Web design is design for the screen, with a limited amount of color, space and typeface. Very few design choices are available to the designer. At the same time it introduces different ways of arranging, structuring and distributing content, than we are used to from traditional media. The Internet has become a familiar place for most of us and we are used to “reading” web sites.

Since the internet has given a whole new meaning to the word “interactivity,” a big part of building a successful web site is the ease with which users interact with the design. This is not only based in color and layout but we are using the mouse with confidence, navigating through the virtual web of information; it is replacing our bodies that move us through this world. We are traveling
the www via left and right mouse clicks. 

 

All this has altered traditional design principles and challenged designers to deliver products accommodating the new situation.

The following text is taken from Hillman Curtis:

1. Clean easy to update design/structure.
Just a few short years ago, the web was full of dancing mice, spinning globes, and animated construction workers, things have since changed and design principles are now actually put to good use ... amazing! :)

The problem that we find now with many websites is that the design is not flexible. Websites constantly change, so if you find that putting in a new navigation button is going to take a lot of work, you have to reconsider your design. You should be able to freely add and remove elements from your pages with little to no trouble - that only makes sense.

2. Good usability in the design - and all that implies.
Usability is one of the new buzzwords that people like to use, but what does it mean? In a nutshell, usability is referring to (in web design) how easy someone can get around your website ... how usable it is. If someone has to 'hunt' for your 'home' link or your contact information, then you have a usability problem.

3. Fast loading 'light' pages.
This is one of the oldest rules in the book! People will leave your site like a flash if your site takes over 10 seconds to load on a 56k modem. That means your pages have to be less than 60k - images and all.

Being that this is such an old rule of web design, you would think everyone would keep their pages light, right? Wrong! Just take a look around and it's not hard to find 250k Flash websites! This checklist is just a reminder of what we all know, but sometimes in the excitement of building our masterpieces, we can forget ... so check the checklist! :)

4. Intelligent use of technology - using Flash when it makes sense not because you want a 'cool' intro!
I think this is obvious to most people. All the technology used to build websites are just tools; we use a screwdriver when we need to, not because we want to. The point is that you need to let the goal of the website dictate what technology you are going to use.

5. The website's ability to convey the meaning/message of the website quickly if not instantly.
Make sure that your visitors can easily know what's going on (and why) when they get to you, otherwise you won't be conveying your message too well because people will just be leaving your website.