Rich, fast, calm, simple
Rich
The reason people visit websites is for the content.
Users rate content as a website's most important aspect. A good website design lets
users go straight to the content and presents this with minimal distraction. All other
things being equal, users will prefer the site which is fast, clean and functional.
Users want to get to the point. They do not want to be distracted by 'features'. A nice
looking site with no content is a waste of time and money.
Fast
Users really hate slow websites.
Users want to get to the content quickly. Time is precious to them. They hate slow ads,
pages that don't appear, naviagtion systems that takes ages to load, pages and pages of
forms, pages that say nothing. Research on response times shows the same results for
the last 30 years - 0.1 seconds is instant, 1 second is quick enough to be fast but
give feedback that something is happening, 10 seconds is just short enough to keep the
viewer's interest.
Calm
A calm site increases your reputation with users because it appears sober and task-oriented.
A calm website that lets users get on with their business without irritating them
increases the chance of repeat visits. Users seek reassurance and efficiency. Pointless
bells and whistles annoy users. Annoyed users means no business. The aim is to delight,
not annoy, visitors so they are inclined to return.
Simple
Most users have problems with websites because they are confusing.
A
design that helps users find their way around and complete tasks is essential.
Navigating the web is like walking through a forest, with overgrown paths leading in
all directions. You can't quite see where the path is going. Simple sites are like
clearings in the trees where the sun streams in and the paths are well-trodden. If your
lost in the forest, well you're lost. If you're lost on the web, or inside a website,
you can just hit the home button and never visit that site again.
Page in a book = pizza, page on the web = ingredients for pizza + recipe Pizza v ingredients
Shotgun The contract on the web is for a single page
