can actually recall? eBay maybe? But then they have external exposure as well. A professionally designed logo is not equal to a good website.
A look at graphics on the web that can do more damage to your business than you thought.
Some agencies, designers or marketers will suggest you then get some ‘brand guidelines’, specifically visual guide lines - be careful though.
What happens when user generated content is fake?
Someone, after stealing my statement from my mailbox, managed to send a fax (yes, a fax!) to my bank instructing them to transfer my entire credit limit to their account.
Building your website isn’t as simple as finding a graphic designer and give them your logo… common sense and good planning are the cornerstones of successful websites – then you introduce the creativity!
Good Information Design and User Experience are essential to build commercial and profitable websites. Even if you don’t have a huge budget you can still do a few simple personas to help you understand your audience and put a human face to a demographic.
The reasons for branding a company, product etc are basic enough; you want someone to think of your business first whenever they think about a product or service. Online branding doesn’t mean having an animated logo or online using your corporate colours. It is about what you can offer a user, credibility, trust and good user experience.
Flash technology has gone through many stages of popularity during its relatively short life.
Over the years the Internet has seen much advancement in available technologies. Widespread broadband availability has allowed for graphic intensive sites as well as rich media such as streaming videos. The wide range of options can make it difficult for web designers, developers and administrators to settle on one approach. It’s no surprise that numerous websites have become large, unwieldy collections of content, images, technologies and add-ons. While these features can have a positive impact when used effectively there are some notable advantages for using a minimalist design for your site.
Design and development teams can become so wrapped up in the design process that the interests of the target audience are forgotten. How can you help prevent this situation from occurring on your next project? You should consider adding a focus group to your mix.
Is your website ready for the iPhone 3G? If you are considering whether to iPhone ready your website, here are some tips to ensure a positive user experience.
In a move set to stabilise the foundations of creative stock providers; online giant Getty Images has been acquired by private equity and investment firm; Hellman and Friedman on the 25th February 2008
Just because you can write 45 pages of content on achievements, awards and company philosophy, doesn’t mean you need to or should.