Web Designer Idea- Designers Talk About Web Design Thinking

Author: Liang Jinghong / Country: Mainland China
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-07-01
Features: Mediocrity in comprehensiveness, bloated website content
As the saying goes, "Superiority becomes mediocre in comprehensiveness, and is lost in excess." We all know that when extras are all vying for screen time, the main character cannot perform; only when the stage is quiet can those on stage deliver powerful performances. Website development is no different. Many advocate that a website should have everything, be all-inclusive, and be grand, thinking this will satisfy any visitor. In the past few years, this idea wasn’t entirely wrong—portal sites could attract massive traffic, and only high-traffic websites could be considered media, earning advertising revenue. But the current online landscape is different. Specialized websites are just as important as large portals, with entirely different economic models. Moreover, due to their size, portals cannot be precise, and when we need specialized information, we still turn to single-focus sites.
Not only that, if a client tells you to highlight a specific part of the design, the creative focus becomes clear, and the work can effectively convey the intended message. But if a client says to highlight "multiple parts," then nothing stands out. This is equivalent to not understanding the target audience, treating all visitors as the target audience, and assuming every type of visitor should be captured. In the section on target users, Relen has already mentioned that the target audience is not the same as visitors—only a portion of visitors are our target audience. To lose focus on a specific group for the sake of a vague one may prove to be a loss.
Assuming we have established a unique and advantageous aspect and built the website around it, continuously adding new content over time will eventually lead to bloating, where the advantage may vanish. The positioning becomes increasingly vague, and the result is often that nothing is achieved. If a website has become bloated, it needs to be repositioned—reduced in size, weakened in certain areas, and simplified.
For a humorous analogy, as the things on our computers increase, the machine becomes slower. But when it comes to deleting things, everyone gets anxious. To trim certain parts of a website and make the advantage prominent may touch every nerve of the client. But computers are personal matters that can be addressed gradually, while websites are big business involving profit recovery—decisions should be made early.
Visual identity is insufficient; use a slogan to strengthen it. As a designer, when planning a website, one will never forget one key point—VIS. Ironically, many companies don’t even have a logo, let alone a VIS, and platform or information websites similarly neglect visual identity systems. While this section doesn’t delve deeply into VIS or its design, it’s important to mention an aspect related to establishing a website’s image—slogans or identity slogans.
For a company, its philosophy is a combination of many elements, so the identity slogan should not be detached from this system but should align perfectly with the entire corporate philosophy. It should integrate the company’s business purpose, principles, spirit, and values, expressed concisely in the form of a slogan. Applying this concept to website development involves summarizing the website’s philosophy, operations, and values into a short, guiding, and motivational sentence or phrase, thereby conveying the website’s identity in a tangible way. This can exponentially boost the effectiveness of establishing the website’s image and marketing efforts.
For example:
- Relen’s 80 Design Studio: "We are the experts in understanding clients!"
- WOSION Business Network (providing corporate website services): "WOSION! WOSION! Professional digital solution providers, sincerely serving you!"
- Lenovo’s website: "Lenovo—Your amazing world!"
- Hanayam Music (a musical instrument manufacturer): "Leading the trend in design!"
- QuailtyBlankets.Pro (a textile company for international sales): "Quality Blankets. Professional Service!"
- Product China (a platform website): "Product China, Chinese Products! Push your products to the world!"
It’s essential to ensure the slogan aligns with the website’s image. Otherwise, the slogan becomes meaningless. Many websites use slogans like "The No. 1 ××× Website" or "The Best ××× Website," but in reality, their pages are disorganized, and their content is scattered. Such websites are like telling lies—they undermine the trust of visitors.
Website slogans must avoid being generic, empty, unrealistic, or frequently changed. Even if a website’s VIS system is well-designed, it cannot replace the promotional and driving role of a slogan. VIS is abstract and graduallys, and cannot be communicated verbally. A slogan, however, makes the website more concrete and easier to "speak" about.
In design, the slogan can appear in the page’s Title, banner ads, internal illustrations, business cards, fax paper, client emails, forum signatures, and subscriber newsletters. According to Relen’s experience, discussing this topic with clients—especially when they are unaware of its importance—will surprise them with your expertise.
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