Q. I like the look of black backgrounds on a Web site. Do they work?
A.
Not if you use a reasonable amount of body text. Continuous reverse
body text cannot be comprehended by readers. And the non-standard link
colours can confuse your visitors. This design technique is not
recommended for commercial Web sites.
Q.
What is the ideal background colour?
A.
White or a light, pastel background colour. Link colours should be
standard. 88% of readers prefer the look of black text presented on a
light colour. If you use HTML background colours, use the lightest
available, or close to the lightest. Avoid darker colours, as they reduce
reading contrast and comprehension.
Q.
What fonts should our designer use?
A.
Use 12 point Times New Roman or 12 point Arial for body text on a Web
site. The Times outperforms the Arial at 12 point, but should not be
reduced in size. For reduced text, swap to Arial, which retains its
legibility better at smaller sizes. Ideally, do not reduce the size of
body text on the Web at all. as the speed and comfort of reading is
diminished.
Q.
Can our designer colour the headings?
A.
Yes, but make them bold to compensate, and use darker colours. Avoid
bright colours, as they are more difficult to comprehend. Avoid colours
close to the standard link colours, as they can be misunderstood. Avoid
headings longer than 4 lines, as comprehension drops sharply. Write
shorter, to-the-point headings instead.
Q.
Can our designer colour the body text?
A.
Readers prefer black body text more than any other colour. And it is
easier and faster to read than any other colour. Coloured text may look
“cool”, but it is inappropriate on a business site. Not recommended.
Q.
How wide should the body text be set?
A.
Set your body text no wider than 60 characters, and no narrower than 20
characters. Research has found that comprehension drops off dramatically
once these limits are exceeded. 60 characters of Times New Roman at
default size is about 340 pixels wide. Use an HTML table to limit the
width of your text blocks. Use the extra space on the side of your text
for navigation, links, special offers, etc. Design in a two column grid to
maximise your marketing efforts. Never set the text to the full width of
the browser window - it becomes very difficult to read - nearly impossible
on high resolution monitors.
Q.
Can our designer change the link colours, or leave out the underline?
A.
It is not to be recommended. People are easily confused by custom link
colours and removing the underline can confuse them further. Standard link
colours are comfortable for the visitor and do not diminish their control
over where they want to go, or have been. If your designer suggests
another approach, it will probably only produce usability problems.
Q.
Are capital letters OK in Web headings.
A.
Capitals (caps) are not as readily comprehended as lower case letters.
On average, all-cap headings are 20% harder to comprehend than lower case,
and far slower to read. Short, three word headings might be OK, but avoid
anything longer should be avoided. Not recommended.
Q.
Should I use a Flash intro? Or have a complete Flash site designed?
A.
Flash is not just a creative decision, it is a marketing decision.
Flash cannot be viewed by 30% of Web surfers, so a complete Flash site
would have to outperform a HTML site by at least 130% to regain the lost
traffic. Flash design also suffers from a host of usability problems. A
Flash intro could be OK, but the site needs to be scripted so visitors
only see it once. Repetitive Flash movies are irritating and
counter-productive.
Q.
Why doesn’t my designer know this stuff?
A.
Web site designers are taught by other Web site designers or design
academics, many of whom know little about Web site usability. Traditional
designers learn in the same manner, and do not necessarily study or use
tested design methods either. Do not trust a designer simply because they
are a designer. Many traditional design techniques fail in research and
user testing.
Ian McPherson is a webmaster, graphic artist, designer and writer from
Australia. Ian has extensive experience in advertising, marketing and Web
site design, and is managing director of Ian McPherson Studio in Crows
Nest, a suburb of Sydney, Australia.
The copy in this article is based on “How to get better results from your
designs”, a tutorial available at Ian’s Web site, at:
http://www.ianmc.com.au/ Please refer to the original tutorial for
references, links and acknowledgments.
