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Top 15 Webmaster Mistakes
By: Holly M. Burns, hollyb@dgsys.com
January 1997
I am the creator and designer of over six web sites, including the Dog Hause, a popular web
page that now gets over 400 hits a day. Through time, by both my own and other
web visitors observations, I have seen my early web site mistakes and have
corrected them. From this web site, I give out the Dog Gone Good Award, an
award given for excellence in animal related web design. Each month, over sixty
people apply for this award, and only three or four sites receive it. I visit
each site personally and carefully consider what is the best and worst of web
design. I am also an English and art student, and have a keen understanding of
what the experts say makes good design and readability. This paper addresses the
top fifteen mistakes of first-time web designers.
1. Using Frames
Often web designers break up the browser window with separate sub-windows.
These divisions are called frames. Although frames are supposed to help web
visitors navigate easier, frequently they just confuse them. When clicking on an
item to move forward, visitors are uncertain what information will appear where,
or in what sub-window. A sub-window used as a reference can suddenly disappear
and be filled with new information about the last thing requested. And to make
matters worse, after hitting the back arrow to return to the sub-window, the
visitor may be popped out of the entire web site altogether, possibly jumping
back several places to the earlier page, just before entering the framed web
site. This can be particularly frustrating for the web visitor.
Another difficulty is many framed web sites depend on specific screen sizes.
When a visitor with a different sized screen tries to view the framed page, all
of the site's information may be garbled or misplaced. Designers who insist on
using frames should create a no-frame version of their site, as well, for the
people who prefer it.
2. Going Overboard with High Tech
Some designers delight in using little "tricks," such as input
boxes, opening new browser windows or background music. The first time a visitor
experiences these, the visitor may be impressed. However, after a few more
visits, the viewer will just be annoyed. It is best to stay away from these
types of things.
3. Under Construction Signs
All good web pages are always under construction, but some web designers
still insist on placing a under construction icon on their site. This graphic
comes from the designers feelings of insecurity. They know their page is
incomplete or not functioning, so they put up a little sign that is supposed to
excuse them from any problems their site may have. Problem sites are
recognizable with or without under construction signs. Good web designers should
not put up a site until they feel comfortable enough to display it without the
under construction warning.
[What UC icons say
about you!]
4. Misusing Graphics
No matter how fast an Internet connection is, the graphics on web sites take
a long time to load. Large graphics can take several minutes to load, because
the average computer user is only receiving 28,800 bits of information per
second. To avoid having people leave a site, due to boredom, designers must omit
large graphics or large amounts of graphics. When selecting images, they should
include only graphics that add value to their site content, and they should
"shrink" large graphics using computer software specifically made to
re-size images.
Because some users still cannot see pages graphically, a web site should not
be overly dependent on graphics. For graphics that direct the visitor to an
alternate location, designers should include a graphic's text equivalent through
navigational bars, and the ALT attribute when using the IMG element. The ALT
attribute allows web visitors who are using text based web browsers to view a
short text description where graphics are normally displayed.
5. Ransom Notes Fonts
It is a problem with desktop designer newbies and now it is a problem with
web designer newbies. Designers are caught up in all the available fonts,
colors, sizes and styles, and they are using them all. Because text needs to
convey information, and not complicate it, good designers must limit themselves
to one or two fonts. Also, when text is too small or too large, it is difficult
to read. Type for body text should be set to "normal" while headlines
should be a little bigger (+1 to +3). Large body copy is distracting, and a sure
sign of the web designer's insecurity. "Big" information does not hide
a page's lack of content.
When emphasizing text, do not underline it. Highlight text by using bold,
italics or different colors. Underlining makes words more difficult to read and
it also confuses the web visitor, because text that links visitors to alternate
locations, is underlined as well.
6. Complex Backgrounds
Many web sites offer libraries of background graphics that designers can use
free on their web sites. It is tempting to pick the most beautiful or ornate
background styles, but these should be avoided at all costs. A complex
background may make a beautiful art piece, but it does a lousy job as a backing
for text. It confuses the eye.
In this same vein, designers must remember to use contrasting colors for the
background and the text. If a light text color is used on a light background, it
will be hard to read, as dark text on a dark background will be hard to read as
well.
