Web designers and Internet users look at the web in very different ways. The common mistake designers make is that they don't look at the web as a user would. Look at the chart below for an example.
Designers sometimes forget the users and begin to design web pages as if Picasso himself was making them. This can be very inconvenient for users who are just looking for information. Sometimes sites are over-designed, adding too many elements. This clustered design makes finding something much more difficult. Other times, the sites are beautiful, but the information isn't prominent or the navigation is too confusing. A design for designers serves no use for a user.
Designers should consider these factors:
- How people actually browse the Internet
- What habits people adopt while on a site
- What can be done to enable the user to browse smoothly and successfully
If you know these three items, you'll then be on your way to a successful design.
Chart:
| Designers | Users |
| Look at all the elements of design: balance, color, depth, layout, etc. | Don't like to look at the screen too long and don't really understand the graphic elements too well. |
| Love seeing different designs, from unique to simple. | Simply try to find what they are looking for without browsing the "design maze." |
| Stare at the entire screen for a long time. | Are impatient and want what they want now. |
