I believe people want to use clear, intuitive, functional websites. Your website should be tailored to your business (or passion or hobby) and your audience. My design beliefs include these principles:
- Use modern HTML and CSS practices. I believe in standards-compliant code, which enhances accessibility, and reduces the work involved in future updates.
- Keep it simple. People want clarity, predictability, and a minimum of clutter. An idea that seems "clever" to a designer will probably confuse, and thereby annoy, a large percentage of your users. Your website should help people, not make them angry at you!
- Your purpose drives the design. Graphic design exists to serve the function of your website, not the other way around. Functional does not have to mean ugly, but usability should never be sacrificed for pure aesthetics.
- The client decides. I have beliefs about web design developed over more than ten years of using and designing for the web, but I also believe that intelligent people can and do disagree and there are exceptions to every rule. I am happy to explain the pros and cons of certain design elements, but you make the final decisions for your site.
© 2005 Carina Merrick