Principles of Web DesignPrinciples of Web Design

C. Candace Chou

Modified from Drs. Catherine Fulford’s and Curtis Ho’s presentations

Basics of Web DesignBasics of Web Design

• Simplicity and consistency

• Standard HTML

• Content and navigation

• Organization

• Typography

• Web-safe Color

• Accessibility

Essential InformationEssential Information

• An informative title

• The creator’s identity (author or institution)

• A creation or revision date

• At least one link to a local home page

• The “home page” URL on the major menu pages in your site

Source: Lynch, P & Horton, S (1999), Web Style Guide. Yale University Press.

Rule of ThumbRule of Thumb

• Use careful layouts of text and links with relatively small graphics

• Web page graphic should not be more than 535 pixels wide or more than about 320 pixels high (within letter size paper)

• Browser safe area: 600 x 350

Web Web GridGrid

Grid: http://info.med.yale.edu/caim/manual/pages/page_grid.htmlBrowser Size Test: http://www.wpdfd.com/restest.htm

BALANCEBALANCE

Informal

Formal

Optical CenterOptical Center

The viewer will tend to focus at the screen’s optical center, located slightly above the center of the screen.

Tend to locate objects at this optical center

CENTER OF INTERESTCENTER OF INTEREST

Focal pointFocal pointFocal pointFocal point

CENTER OF CENTER OF INTERESTINTEREST

Focal pointFocal pointFocal pointFocal point

CENTER OF CENTER OF INTERESTINTEREST

NOTNOTFocal Focal pointpoint

NOTNOTFocal Focal pointpoint

Rule of ThirdsRule of Thirds

•Divide the screen into thirds horizontally and vertically

•Place focus of interests on the four intersections

Rule of ThirdsRule of Thirds

•Upper right position

•See full shadow and tracks

LayoutLayout

• Use 2/3 - 1/3 format or 2 columns.

• Use header and picture column

• Use table formatting • Try inventive layouts

• Leave 20% white space.• Use shorter paragraphs• Avoid heavy lines.

LayoutLayout

FontsFonts

TT

Serif fonts have thin lines and feet.

Sans-serif fonts have even lines and NO feet.

FontsFonts

TT

Serif fonts are easier to read in print media.

Sans-serif fonts are more legible in projected media.

FontsFonts

Helvetica

Geneva

Arial

Sans-Serif

Times

Palitino

Courier

Serif

Readability of FontsReadability of Fonts

• This is a serif font (Times)– Can you read this easily? Do the letters all run together? Would you like

to see an entire screen full of this? This is Times 18-points

• This is a sans-serif font (Arial)– Which is easier to read, this text block or the block above? In

general, sans-serif fonts look better on computer monitors. This is Arial 18-point.

Legi Legi bilitybility• Use sans-serif for

headers.

• Use sans-serif for projected visuals.

• Use at 18 points for projected visuals.

• Change preferences in web browsers.

• Use serif font for lots of printed text.

• Use 12 points for adult learners.• Use 14 for children & special needs.

ReadabilityReadability

• Use ragged right justification.• Avoid centering.• Avoid full justification.• Avoid italic fonts, look awful in

small fonts

ReadabilityReadability

What Does Research What Does Research Say?Say?

• Bernard, Mills, Peterson, & Storrer (2001)• http://psychology.wichita.edu/surl/usabilitynews/3S/

compare.htm

• A comparison of the following fonts:– Sans Serif Fonts: Agency FB, Arial, Comic Sans

MS, Tahoma, Verdana– Serif Fonts: Courier New, Georgia, Goudy Old

Style, Century Schoolbook, Times New Roman– Ornate Fonts: Bradley Hand ITC, Monotype

Corsiva

Research ResultsResearch Results• Font Legibility: No

significant difference

• Reading Time: Tahoma faster than Corsivia

• Perceived Font Legibility: Courier, Comic, Verdana, Georgia, and Times

Preferred FontsPreferred Fonts

• Elegant Font Type: Corsivia

• Youthful & Fun: Comic• Business Like: Times

and Courier• General Preference:

Arial, Comic, Tahoma, Verdana, Courier, Georgia, and Schoolbook

DON’T USE ALL CAPS FOR LARGE BLOCKS OF TYPE. READERS READ FASTEST WHEN SENTENCES ARE PRINTED IN UPPER AND LOWER CASE - THE WAY THEY NORMALLY ARE SEEN IN PRINT. HEADLINES ARE SET IN ALL CAPS BECAUSE THEY REQUIRE THE READER TO SLOW DOWN, GIVING EMPHASIS TO A FEW WORDS. WASN’T THIS BLOCK OF ALL CAPS DIFFICULT TO READ?

