| Clutter: Too much noise, too much text, and too little | | | | the success of a website, requiring group consensus |
| white space mean that customers ignore the content. | | | | for decision making will stop a project in its tracks. |
| Customers often scan pages quickly, only reading titles | | | | Bells and whistles: How a site looks is not as important |
| or input prompts until they reach the content they | | | | as the content and the organization of that content. |
| want. Be concise, break text up with headings, not too | | | | Establish the site layout before attempting to finalize |
| many fonts and consider the reading level of your | | | | design. |
| audience. | | | | High-maintenance pages: Static pages based on |
| Confusing navigation: Buttons and menu items should | | | | dynamic information are quickly outdated. Include |
| be apparent, links should look like links. Text should not | | | | dynamic data only if it is needed, and provide a way to |
| look like buttons or links. Customers do not typically | | | | maintain it. |
| read and digest information in linear order and should | | | | Back patting: Don't tell customers how great your |
| be able to move between sections easily. | | | | products are, show them. Keep introductory material |
| Company-centricism: Customers are task-oriented. | | | | to a minimum and focus on your programs or services. |
| They don't know (or care) about departmental | | | | Overcomplicating: Designers tend to approach a site |
| structures, or company jargon. Look at your site as an | | | | as if it should spring whole-formed from their head |
| outsider would, by function or task. Use clear, generic | | | | before it is published. Remember, a website is forever |
| labeling and try to minimize the use of company or | | | | a work in progress and should be approached as |
| industry jargon, acronyms or abbreviations unless | | | | such. Publish the information at hand, and the site can |
| context is provided. | | | | expand and revised as needed according to user |
| Design by committee: Though teamwork is essential to | | | | feedback. |