Designing a website that converts users into customers or clients is the main aim of any company online. By focusing design attention on the interests and requirements of your website users, this can be achieved. But what is user centred design? And what are the advantages of user centred web design?
What is user centred web design?
User centred design is all about putting the user at the centre of the design choices and decisions to ensure the best possible user experience. This is underpinned by four key principles, which are:
- Visibility- people need to be able to see your website content and know how to use this, the instant that they land on your website.
- Legibility- making sure that text is easy to read on all screen sizes and devices
- Availability- the website needs to make interactive features clear and available for website users so that the information they need is easy to access. This includes buttons, menus and navigation bars.
- Language: making sure the language is catered to your audience and ensuring that this is easy to understand and not full of specific jargon.
Applying these principles to the design of your website means that you can create a user centred web design.
What are the advantages of user centred web design?
There are a number of benefits and advantages to creating a website that is designed to be user centred. These advantages include:
- Improving sales, bookings and sign ups- when you design a website that is user centred, all of the features of the website are built around the website user and this means that the website will be easier to use. As a result, the website user, or potential customer or client is less likely to encounter frustration on your website, and will instead be able to find what they are looking for quickly and easily with a positive browsing experience. This can all result in increased sales, bookings or sign ups.
- Improving overall design- user centred web design can focus your design ideas and attention and help to tie all the aspects of your design together. From the typography to the imagery, a central focus can help you create a stylish and practical website that is sure to please your website users.
- Improve performance against competition- If your website is designed with the needs, expectations and requirements of your website users and potential customers and clients in mind, then you’re company is more likely to perform well online. Customers are more likely to be interested in what you have to offer, and will be more likely to fully engage with your website and content, which can make your website and company more memorable, and improve consumer relations. As a result, this may increase your ability to compete in your sector.
For more information or advice, or for high quality, professional web design solutions, get in touch with the experts today, here at Pumpkin Web Design Manchester. We are Manchester’s leading web design professionals. We work with a variety of companies across Manchester, and the North West, including those in Blackburn and Chorley, to provide high quality web design solutions.