Be Consistent Yet Creative in Web Design!

Consistency is so much a part of our lives that we take it for granted. For example, when your purchase an automobile from any manufacturer there are certain consistencies they have in common. The steering wheel, pedals, and gear shift are usually in the same position on all vehicles. This eliminates having to relearn driving skills each time you use a different make and model vehicle. That level of consistency is also needed when designing a web site. Each page must be consistent with all other pages on the site in certain key areas. Also, it is good that your web site be consistent with generally adopted standards on the Web. How can you be consistent while still making pages unique and creative within your web site? Here are some general guidelines that conform to Peterson Style:

1. Navigation must be consistent within the web site. This means that generally, your menus and/or should be located in the same place on every page of your site. Why? Because your viewers expect the navigation to be consistent, just as they expect the steering wheel to be located in the same position on any vehicle. Consistent navigation means that your visitor does not need to search for and relearn how to navigate your site each time they go to a new page.

2. Navigation should be generally consistent with common web practices and standards. Usually, web page navigation menus are located on the top of the page or in the left hand column. Also, text links are generally in the "link blue" color. This is what most viewers expect when visiting any web site. Don't reinvent the wheel. Stick to these general guidelines to make the web browsing experience as easy and familiar to your viewer as possible.

While these guidelines may seem to restrict your creativity, such is not the case. You can be creative within the limits imposed by the Web. Here is an example of how to do so. Look at the examples below.

These three pages are from a health web site. Take note that each page has consistent elements. A main navigation drop down menu and a second drop down menu for pages within a category are on all pages. The design also follows a consistent template (html table cells). The width of paragraphs of text and graphic image width and placement are standardized. However, each page makes rich use of color, graphics and type treatment within consistent standards to give each page a distinct look. Each article has been given a graphic treatment to fit the topic. Perhaps you will find an idea or two here that will help your site to be consistent yet creative!

Key Points From This Article:

• Navigation menus must be consistent for all pages with the web site. They should be in the same position on all pages

• Navigation should be generally consistent with common web practices and standards. Text links are generally blue, navigation menus are usually at the top or on the left side of web pages.

• Within consistent layouts, changes in color, graphics and text treatments allow for a wide use of creativity while maintaining consistency.

NAVIGATION AND EASE OF USE:

A great navigational menu...

Affordable content management for web sites...

Be consistent yet creative...

Think like a user when designing a web site...

Navigation guide...

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