Here are some more information for Web Create:

A lot of people can recognize good design when they see it on the web. But most people don't really know what makes that design good. How do you define "good design?" Is it subjective, like your favorite flavor of ice cream? Although there is some subjectivity within good design, there are artistic principles that good design is built from. Here are a few that form the foundation of good design.

1. Proximity - Because items that are in close proximity to one another become one visual unit, items that are related to one another should be grouped together. Laying out related items on a website page this way helps the eye associate the information and enables the viewer to mentally categorize the information easily. The flip side of this principle is that items that are not related should not be placed in close proximity to one another.

The purpose of the principle of proximity is to organize information in a way that enables viewers to quickly and easily comprehend. When information is organized, people are more likely to read it and respond. People are also more likely to remember information that is organized.

How can you determine if items form a visual unit? Squint your eyes and look at the page on a website. Now count the number of times your eye stops as it views the page. On a page that is using the principle of proximity well, your eye will stop three to five times. In other words, there will be three to five groups of information for the eye to comprehend separately.

2. Alignment - You've seen website page layouts where the text and graphics are placed wherever there happens to be space. The effect is messy, with no impact. Nothing should be placed on a page arbitrarily. There should be a visual connection between each item and something other item on the page. When items are aligned, it creates a cohesiveness that the eye appreciates.

The purpose of alignment is to unify the website page. Imagine a well-organized kitchen. All the pots and pans are stored in the organizer, the fruit is nicely displayed in a basket on the counter, the spices are all on the rack-everything is in its place. A page layout needs the same thing.

Look at a website page that you feel is good design. Now focus on the main visual element. Where does your eye go from there? Do you see how other elements are aligned with that one main element both vertically and horizontally?

3. Repetition - Good design repeats some aspect of the website design throughout the site. It's this repetition that makes all the pages in a site look like belong together. Color scheme, graphic elements, typefaces-all of these elements should be repeated-used consistently-throughout.

The purpose of repetition is to create consistency and to add visual interest. Repetition creates a professional, polished look that the eye is drawn to. When a website design uses repetition and is consistent, it is more likely to be viewed and read.

Here are some was you can create repetition beyond simple consistency in typefaces and colors: Use some element in your logo as a major graphic element in the design. If you are using a ruled line, make the line more interesting visually by perhaps making it with tiny dots or dashes, then repeating the line element throughout the design. Create patterns that are repeated throughout the design. Take a small element and place it somewhere on each page for a whimsical look. Just be careful not to overdo the repetition, or viewers will be annoyed rather than pleased.

4. Contrast - The principle of contrast states that if two items are not the same, then they should be different-very different. Contrast creates an organizational hierarchy of the information and graphics on a webpage. When using contrast, you can't be a wimp! The contrast must be strong to be effective.

The purpose of contrast is two-fold: to create interest on the page, and to organize information. A page that is interesting to look at is more likely to be read. And contrasting elements will help a reader understand the way the information is organized.

Contrast can be created in many ways. You can contrast large type with small type, a serif font with a sans-serif font, bold with light, smooth texture with rough texture, a small graphic with a large one, a dark color with a light one.

A design that integrates these principles will automatically gain a professionalism and polish that it would otherwise lack. Next time you stumble across a website design that makes you say "wow," cheek for these principles-you'll find them quietly working to make that design a good one!

About The Author

Laura MacPherson (laura@northstarcreative.net) is the creative director at Northstar Creative, a website design studio located in Greenville, SC. She has an educational background in writing and psychology as well as experience in graphic and web design.

Her professional passion is design. At Northstar Creative, she's most happy when working with and collaborating on design projects. Whether its print or web, its always a challenge to be able to perceive the essence of a client's business and craft a website or print piece to mirror that. This work fuels her creativity and makes her work at Northstar rewarding.

Out of the office, Laura loves the arts, from painting to acoustic guitar. She is a huge fan of Northern California, particularly the coast and Yosemite. When not fortunate enough to be in California, she can frequently be found on the hiking trails of the Blue Ridge Mountains.

Her company, Northstar Creative | Web Design, approaches website development differently than many web companies. Northstar Creative combines the use of marketing psychology with top-notch web development to create truly exceptional custom sites for its clients.

Publishing Guidelines

Permission is granted to publish this article electronically in free-only publications, like a website or ezine (print requires individual permission) as long as the resources box is included without any modifications. All links must be active. A courtesy copy is requested on publication (email laura@northstarcreative.net)

To view this article in its original context or to access more web resources at Northstar Creative's Web Resource Center, click on the article's link here Designing Great Websites [http://www.northstarcreative.net/articles/good-web-design.html]

5 Great Ways To Block U-Turns On Your Web Site

Great site designers follow basic principles of interactivity to make their sites sticky and engaging. They do everything to prevent u-turn traffic. Here are five ideas to get your creative juices flowing.

1. Capture Attention with a Visual Site Map
Most web sites start simple, but they get pretty complex before long. There are myriads of pages, sections and links. Users then resort to a site map to figure out what they are looking for. Why not make their job easier with a visual site map?

A visual site map is a pictorial representation of a web site, where clicking on a part of the picture would pop up a small display describing what is in a particular logical section of the web site. For example, a home furniture web site may have a site map showing the various parts of a home, and clicking the living room would pop up a description of living room furniture section. Next to this description, you can have thumbnails representing pages in that section, so users can easily navigate to couches, for example, and so on.

Visual site maps are vivid, memorable and easy to use compared to traditional treeview textual site maps.

2. Enhance Engagement with Related Actions Suggestor
If you know the way people use your site, you probably also know where they will go next from one part of the site. For example, someone that looks up pricing will likely go to the buy page. Someone that looks up a webinar schedule will likely go to the enrollment page. Or maybe the webinar recording page. In other words, you can anticipate related actions from a given point. Use this knowledge of user intention and make it easy for the user to find the related pages quickly. A Related Action Suggestor is an interactive element on your web page which suggests pathways to related pages. A well-designed related action suggestor can include a video, image or text with audio that optionally educates a user, helping him or her find parts of a site he or she may not be aware of. A great way to roll out new updates to sites.

For detail article visit:

http://interactivityworld.blogspot.com/2009/12/5-great-ways-to-block-u-turns-on-your.html

About the Author

Vikas Joshi is passionate about making our lives more effective through interactivity.

His vision has inspired a global market for interactivity software.

As founder, Chairman and Managing Director at the Harbinger Group, he leads an international organization building cutting-edge technology.

Thousands of professionals worldwide rely on Harbinger’s award-winning products for engaging users more effectively.

Vikas enjoys creative reflection on work and life through his writings and speeches. Through these he discusses the state-of-the-art of interactivity, interactive learning and innovative entrepreneurship.

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TV Junkie Interview: Chris Hardwick's 'Web Soup' & The Improv
Chris Hardwick's "Web Soup" began a new run on G4 (Wednesdays at 8pm) and he performs 2 shows at the Improv in Hollywood tonight (7:30 & 9:30pm) Comedian, writer, and musician Chris Hardwick's "Web Soup" had its 2nd season premiere on G4 this week and the show is off to a great start with some adjustments that Hardwick elaborated on in a conversation we had at G4's offices on Wednesday. Hardwick ...

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