Web Application Development - Lecture 4

Design is “the process of originating and developing a plan for an
aesthetic and functional object, which usually requires considerable
research, thought, modelling and iterative adjustment” .
With regard to the web, this involves the arrangement of content into
graphical models that can be used as a basis for coding a site.
Figure 5. Website Design as a phase of the Website Development Cycle.
Some of the ways in which good design can add value to your site
include:
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• By facilitating a visitor’s online experience, e.g. through clear
navigation and an intuitive structure.
• By communicating information, e.g. through diagrams and
charts.
• By transmitting brand values, e.g. by using corporate colours.
• By creating or reinforcing a desired emotional response, e.g.
through an appropriate use of imagery, colour and other
elements.
The Website Design Process
Website Design is composed of several distinct disciplines, each of which
embraces a range of skills. The sequence in which these are employed
tends to follow a given pattern, encompassing the following steps:
• Information Architecture
• Interaction Design
• Interface Design
• Navigation Design
• Information Design
• Visual Design
It should be noted that there is no clearly defined point of separation
between these activities. In fact, some of them occur in parallel. For
example, Interaction and Navigation Design handle a very similar set of
challenges, i.e. how to move through a website.