Design

Design is an important aspect to remember when writing for the screen. In digital writing, design pertains to the overall look of the website and arrangement of the text, graphics, and other objects that make up the site. There are three main components to understanding and implementing design: consistency, usability, and navigability.

The design of a site or webpage is what will likely cause viewers to return to the site and continue reading it. The overall appearance must be appealing and entertaining.

Consistency

• The repetition of elements gives a site a consistent identity (Carroll).
  • Colors.
  • Graphics.
  • Headlines.
  • Typography.
  • Section divisions.
  • Text placement.

• Full contact information on every page (Carroll, 62).

• Provide logical links that pertain to the text (Carrol, 79).

• Adhere to an audience-specific style guide (HTML codes used and the grammatical format of text) throughout the site (Carrol, 97, 111).

Usability

• Keep text scan-able (Carrol, 32).
  • Highlight key words.
  • Use links.
  • Vary typeface.
  • Use colors.
  • Include subheadings.
  • Make bulleted lists.
  • Use paragraphs with one idea.
  • Practice brevity.

• Keep it simple and user-friendly. Break pages into clearly defined areas and minimize distractions (Carrol, 28, 69).

• Include a visual hierarchy for information and navigation on each page (Carrol, 123).

• Fifty to eighty percent of the page should be reserved for content (Carrol, 67).

Navigability

• Easy-to-use navigation tools. A navigation bar is best utilized on the top of the website (Carrol, 35).

• Each web page must be able to stand alone. Make sure that users know where they are in the site (Carrol, 57-58).

• Insert anchors (internal hyperlinks that lead to another page of the same site) for internal page navigation (Carrol, 48).

• Include consistent navigational aids. Each page needs to have easy access back to the main page (Carrol, 60).

• Twenty percent of the internal web pages should be reserved for navigation. Shortcuts to the main page should be included on every page (Carrol, 67).

• The home page requires more navigational space and has many purposes (Carrol, 70).
  • Establishes the site’s identity and mission.
  • Shows the site's hierarchy.
  • Shows where to start.
  • Provides shortcuts to the most desired pages and sections.
  • Avoids clutter.
  • Conveys the big picture.

References

1. Carroll, Brian. (2010). Writing for Digital Media. New York: Routledge. Retrieved 2 Nov. 2012.
2. Horton, Sarah. (2006). Page Layout: Apply a consistent design. Universal Usability. Retrieved 7 Nov. 2012.