As WEB DESIGNERS do you know your audience? Who will be visiting your web site? What are their tastes and interests? As web designers, we often seek the praise of our fellow designers for the work we do. We like winning awards and receiving plaudits from people in our industry. There's nothing wrong with that. However, who actually uses those cute little sites we build? If we fail to think about our customer as we design, all the awards in the world will not make the web site a success.

The typical web designer may in fact be a frustrated fine artist, looking to use this online medium to express their visual personality. However, effective web site design is not about art. It is, above all else, about communication. Communication! Our first responsibility is to deliver our clients message or product as clearly and effectively as possible. Therefore, no matter how beautiful the web site may be, if it does not communicate our clients message clearly, it is not good web design!

So who is Joe Q. Public, the typical online browser with an America Online dial up account? Why is he on the web and how can I make my site appeal to him? First of all, he is more likely to be she. Women comprise more than half of all Internet users and are growing at a faster rate then men. Therefore, web sites for the general public should be designed with women in mind. How can we do that?

One way is to make our web sites feel more natural, less "techie" in look and feel. There should be a close relationship between what is seen in our web sites visually and the real world. How can we do that? This web site, designed for a small REAL ESTATE BUSINESS is an example of this principle in action:

This web site uses a sophisticated, natural color palette, and graphics that suggest an upscale, beautifully furnished apartment. It is also a very clean, simple to use design. As such, it is a departure from the typical real estate web site. Why? Because looking for a new home is a very emotional process. It is not simply a search for bare walls, but an exciting opportunity to create a dream home with texture, color and warmth. This site is designed to show that our client understands the dreams of the new home buyer. It connects emotionally to the viewer. As a result, it reflects an understanding of the true nature of a typical customer.

So, who are you designing for? The praise of other designers or your customers? Try to see things through your customers eyes! Pay careful attention to what typical users say about your site. Always strive to capture the hearts of your customers with these tips from Newark1 Web Designers Guide!

Key Points From This Article:

• Web site design is not about art but communication. Its first priority is to communicate clearly and effectively about the product or service.
• Women now comprise more than 50% of all web users. Therefore, web sites for the general public should be designed with women in mind.
• To appeal to the typical web user keep the web design clear and simple, with colors and graphics that mirror the real, natural world.
• Listen carefully to the responses of the typical user of your web site and implement them when feasible.

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