Great article over at User Interface Engineering.
Communicate Quick: First Impressions Through Visual Web Design
While many people still associate visual design for the Web with “making things look pretty”, investing in the presentation layer of Web sites can quickly yield more significant returns. When done right, the visual design of a Web page can communicate key concepts to Web users: what am I looking at, how do I use it, and why would I care to?
..Within the first moments of encountering a Web page, people jump between the distinct visual areas of the page trying to get a sense of what they are looking at.
..Once a Web page passes the crucial 2-3 second “what is this” test, its next challenge is getting people to the information they need. Once again, the presentation layer can help by utilizing visual relationships to make key information areas quickly scan-able.
..when designing Web pages, it’s important to keep the initial functional role of visual design in mind. The visual design of Web pages should:
- Set initial expectations by communicating what kind of information it provides.
- Provide a way to quickly scan that information in order to locate something of value.
- Allow people to immerse themselves in the information they want and explore other relevant information when they choose to.
