Web Design Basics
When designing a web you have to keep a few simple basics in mind. Firstly it has to look and be professional. A good Web site design includes informative content, simple and a well structured layout, easy navigation and fast loading graphics. The users should be able to locate information in a quick and simple manner from the correct source.The design should be a user centered design.
Browsers - A website is viewed on a range of computer platforms and browsers. Where the browsers are concerned both the version of the software and the brand are necessary. Different browsers display the same page in different ways. versions don't recognize all the new tag additions and modifications. It is best to verify your Web design on the latest versions of the most popular browsers (Internet Explorer and Firefox).
Consistency – In a professional Web site design, consistency is a very important factor. There should be uniformity in fonts, backgrounds, colors, navigation buttons, etc.
Fonts – Use standard fonts such as Arial, Verdana, and Times New Roman
Navigation - Keep navigation system simple, user-friendly and consistent from page to page. It helps to include a small text menu at the bottom of every page.
Loading time - It is extremely vital to design your pages to load as quickly as possible, which means keeping page sizes as lowas possible. This helps to retain viewer attention and get more traffic. Slow site means losing your viewers to another site. Keep your graphics down to a reasonable size. You can decrease the loading time of your Web site by using common images on your pages. If you need to change images from page to page, try to use common factors from other pages. This is particularly useful for title bars.
Resolution - There are more than 40 different screen resolutions. 98% of users have 800x600 and above resolution - Around 60% use 1024x768 resolution 25% use 1280x1024 and above 14% use 800x600 It's a good idea to design your entire page for 800x600, but keep the width of text within 640 pixels. People with older computers will still be able to read your content, even if some parts of the page require scrolling.
Look at different websites, see their designs and learn from them.