If you have just hired a web designer, you need to read this. Web design is a young industry, and often in it, there are those who are experienced and those who are not. Regardless of all, for the most productive project to be completed to good design and marketing standards so here are some constructive web design criticisms.
Â
1. Your gut feeling – think about it
When you see a design you do not like, you first reaction may be to say “I don’t like it!” if you cannot provide reasons why you don’t like it, keep it to yourself for the time being. Instead, try asking why. e.g. “Why did you use this purple and white colour scheme when our company’s corporate colours are green and blue?” You may find a hidden meaning which you could not think about, or you can shine some light onto the designer you are working with to improve. Sudden expressions such as “I don’t like, I just don’t like it change it” is useless feedback as it does not give the designer any where to go from there.
2. Be specific and offer suggestions if appropriate
The more specific you are in complimenting or criticising a design the more helpful you will be. Use descriptive terminology, point to areas where you feel need improvement and the reasoning’s why and then back up your thoughts with reasons. These will help the designer work more efficiently rather than guess work.
3. Consider the audience, always
One day you may be presented with a website designed for the under 20’s age group. Take this into consideration. The easiest way to judge if a website is appropriate is to put yourself in the users shoes.
4. Know the jargon
The best thing to be able to give proper criticism and to become a more educated designer to study the principals used to judge design and to learn the jargon that goes with it. In order to critique form, you need to know the principals and patterns and why things are done in the way they are. Without understanding the bare basics, it would be difficult
