Xondie

Over the years I have found several design choices that, if avoided, would render a much better user experience. As with all design choices, there are no hard and fast rules but in general you can’t go wrong with following any of these guidelines. I have seen every one of these rules broken far too often on otherwise nice websites.

1. White text on black background – or even worse gray text on black background. This is very difficult to read. Nothing tells me that you are putting fashion over content more than this combination. If you are trying to evoke a particularly dark persona or your site doesn’t have much written content requiring any level of concentration, you can get away with it. Otherwise, make it easy for people to read your words. Especially if that’s why they came.
2. Small paragraph text. If you are concerned with reaching the over 40 crowd, don’t make them lean in to see your content. 13 pixels is a good base size for paragraph text. People can resize browser text but most people don’t know how to do this. Making your paragraphs a little bigger avoids frustrating users, and it makes a site feel more welcoming.
3. Lack of paragraph breaks. Nothing says “move on” like a page full of unbroken text in one giant paragraph. Unless users have to read it, or it is an extremely useful or amusing article, they will move on much more quickly than if the content were broken up into smaller bits. Remember, people don’t read online the same way they read a book. They scan content looking for key phrases or interesting points. Breaking your content up helps them to do that. It also forces you to tighten up your writing – something that is always appreciated.
4. Full screen text width. When a line of text is very long, it is hard to follow the line you are reading. Keep your text areas no wider than 600 pixels. There is a reason paperbacks are the size they are. The same principle works on the web.
5. Automatically launching things that make noise. I don’t care how great your music is. Let me decide if I want to interrupt my play list to hear your song. Oftentimes, people are browsing at work and don’t want to broadcast that fact to their boss. Or they are listening to a live stream with their headphones on loud when your guitar intro or sales pitch hammers their eardrums. The established artists and brands can get away with this, but if you are not a household name (or even if you are) be a good citizen and don’t surprise your visitors.

Remember, users come to a site for content – not to see clever design choices. Make it easy for them to consume your content and they will thank you by returning and referring their friends.

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