Design, Usability, & Accessibility

The internet is full of poorly planned websites. I would say that I come across one every time I am searching the web, and usually when they are bad...they are bad. However, as a beginner in attempting web design I can see how easily a site could get out of hand.

Design is important and can have very a very positive or negative effect for a website no matter the content. The term design also wears many hats. Design can describe the structure of the site, the look of the site, and the feel of the site. Design preference also varies between users, so it is important to use something that appeals to everyone or at least accomplishes the desired results for the site.

Usability is another important compliment of design. A site that is visually beautiful and content rich will suffer if it is not designed to be "used" easily. Usability can apply to specific areas of the site such as the navigation and user interaction, but it also applies to the overall impression of the website. If there is no easy distinguishable purpose for the site then users may be less inclined to visit.

The Accessibility of a site is becoming more and more important as time goes on. Currently there are several things to be considered when designing a page. For example, there are many browsers available for download and a good page needs to be designed so that is works on at least all of the popular ones. Text size, font, and even language are important because the internet is worldwide and everyone needs to be accommodated. In some recently viewed Youtube videos, I saw how many sites are even creating sites that are compatible for interaction with blind people. Mobile content is also new and widely used and will most likely continue to grow.

So, we can see how much there is to consider when web design is begin considered. In order to succeed, a site will need to consider all of these topics, and probably more as this industry continues to evolve.