In part two of our six Singapore web design tips we look at ignoring guidelines, grids and columns as well as the absence of visual hierarchy.
3. Ignoring Guidelines, Grids, and Columns
The next step to your website design is to begin building templates to use for the pages. With page design, even very basic site builders utilize tools for setting guidelines, grids, and columns. Many of the younger designers forgo these tools, believing they are suitable only for blockier, older sites. Actually, grids still remain an essential structural element in all well-designed pages. They always should be utilized for arranging the visual elements on the pages. Guidelines and grids were always the basis of graphic design skills, prior to web design even beginning. They will definitely continue as fundamental tools well into the future.
Whether or not your website’s columns and grid lines are visible on the web page, they are the basis for your site’s underlying framework and proportions that properly space elements. Grids are helpful in splitting web pages horizontally as well as vertically. Thus, they dictate alignment between various design elements. However, it’s also possible to blend modern design and grid-based design, as well as techniques for consumer research. The myriad ways that consumers interact on the web today has resulted in certain expectations about what they expect various kinds of websites to feel and look like.
4. Absence of Visual Hierarchy
The next website design error is a little more complex, especially for less experienced web designers. A very common mistake we observe on new sites is the overlooking of visual hierarchy which is critically valuable.
The definition of visual hierarchy is arranging elements in an orderly way by their importance. If you do not arrange elements correctly, users might be bombarded with disparate design features that are all fighting for their attention. Since they won’t be effectively guided toward your CTA, there will be no conversions.
In order to design an exceptional visual hierarchy, consider carefully the reasons why your users will be visiting your site. Conducting UX research is helpful, as well as making sure user flow works intuitively and seamlessly.
Many ecommerce sites are good examples of effective visual hierarchy. The best sites leave individual branding out for the most part, focusing on user experience. They serve instead as portals where customers can find information about products, and buy products which are tailored to them. Usually, e-commerce sites that are well-designed remind users what site they’re on only at one point. That point is right after they’ve completed a seamless, smooth, and easy process where they have shopped for a certain item.