For web visitors unable to view graphics, text should be readable for them as
well. Even if the designers have a background image, they must assign a
background color for their site that does not blend in with the text. For users
who can see graphics, it will not make a difference because they will see the
background graphic, and for users who cannot see the background graphic it will
make all the difference in the world. Remember, type must always be readable.
7. Too Many Animations
 Designers must never include more than one or two page elements that
move constantly. Moving images have an overpowering effect on vision and
distract the viewer from observing any other elements. These misused moving
elements include animated graphics, blinking text, and scrolling marquees.
8. Orphan Pages
All web pages should include a clear indication of what site they belong to,
because some users may access the minor pages indirectly without coming through
the main home page. For the same reason, every page on a web site should have a
link returning to its home page.
9. No Organization
Pages should be user-friendly. An index or menu helps the web visitor find
the desired information. To support simple navigation between the pages on a web
site, designers should use a similar layout between one page and the next.
10. No Unique Content
One of the biggest threats to the Internet is the amazing number of people
beginning to use it. It is starting to become a large entanglement of
meaningless information. Many pages say nothing more than "This is my home
page," with a collection of links that connect to the same collections of
sites as the last page the web visitor just looked at. The real key is content.
Before any site is created, its designer should have something to say. The web
site should not restate what other web sites have said, and should not attempt
to create the ultimate navigational tool for web visitors. A page of only links
adds to the clutter and chaos of the web. There are plenty of great search
engines out there, like Yahoo and Alta Vista, that already provide an
adequate assortment of links.
11. Too Many Ideas
Some people have too many things to say. They are excited about the
opportunity to make a web page, but they do not know why they want to make one
or what they want to accomplish by doing so. Many small business pages also
include hobbies and facts about their employees. Although personal information
can be interesting, it does not belong on a business web site. It is
unprofessional.
Personal web sites can also run into the difficulty of mixed motifs. Some web
designers start out by saying their name, and then talk about the company they
work for, and then their pets, and then how much they like scuba diving, and
then all the great things that can be done with shell fish. This information is
unfocused and scattered, and does not display well on a web site. The web
designer's solution is either to focus on one topic or to create a menu page
that includes links which bring the visitor to separate pages for each topic.
12. No Authoritativeness
What makes the web so frustrating is that there are no tests or rules
designers have to take or follow before they can post information about
anything, and claim they are experts. A web page should be more then another
unsubstantiated source of information. Designers should include their names and
credentials on their web site, and provide the source materials and raw data to
justify any conclusions they may make.
13. Outdated Links or Information
If a page claims to be current, designers should put the time and effort
into it by keeping it current. No one wants to read outdated information or see
broken links
14. Negative Declarations
With the discouragement that some web designers receive after realizing how
hard it is to create a good web site, they become negative and insecure towards
their page and themselves. This frustration causes numerous designers to put
negative comments about their page through out it. It is not uncommon to see a
page start with, "This is my stupid page." Even though these
statements may help the web designers feel less embarrassed about their web
pages, negative statements make the site worse. Most web visitors are turned off
by this approach. If the page's own designer thinks the page is stupid, why
would any one else want to see it?
15. Link Problems
When creating documents, links should be meaningful and readable. The text
of links should flow well within the context of the rest of the text, and the
text should be able to stand alone as a printable document. Oftentimes designers
either make full lines of text link-able or use click-here statements to
navigate the web visitor. Instead, keywords should be highlighted and link-able
within the text.
Content is by far the most important element on any web page. If the page
says nothing, the web visitor will leave. By avoiding these 15 mistakes, web
designers can use design as a tool to enhance their sites' content, rather then
distract from it.
? 1997 Holly M. Burns
(This paper may be reproduced in its entirety, as long as Holly Burns, the author, is credited and a
reference is made back to the Dog Hause, http://www.doghause.com/
or Dog Hause Designs, http://www.doghause.com/dhd/dhdmenu.html.
Although it is not necessary, a complimentary copy of any publication where the
article is included would also be appreciated. For more information on linking
to this site, take a look at Linking
Back! or Link to Dog
Hause. This paper may NOT be reproduced in sections. Questions or comments?
Please send email, hollyb@dgsys.com)
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