Hello there!
In this article, we will take a look at some of the steps involved in building great websites. A great website is a combination of different elements of website design brought together to achieve great results.
You must think strategically and always have the end result of achieving the perfect website, in your mind. Creating websites is the ultimate goal and just a web designer cannot hope to accomplish this by themselves. Some of the different skills involved in creating your overall website are copywriting, typography, layout, art etc.
But first, we must define what Strategic design is.
How can you define Strategic design?
It can be defined as the fusion of organizational goals with different aspects of a design process. The interface you design as a whole will help you accomplish different objectives of the organization.
Sometimes web designers spend too much time in designing the aesthetic but fail to achieve their function. When designing it is important to be focused more on your technique and style as the aesthetic is incredibly important.
With the help of web design, you will be creating an interface which communicates the right message by being functional and accessible, by exuding the right feelings on the website!
Here are 6 simple steps to think strategically to keep in mind while thinking of the strategic design of your website:
- Establishing your overall goals:
The first major step in figuring out how to get started with your website is to be clear about the goals that you are trying to accomplish as an organization or a corporation.
Understanding what the main purpose of a website is also crucial in designing the website.
A website is simply an interface which serves a particular function and its main aim is to deliver informational content. Depending on the major goals of designing your website could be to sell products, deliver products or provide access to a particular service or product.
- Identifying your audience:
Your audience is a crucial part of designing your website as they will be the end-users and readers of your website. There are many different demographics which can influence your overall designs such as:
- Age
- Gender
- Profession
- Technical Competency
For example, if your website sells games to a younger audience then the website style looks different compared to a website selling software to a more mature audience.
- Helping to determine your overall brand image:
There are many designers who get carried away with using the latest trends of web design such as gradients, shiny buttons and much more. This kind of flashy designs may look attractive but would not be suitable for the brand image of your organization.
When thinking about the colour of your website, it is important to know about the feelings and emotions that you want to achieve with the design of your brand. Your website will definitely leave an impression on your readers, it is your role as a designer to make sure that the impression that you leave on them is positive in nature.
- Designing with a specific goal in mind:
Once you have established what goal you hope to accomplish, it is important to design your website with your audience and brand image of your company in mind.
- Measuring results:
After this step, it is time to finally measure your results! This can be done by looking for patterns in the data that you collect. It is important to always keep a track, as this is a good way of measuring your key objectives. In conclusion, strategical websites depend on these elements coming and working together to ensure that your website fulfils its purpose through design.
