This summer I have had the opportunity to design two websites for clients! At the beginning, it felt like I was jumping into the deep end of a pool. I wasn't sure if I was capable. I had designed my own website, but these projects were for other people, for business owners that were looking to me for help. Instead of letting the uncertainty and pressure overwhelm me, I decided to buckle up and go back to what I know about the design process and what I have practiced before. I've now nearly completed both projects, and I know some do's and don'ts of website design that I'm going to share with you!
Do start with sketches and wireframing.
Wireframing is a process within the field of user interface and user experience design, specifically for projects like mobile apps and websites. A designer will draw out every page or screen of an app or website in a mind-map like format, to show how the functions of the website or app flow and the placement of text, images, or pop up's.
Don't jump straight to designs with all sorts of bells and whistles.
This point stems from the idea of understanding your client and their target audience. Many modern brands nowadays have highly interactive and engaging websites, with moving sections, pop-ups, and other elements. Those have their place, but if I'm working on a website for a retired artist, and their audience is most likely art buyers who may also be older, that people group may not understand all those bells and whistles. It wouldn't be intuitive for them.
For the art website, I stuck with a very clean look that is self-explanatory. Each page has a specific purpose and nothing about the site is over-the-top. The font is very readable and the text is slightly larger than I would normally use, in order to make sure that viewers who may not have the best eyesight will not have a problem reading.
Do practice good time management
As a freelance designer, time management is crucial. Luckily for me, these two clients were not under serious deadlines to get their websites up and running. Regardless, I did my best to do the work in a timely manner and communicate well. I met with both clients in person every week or two to either take more photographs for the imagery of their site or iron out parts of the process that had gotten stuck. I also believe that working efficiently makes a good impression and creates a higher likely-hood of further hired work.
Do not be absolutely rigid in your design plans.
Each client has different needs. One of my clients had a pre-existing site with a specific hosting platform, and the other was starting from scratch. The pre-existing site platform was much more rigid with their templates and did not allow for complete customization. This required me to work around the limitations and still include the elements that the client and I had decided on during the wire-framing phase. With the other client, I was able to start from a blank page and customize a site that exactly matched the plans we had made.
Allowing for flexibility in your plans means you can come across either of these situations and create a website that both you and your client are happy with.
Do involve your client in the design process.
This helps you clarify what exactly is expected of you and lets the client feel like they have a voice in what they are having you do. At every step of my process, I would complete the work and send it to the client for review. They could see my thought process and make changes all on their own, so the final product is something they are 100% happy with.
Do not over-complicate your site.
We've all seen websites where it seems as though hundreds of things happen at once. It overwhelms us and we generally go "NOPE" and find a different site to suit our needs. A good website for this day and age is straight to the point and useful, but beautiful at the same time.
Those are my quick do's and don'ts of website design! I've learned a lot through these projects and these experiences will help me next time I create websites. Thanks for reading!
xx, Hannah