What is the best Website Design Principle? Or Steps?

Hey Guys``
Thought I have drilled in website built for nearly two years, knowing Php, Python, Html, Mysql, Css, Javascript well, but I even have not made a satisfied website at all.
Could you mind sharing some good tips on the website building path to make a robust nice website quickly?~

May be there are some elements:
site path
site layout
site theme
site content type
site functionality

 

1. Quality well written content for each page. (this will index better with search engines)
2. Use a naming convention that makes perfect sense to you. I use one that isn't so good with SEO these days
but it works for me because i always know exactly what each section is. I use a naming convention as follows:
a.php (home), b.php (products), ... g (contact) as an example.
a,b,c,d,e,f,g,h,j,k,m,n,p,q,r,s,t,u,v,w,x,y,z. I leave out o, 0, 1, i, as you can see those would be confusing.
under the contact page a main image would be g_image.jpg, and header g_header.jpg etc.

Those are the only things i can think of at the moment, maybe if you could clarify your question some more i could help further.

 

Know why you build the website or your client's goals.

Developing the best designed website is useless if it does not solve your client's problem or give them any benefit (e.g. make them extra $$$, increase their customers).

Obviously, you still need to know best practices in design, programming, usability, etc.

 

@yourpcbytes
Thanks for your tips, why you dude not use url rewrite to solve your a,b,c confusing name conversation?

@p4t
Your answer is inspiring, I can not help myself to ask for more. Where can we find the best practices in design, programming, usability in your mind? Please give out some more references.

 

I found the quickest way to improve the softskill is learning by doing. If you do not have a client base already, why not start with low-risk projects such as competing in design contests or do a website for friends in your spare time. What I mean with softskill is understanding your client's goal and market, negotiating with your client, project management, etc.

For design and usability, start reading on books or web resources about this. Dont Make me think by Steve Krug is a good book on web design and usability.

For programming, make sure that you comply with standards. Standards are generally pain in the neck, but once you are used to it, it will be smooth sailing. W3.org and W3Schools.com is a good start.

 

I also find 'snooping' on the competition can be quite inspiring. Find a web development company that you admire, take a look at their portfolio, read their about page to learn about the services that they offer and the techniques that they use. Aim high, look beyond your current ability now, study your competition to get ahead of them.

 

@p4t
Yo~ Great thanks!!!~!!! I will take a look at "Don't Make me think" quickly.
So lucky to meet you guy so experienced and ready to help others.
I tough myself the programming almost from the manual, but I don't know whether my knowledge suit to your meaning of standard. Do your meaning of standard is the syntax or anything else?

 

I dont think there is any standard in syntax. Correct me if I am wrong - I am more a designer and production manager than a programmer. As long as your program compile, that's a good start for syntax.

BUT.. we enforce best practices in programming in our firm. This includes indentation, good commenting, structure (your code must be easy to understand), modularisation (you can re-use and expand components of your code) and lightweightness. A good way to to enforce this, give your code to another programmer, can he understand it quickly?

I self-taught myself in design and programming as well but like I said before, the fastest way to learn is by doing. So keep designing, keep coding

 

Great advice. I usually build sites for small business owners. They usually want to have a site because they think they need one. Everyone else has one right? I then like them to give them a wake up call by saying "Can I see the business plan you developed for your website?" They never have one, and that is when I give them their first lesson, it needs to have a clear goal. If the site owner can't see it, how is a visitor?

 

@p4t
Thanks again!
Gotcha, Keep doing is a must.
Rearrange my time table is a must.

 

And more from your opinion is learning the best from the best and making an improvement on them, then you will be second to none.

"Don't make me think" is a thin thought very good book for design for usability of website. Thank you for your recommendation.

 

I once try to build a website as one of my college project, I ask couple of question just to make sure that he knows why he build a website and most of them turn out to get a blogspot as their website (I don't know what they are thinking).

I'll ask question like
1. Who is your audience (targeted), what language do they use, their age.
2. What do you want to present on your site?
3. Do you have anyone with the ability to maintain the site?

and the follow up blah.. blah... sometimes they want us to make the change that almost every web-designer don't want to make (just bear with it)...

anyone has experience with these?

 

Many times, and it's what they are always thinking...I don't want to spend a lot or any money on this.

That's why it's essential to have a clear plan on why you are getting it. If a site doesn't justify the cost to do it right, then don't do it.

 

Good points in this thread. The most important one is catering to your audience. Sometimes, designers omit or overlook accessibility aspects of html. But if the audience is going to users who have hard time reading, then it will come back and bite you.

A good content management system can also help in organizing for the site or a software like Dreamweaver can also do that.

 

I steer clear of clients who said I dont want to spend any money on this unless they are non-profit or charity orgs I am especially interested in... or I need to practice. Generally, if they are free, it's low risk.

For the clients who don't want to spend a lot of money, do your homework guys. If the client has no potential whatsoever, I don't bother. With bigger 'fish', I'd dig further - asking them what is their budget, would they pay extra if I can show them they can generate more money with better solution, offer payment plan/warranty, negotiate other options like profit share, etc. Try turning your clients' reservation into sale.

Ofcourse you'll come across savvier clients who have done their side of the homework as well. These type of clients know exactly what they want and how much they want to pay for it. These types of clients are usually fairer and if they go for cheap options, they are just testing the market and prepared to accept risk that comes with it.

 

It's all about education really, when you say:

"knowing Php, Python, Html, Mysql, Css, Javascript well, but I even have not made a satisfied website at all."

You clearly don't know them well enough, as these are imo all the tools that are required to build 99% of sites.
After education, knowing your HTML/CSS, PHP/MYSQL inside out, then the next step is experience. Build your own sites as you have been doing,and slowly you will get better, quicker and produce great sites.

Make sure you plan the site well in hand, knowing what your site is about and the sections contained, will allow you to code easily. Coding freely trying to build the site as you think of it, will result in a poor website.

As for themes, you will need to learn CSS inside out, and then maybe Photoshop/Illusstrator if you are wanting to create images.

So imo key points:
Education, Experience and Planning.

Then when you have started your own sites, reasonbly good, make some for small clientel and gradually move up the ladder. Get feedback wherever possible, as it's never too late to learn something new.

 

Your website is best when you design it, keeping your target market in the mind. Before designing the website you must think about that what class of people or what kind of traffic will come to your site.

 

Just by reading your post I can tell you are either not satisfied with the design or the content of your site.

If you are going to make a site start with a few simple boxes and eventually add graphics and CSS effects to it.

Create something you are familiar with and interested in, this way you will want to share more of it on your site.

That's my two cents anyway.
onehundredandtwo.

 

design for your visitors make the site interface easy to navigate and user friendly the first impression is what keeps most site visitors.

 

@p4t
I have read "Don't make me think" already. I got some main ideas of website layout and navigation from that. Thanks.

@wd_2k6
Thanks for your advising. It's absolutely need a good plan. But I want to know about where can I find the best source of your "education" of these tools in your post?

@CDZ
Yes, you dude have the right stick. While I was inpatient of this, I always have a flawed website.

@onehundredandtwo
Thanks for your 2 cents.
I think that's the great problem in my life. I always be inpatient with what I was fond of in a short time... I am trying to do better.

@phpwnes
Yup, you're right.