John Pape Online Blog

You may be wondering when a good time would be to redesign your existing website. What I hope to present here are some ideas and thoughts that will help you make that decision.

First off I want to say, changing a site just for the sake of change is not really to best approach for a redesign. Design requires a specific purpose in order to be successful. Understanding your current site will help you understand its function. If care is not taken you could lose that function in a site redesign.

One reason for a site redesign is if the site looks outdated. Perhaps you’ve been online for 10 years and have the same web design. Over the years there has been a lot of improvement in the way sites are delivered. You can take advantage of these technological advances. What you don’t want is to lose visitors because your site looks old fashion. An out dated look is a good reason to consider redesigning your site.

When redesigning a website think of it as doing plastic surgery. Your current website has an identity associated with it. This could be good it could bad. What you don’t want to do is change it so much that your current users don’t recognize it. You risk losing them because they think they landed on the wrong website. To help facilitate updates, the redesign should constantly improve by ‘nip and tuck’ in areas that need improvement. Most elements will probably remain consistent like your logo and even color scheme or type style. Drastic changes can have an adverse effect. Making small, subtle changes over time is the best approach.

Your site’s visitors are an excellent resource that will let you know if your site needs to be redesigned. Their feedback is helpful in making this decision. As users they will know what works and does not work. If they believe that you need to update the look they will tell you.  If they tell you a new look is warranted, that is a good indication that you need to do a site redesign.

Need A Web Site?

Custom Web Design for Small Businesses by professional and experienced web designer and developer.

Here is what I can do for you…

• Innovative Web Design
• Graphic Design Logos
• Maintain Your Website
• Data Driven Content
• Flash Applications
• Build Shopping Carts for Ecommerce
• Custom PHP Applications and Programming
• WordPress Installation & Customization

Get an affordable, attractive great website today. Hire John Pape Web Designer For Your Web Design Solution. View my portfolio at http://portfolio.mediatunes.com

Technorati Tags: Web Design

In this article I am going to explore two area in web development.  The first is the concept of “Usability“.  The next idea will be “Accessibility“

In the world of web development usability is a major issue.  By usability I am talking about testing websites to make sure that the visitor can quickly, easily and simply navigate a website.  This makes the user experience better.

The idea of Accessibility goes even further than usability in that its goal is to allow access for all people.

A little history

Nearly 1 out 5 individuals in America have some level of disability.  This translate to about 30 million people.  As the population grows older this number is expected to increase as there will be more and more senior citizens.  Do you know that in the past 10 years there was an increase of 25%.  Unfortunately, with age come physical changes.  Some of these can limit a persons ability to do things.  But keep in mind this is not the only segment of the population that suffers disabilities.  And there needs need to be met.

Making the Internet Accessible

The Internet has become an integral part our everyday lifestyle.  It allows us to do things unheard of a decade ago.  The web offers us ways to communicate.  We can obtain information on nearly every subject under the sun and beyond.  We now have social online gatherings.  The opportunities abound will limitless ways to engage cultural activities.  The list could go on.  But the sad reality is that the disabled are sometimes excluded from totally experiencing these benefits.  However there is hope in providing for standard of accessibility that will help these individuals.

Ways to Improve Accessibility

Here is a list of ideas from the Web Content Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 1.0 that was created by the Web Accessibility Initiative of W3C.  These are way to increase the accessibility of web content.

1. Provide alternatives to audio-visual content

Not all people will be able to use different kinds of content. These people may be disabled or may have a lower version of Internet browsers. Movies, sound clips, animations and other contents should be translated into text alternatives so as to provide information to the broadest range of viewers.

2. Developers shouldn’t rely on color alone

Many people are impaired in color differentiation. Developers shouldn’t rely too much on the use of colors to relay information in the websites. Charts that are color-coded should be modified and the background and foreground colors of the websites should have enough contrast to enable people with color differentiation impairment to easily navigate the site.

3. Clarification of the use of natural language

Content developers usually mark up the changes in natural language in their websites. They should be able to identify the dominant language that is used in the site so as to avoid confusion.

4. Control of content changes that are time-sensitive

This issue particularly involves people who have visual or cognitive impairments and those who are not able to read texts that are moving quickly. Movement is seen as an over-all enhancer to the look of the site, but it may pose some problems to people with cognitive impairments.

5. Accessibility of user interfaces that are embedded

Objects that posses their own interfaces should be made accessible, and alternative solutions must be provided if this is not possible.

6. Provision of orientation and context information

The provision of information on how the objects are organized is important to provide people with guidance on how to access information.

This is by no means a comprehensive list but they are some practical tips to make a website more usable.  Careful consideration needs to be taken to make sure that Accessibility is included in the design process and that viable alternatives be provided.

Benefits

There are many benefits to improving accessibility of websites.  These benefit not only help those with disabilities but also improve the entire web community.  Businesses, Service Companies, Organizations and you as well will benefit.

Need A Web Site?

Custom Web Design for Small Businesses by professional and experienced web designer and developer.

Here is what I can do for you…

• Innovative Web Design
• Graphic Design Logos
• Maintain Your Website
• Data Driven Content
• Flash Applications
• Build Shopping Carts for Ecommerce
• Custom PHP Applications and Programming
• WordPress Installation & Customization

Get an affordable, attractive great website today. Hire Me For Your Web Design Solution. View my portfolio at http://portfolio.mediatunes.com

Technorati Tags: accessibility, information technology, usability, Web Design

The center of your online business is your website.  It represents your company’s image virtually.  This image provides your prospect, clients and users an opportunity to interact with you even though they cannot visit or see you in person.  Still, people will judge you by what they see and experience.  That is why good web design is important to your online success.

Let’s say you are operating a physical offline organization.  Within your organization you have a staff of sales personnel.  How would you want them to appear to the client?  Most likely you will want them to look their best.  You would want their appearance to be clean, shaved, hair neat, with nice business attire.  This tells your prospects and clients that you care about quality.  You want to make a good first impression.

Let’s now look at your website.  If your site look shabby and was put together by an amateur, you are communicating to your visitors you are not professional and and don’t care for excellence.

On the other hand, if your website is organized in a professional manner, you are communicating to your visitor that you care.  You tell them that you pay attention to the detail.  A well designed website shows that you are serious about business.

Your business image should be consistent.  That means that your website should reflect the image of your business cards, letterheads, brochures.  The idea is to emphasis your image in a positive manner.  Your business image is the “face” that people remember therefore much consideration is required to insure that you have a good web design.

Need A Web Site?

Custom Web Design for Small Businesses by professional and experienced web designer and developer.

Here is what I can do for you…

• Innovative Web Design
• Graphic Design Logos
• Maintain Your Website
• Data Driven Content
• Flash Applications
• Build Shopping Carts for Ecommerce
• Custom PHP Applications and Programming
• WordPress Installation & Customization

Get an affordable, attractive great website today. Hire Me For Your Web Design Solution. View my portfolio at http://portfolio.mediatunes.com

Technorati Tags: accessibility, Web Design