Understanding web design
The most successful projects are those in which
everybody involved has a clear idea of scope and direction. So
here's a starter to help with that and get you thinking about what
you'll need to consider before commissioning your website.
Gathering information
This is the place to start before you even think about what you
might put on a home page. Alpine Interactive would be happy to help
with these deliberations - most companies will sell this as
'consultancy'; we believe it is essential for a website to be
successful.
Determining goals
This can be as vague as 'we think we probably need a website',
or 'we need it to look better than our existing one'. Take a step back and look at it from an
external viewpoint - what might people want to find out about
you? What can you offer them? What will the audience want? We have
expertise in this area in general and can perhaps give you some
ideas on this front.
Understanding audience
This might not be as simple as you expect it. Will you need
password-protected areas for confidential information? Are you
duplicating work at present, putting documents and news on both an
external website and an intranet?
The team
Website
design is a multidisciplinary activity that usually involves
specialist from the following sectors: information systems,
information technology and communication design. For a small
website this can just be one person, but for larger ones it will be
team of experts. However, many other can also get involved, such
as: Print designers, Brand consultants, Copywriters. Alpine
Interactive have worked with all of these people or we can supply
our own. There might be enough resources on your side to help
deliver the project. Most common mistake is to underestimate how
long it can take to populate a site if you are responsible for
entering the contents. The website will need updating when
it's live, which introduces us on to…
Website Content Management
A Web Content Management System (Web CMS) enables a site to be
updated by an administrator who has no web programming or design
skills. So essentially you won't have the ongoing need to employ
web designers each time you want to make a change.
Technical needs
Are there existing databases or websites that the site might
need to interact with? Things like CRM systems, staff records,
price list information, email lists, invoicing systems, picture
libraries. It is important to understand where data is stored in an
organization to avoid duplication. Alpine Interactive has
unrivalled experience in integrating programs and data. If in
doubt, ask us and we'll send a technical engineer over to give it
some thought.
Website hosting
You need a reliable, secure hosting company with a track record
of hosting sites similar to yours. Alpine Interactive can host
your site if this is required, or, when the scope of the project is
finalized, we can advise on the level of hosting you may need. If
using a third-party, make sure the company offers excellent
customer service, as it won't be them that your clients will be
ringing if the site is down!
Browsers
PC-based Internet Explorer is still the major player. Firefox
and Google Chrome are popular browsers, whilst Safari on the MAC
has a decent fan base. By simply setting up Google analytics on
your website (its free) will give you a break down of just what
browsers your customers are using to view your content.
It is important to have a site that is as cross-browser
compatible as possible. It is also important to consider access on
mobile devices or PDAs, digital TV, etc. We have a wealth of
experience you can call on to make sure you get the right
results.
Domain name and web address
Check that the web address you want is free! It's worth
considering all the alternatives such as .com, .co.uk, .net, .biz
and potential misspellings if this is likely. Alpine Interactive
can register domains for you, placing temporary messages or
redirects if needed.
Overall concept
Is there a mood, a color scheme, a mission statement that the
site must achieve. This could be as simple as a manual of corporate
guidelines for branded work. A simple message can be you want to
show how people enjoy using the products. Design isn't just pretty
pictures. It covers navigation, information layout and hierarchy,
includes copywriting and the tone of your voice, and much else
besides.
An important question to ask at this stage is: what is the initital
impression of the website.
Other websites
Try to find other websites
that you like and describe the reasons. Important apsects can be
typography; the photography; the overall look-and-feel. Websites
can have specific features or bells and whistles that appeal to the
same customers. The more you can describe what it is you want, the
better the result will be in achieving your requirements.
Possible risks and issues
It is good to avoid little things that get overlooked and might
cause problems later. The main thing to remember is that once an
overall concept has been agreed on and work has started, it's
usually more difficult to do modifications on a web page than it
is, say, a press advertisement. Some things to bear in mind
are:
- Future proof - Expandability: is there room to add another menu
item at some point in the future?
- Accessibility: will your design cause issues with the site's
accessibility? By default, Alpine Interactive designs all sites to
be fully-compliant with both legislation and bestpractice.
- Integration with existing systems: is your design suitable for
integration with a content management system, or other back-end
functionality?
- Information presentation: A design might look great with two
paragraphs of text but unusable with a thousand-word product
description and a table of dimensions and technical
specifications.