Web design is a constantly evolving industry. As new user interfaces, browser technology, and coding practices evolve, Houston web design experts are finding more flexibility when creating visual elements, features, and usability tools.
Although improvements are good, any usage of such new tools should be properly paced because human nature prefers familiarity over functionality. For example, when Facebook made major changes in their user interface, many complaints were given despite the newly introduced functions. This happened because more people wanted to stay with what was known rather than learn something new.
The same concept can be applied when redesigning a website. People would rather continue with an outdated feature or function rather than exert the effort to learn how to use a new one. So it is important to introduce any website changes at a pace that can be easily followed and learned. So how can an expert of web design in Houston introduce change while maintaining stability? Consider the following answers to that question.
Design Stability Tips
- Keep Layout Similarities – The first thing to remember when redesigning a website is to keep the layout constant. The layout serves as a guideline for content flow, feature location, and various links to parts of the site. It plays an important role in website usability as it guides users to desired pages. When a particular web page is widely used, be sure the new version retains many of the old layout features so users will feel comfortable with that newer form.
- Make Interval Changes – When implementing changes, do it at a designated pace to allow time for users to adapt to the change and learn it before introducing another new design detail. Ideally, only 30 to 40% percent of a website should be changed in a year – and a full redesign no more often than every 3 years. This is an ideal pace because it offers adequate time for users to adjust and designers to test the effectiveness of any new features.
- Retain Dominant Themes – Retain visual cues to help the website be recognized. It is easier to identify a new redesign when it has retained recognizable features such as the original logo, theme, header, and navigation menu location. A regular visitor to the website will still be able to know that they are at the right internet location and not somewhere else.
With the large number of yearly improvements in web design as well as the diversity of viewing platforms, it is good to keep up with changes in order to optimize website functionality and useability. So before implementing any major web design changes, consider user wants and needs – and don’t loose the appeal of the original website in the redesign process!
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