5 Steps for a Successful Website Design

The process of creating a successful website doesn’t have to be very complex. However, there are certain steps that anyone who is about to begin a website design process needs to have in mind. So, here’s a step-by-step tutorial to creating a user-friendly website, from focusing on your clients’ needs to designing your own prototype.

Step 1: Pay Attention to Your Clients’ Needs

Ok, to start off, you’ll need as much information as you can get from your clients. It is very important to get acquainted with your website design clients by asking questions that will tell you more about their business. What you need to recognise is what they are looking for, what their interest are, as well as what is it that they dislike. In particular, you want to focus on the purpose of the website, who the target audience is, and who your competitors are going to be. Then, figure out what actions you want the visitors to take.

Step 2: Brainstorm Your Ideas

When it comes to brainstorming, writing down what first comes to your mind would be the most efficient way to gather your ideas. All you need is a piece of paper and a pen. You can start with a scratch or a circle, then your ideas will come naturally. It doesn’t matter if you are on your way to work, or drinking coffee with your friends, a creative idea can pop to your head any time and, when it does, write it down. Eventually, you will compile your inspiration and decide what you should include in your website.

Step 3: Think about the Layout

Likewise, the best approach to creating a skeletal framework of your website is, well, by using a piece of paper and a pen. What you need to do is list all the elements you want to include in your website and then arrange them on the page. You can do that on a paper or by using any wireframe tool, such as Photoshop. You may as well meet with your clients and discuss the placement for your content.

Step 4: Choose Your Style Tiles

Creating your style tiles is very important as it presents the image, the mood and the tone of voice of your website, according to your client’s visual preference that you’ve previously discussed. All these aspects will help you make choices on how to use the elements of design in a way that the client will understand. Think about how these elements are going to interact with each other and how the visitor will move around the site.

Step 5: Design Your Prototype

Now that you’ve decided upon your wireframe and style tiles, all that’s left to do is combine them together. As soon as you do, you’ll start seeing how your website will really look like. Prototyping is a synonym for building a model of the website before you shape the actual website. Some designers choose to design their prototypes on Photoshop, while others prefer inVision or UXpin. The choice is up to you.

The Examples of Top 3 UX Websites

Due to the fact that there is no second chance for making a first impression, it is very important that your homepage is perfect - as it is your virtual front door. Some of the best practices of homepage design is Virgin America. It is a leading booking site that offers flight schedules, duration and other important details regarding travel to your preferred destinations. Plus, it allows you to navigate easily, as well as quickly find the most attractive offers alongside the best deals.

In terms of design, it is also important for a webpage to be narrowly focused and another great example is the international news site The Guardian. Their homepage is the place where visitors choose to stay instead of navigating to their competitors.

Also, let’s not forget one of the best gaming sites in the iGaming world, AskGamblers. Not only it is optimised for multiple devices, but this portal also includes calls to action. Additionally, their design is constantly changing, which is a big plus.