Wiley Web Design with HTML and CSS Digital Classroom 978-0-470-58360-9 Manual De Usuario
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978-0-470-58360-9
The goals of web design
11
Lesson 1, Planning Your Website
1
Defi ning the user experience
When it comes to user interaction, off ering too many options can be just as bad as not
off ering enough. If there are multiple pathways available to the user, it is the designer’s
responsibility to make sure the user doesn’t get lost. The entire sum of a user’s interactions
with a website can be called the user experience.
off ering enough. If there are multiple pathways available to the user, it is the designer’s
responsibility to make sure the user doesn’t get lost. The entire sum of a user’s interactions
with a website can be called the user experience.
The focus on the user experience diff erentiates websites from printed products more than
anything else. This job is so important that there are web professionals called information
architects. Information architecture is defi ned as the structure of a website and its pages: how
the site and the site navigation are organized. In its strictest form, information architecture is
not concerned with issues such as color, type, and graphics. In larger design agencies, it is not
uncommon to have an information architect collaborating with the designers, especially at
the beginning stages of designing a website.
anything else. This job is so important that there are web professionals called information
architects. Information architecture is defi ned as the structure of a website and its pages: how
the site and the site navigation are organized. In its strictest form, information architecture is
not concerned with issues such as color, type, and graphics. In larger design agencies, it is not
uncommon to have an information architect collaborating with the designers, especially at
the beginning stages of designing a website.
Designers need to think like information architects to be eff ective. The designs need to
provide the best structure allowing users to get the information they want. For online stores,
they should provide the most effi
provide the best structure allowing users to get the information they want. For online stores,
they should provide the most effi
cient way to allow a user to put an object in a shopping cart
and make a purchase. Designers must fully comprehend the web as a medium and understand
its rules and possibilities regarding visual design and text.
its rules and possibilities regarding visual design and text.
User-centered design
It can be diffi
cult to describe how a web designer works because the level of involvement in
a project can vary, from developing a project on her own, to being part of a large team in an
advertising agency. However, in all cases, the designer’s goal is to create sites that serves the
needs of the users. The following section outlines the planning process so that you clearly
understand what the client wants before you begin.
advertising agency. However, in all cases, the designer’s goal is to create sites that serves the
needs of the users. The following section outlines the planning process so that you clearly
understand what the client wants before you begin.
The stages of the planning process
The stages of the planning process can generally be defi ned as:
•
Defi ning goals and strategy
•
Research
•
Information architecture
•
Sketching
•
Wireframes
•
Mockups
You’ll learn more about each of these stages in this chapter.
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webdesign.indb 11
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3/17/11 1:50 PM