Talk Web Design

When you are designing a web page, testing the page extensively is definitely a must. The only thing that separates you from complete failure in designing a successful site is a test. You may think the layout works great, but users may not share the same opinion. Before you use the design, do this next couple of tests to make sure the design works for you, not against you.

First, test the site using different browsers, operating systems, and screen sizes. If you don’t have the needed hardware, there are tools offering you the luxury of testing your site using different engines. You can also use virtualization to help you test your site on different operating system. Play with screen resolutions and see if your site still appears nicely.

Test functions of the design as well. Dead links or malfunctioning elements can send your visitors away in an instant; double check to make sure they are working perfectly. If you use animations and lots of page elements, be sure to check if the loading time and visibility are still at an acceptable — or comfortable, to be exact — level.

You can ask close friends and relatives to visit their site and give their opinion, just to get a hang of how the design functions for inexperienced users. Run a beta if you need and provide accessible feedback form to get users’ opinions.

Although not many web designers realize the importance — and potential uses — of whitespace, this particular page element is actually very important. Whitespace is basically space or distance around elements in the design to help them stand out or separate from the other elements; it is simply the empty spaces in a design. When used correctly, whitespace can enhance the overall look and usability of your site greatly.

Whitespace can be used to improve your site’s readability. Simply use whitespace to arrange elements and contents in a way that will make the site more usable to users. If you feel a certain part of your site is overcrowded, use whitespace to separate different elements and make the area more readable.

Whitespace can also function as important keys to perfect cross-browser layout. Although different browsers handle whitespace differently, there are codes and elements you can use to make your site look perfect when viewed with different browsers with the help of whitespace.

Last but not least, I also use whitespace to tone down web pages. If you want to add elegance to the overall design, use whitespace and tone down your page layout a little. It will make your layout appears with lots of separations and good flow.