DON’T USE ALL CAPS FOR LARGE BLOCKS OF TYPE. READERS READ FASTEST WHEN SENTENCES ARE PRINTED IN UPPER AND LOWER CASE - THE WAY THEY NORMALLY ARE SEEN IN PRINT. HEADLINES ARE SET IN ALL CAPS BECAUSE THEY REQUIRE THE READER TO SLOW DOWN, GIVING EMPHASIS TO A FEW WORDS. WASN’T THIS BLOCK OF ALL CAPS DIFFICULT TO READ?

Don’t use all caps for large blocks of type. Readers read fastest when sentences are printed in upper and lower case - the way they normally are seen in print. Headlines are set in all caps because they require the reader to slow down, giving emphasis to a few words. Wasn’t this better?

Compare

Single ConceptSingle Concept

Concept A

Concept B

Concept C

ColorColor

• Use color to enhance your presentation.

• AvoidAvoid moremore thanthan 55 colorscolors onon oneone slideslide

• http://www.angelfire.com/mn/aptmgmt/building.html

•Complementary colors: colors opposite each other, e.g., red-green, blue-orange

•Split colors: the 2 colors next to its complement, e.g., purple-orange & green

Source: http://library.thinkquest.org/50065/art/effects.html

Selecting ColorSelecting Color

When two pure complementary hues are placed next to each other, the design seems to vibrate. They create an exciting feeling that quickly attracts attention.

The effect of this color scheme is similar to using complementary colors, except that it offers the artist a little more variety with which to work.

Complementary Colors

Split Complement

Colors next to each other on the color wheel that have a common hue are referred to as analogous colors. Red-purple, purple and blue-purple is one set of analogous colors because they all have purple in common. The common hue creates a feeling of unity in the design by tying together each part of the design.

Analogous Colors

Warm and Cool Colors

Warm and cool colors are two specific sets of analogous colors. Blue, green and purple are cool colors. Red, orange and yellow are warm colors.

Create a warm, sunny feeling

Create a cold, icy feeling

Now is the time for all good men to come

to the aid of their country.

Now is the time for all good men to come

to the aid of their country.

BEST LEGIBILITY for text

------------------------------------------------------------------------

black text on a white background dark green text on a white background dark blue text on a white background brown text on a white background.

green text on red backgroundred text on green background

green text on blue background

WORST LEGIBILITY for text

------------------------------------------------------------------------

BEST VISIBILITY to attract attentionbut not for large blocks of text

text

text

text

text

black on orange

red on white

dark blue on yellow

white text on purple

Source: http://library.thinkquest.org/50065/psych/effects.html

Color PsychologyColor Psychology

Green can signify growth and movement.

Color PsychologyColor Psychology

Blue, the most universally likedcolor, can convey calm.

Color PsychologyColor Psychology

Red can stand for power, energy, or danger.

Color PsychologyColor Psychology

Yellow is thought of as positive,used for highlighting against dark background.

Color PsychologyColor Psychology

Purple has spiritual meaning for some people.

BackgroundBackground

WhiteWhiteoror

YellowYellow

WhiteWhiteoror

YellowYellow

Redor

Black

Redor

Black

Remember good Remember good design is invisible.design is invisible.

• Learn more.• Decrease anxiety.• Increase motivation.• Increase time studying.

Accessibility IAccessibility I

• Make sure your site is usable on the main browser flavors and versions

• Make sure it's usable without having to download a plug-in first

• Test your site at the development stage to check it works on various operating systems with different browser flavors/versions

• Use style sheets to separate style and content

Accessibility IIAccessibility II• Use the appropriate html tags to define your text -

enables the text readers blind people use to read the text on your site

– Make good use of headings, <em> and <strong>– Always specify alternative text for graphics - <img

src="image.gif" width="10" height="10" alt="image description">

• Check the colors you use aren't bad for those with various forms of color blindness

– If in doubt - desaturate (make black and white) the design to see if it still makes sense

– Don't use color as the only indicator of change (e.g. in a new section)

– Always underline links

Source: http://www.jessett.com/web_sites/usability/accessibility.shtml

Web ResourcesWeb Resources• Instructional Design

– http://www.lrc.arizona.edu/facdev/Technology/vizdes.htm

• Web Style Guide– http://info.med.yale.edu/caim/manual/pages/page_design.html– http://www.wpdfd.com/

• Font– http://psychology.wichita.edu/surl/usabilitynews/3W/fontSR.htm – http://www.wpdfd.com/wpdtypo.htm

• Layout– http://www.jessett.com/– http://www.dartmouth.edu/~cc/

• Accessibility Test– http://www.cast.org/bobby/