Too Many Print Designers Try to be Web Designers

This article is not intended to hurt any feelings of print designers, but simply to enlighten people to the fact that just being a good print designer does not make a good web designer. The reason I say this is because print designers typically concern themselves with the look of their design, not the usability. Usability is really what a website should be about first and foremost. A user should navigate to a website and know what to do upon arrival. Someone who has never used the internet should be able to see your website and know how to use it.

It should be too simple, and too intuitive. Sure this might seem like not enough, but look at Google, Flickr, and Twitter. Each of these sites originally focussed on one service and focussed on doing it well. After they achieved “doing it well” they designed their sites around their services.

• Google – They originally started out as a search engine. They still are focussed on search functions, but now have many other services for their users which can be easily found at the top of the page in their home page. It is easy to know what Google is all about when you visit their page. Users see the Google logo a search bar and two search buttons, one for a “Google Search” without any parameters other than your search terms and the other “I’m Feeling Lucky” to further refine your search.

  

• Flickr – Originally created solely for users to upload their digital pictures. When you arrive to the flickr homepage you instantly know what they’re about. In bold black letters is “Share your photos. Watch the world.” Directly above the headline is a button that entices the user to create a flickr account.

  

• Twitter – Is still focussed on providing users with the ability to write and read what’s going on in 140 characters or less. The Twitter homepage has a search bar to see what people are saying about a specific topic and a “Sign up now” button is directly to the right of the search bar.

  

This brings me to the title of this article, “Too many print designers try to be web designers”, because of the nature of print the print designer must only focus on conveying the information on that piece of paper to the reader. The reader is already engaged with the print design because they’re holding it or they physically walked up to it. A web designer must worry about the eye-catching design, but also worry about keeping a viewer returning to their site. A web designer must present a user with something that they didn’t realize they needed and now they can’t live without. In essence, a web designer should think of themselves as a product designer and worry about designing a product that is easy for the customer to interact with.

I understand you might see this as a rant, and it is. I am tired of the websites like MySpace, Yahoo, and the past couple of Facebook designs. I seldom visited the sites because of their jumbled user interface and their disregard for their viewers. They don’t care if the viewer doesn’t want ads placed inside any open space through out the site, and this is why MySpace and Yahoo are losing users. They tried to do too much and never focussed on doing one thing well.

• Yahoo – It isn’t apparent what Yahoo originally focussed on. Now, when a user visits the site, they are bombarded with too many things to do. Does Yahoo specialize on anything. I know I have a yahoo email account, but that might possibly be the hardest thing to find at a glance.

  

• MySpace – Originally set out to be a social networking service. After the company found they can make a lot of money from advertisments they’re placed all over the homepage. Many of the advertisement headlines are larger than the myspace logo.

  

So remember, if you are new to the web design business focus on the usability of your web site design. Keep asking yourself is it too easy, is it too intuitive? The answer should always be no.

Have fun and safe surfing.