Why Web Design Matters

Why is web design needed? What purpose does it serve? Why does it matter?

I will be answering these questions as I go along, but they are a bit more complicated than just a one-word answer.

Feeling/Looks

If you really think about it, designers have existed since the dawn of man. Take a look at the thought, architecture, and construction that went into building the ancient pyramids. The world of design is distinct from other professions because it consistently leads to the creation of unique objects. Every object or shape can evoke emotions, feelings, and thoughts in people. Because the work as a designer can be critiqued, it is very important to be open to that.

Brands need to relate their image to display who they are and, more importantly, express what they do. Strong visual design plays a direct role in reputation management by shaping how trustworthy, credible, and professional a brand appears at first glance. The more a brand is straightforward with what it is about, the more likely it is for a consumer to understand. If a consumer understands what type of product/service you are selling, the easier it is for the target audience to respond.

Design is needed because its portrayal of the brand pulls the target audience in and allows the target audience to be taken to the next step. Once the target audience has been pulled, the design must also use that compelling notion that your target audience has felt, and allow the sales process to be as smooth as possible. Effective lead management builds on this by capturing, organizing, and guiding user actions so interest is not lost once the design has done its job. The process should be like a fish hooking onto your line and coming up to the surface without a fight, looking you in the eye, and saying thank you.

Usability

It is often forgotten that design isn’t just the way something looks, but it is very much about function, or what something does. What is the point of having a Ferrari without that nice V12 engine? Well, to be honest, I guess you can still turn it into a bed frame like the miniature twin one you once had as a child, or a twin XL if you were a bigger child.

In all seriousness, though, usability is a big aspect of design. ADA website compliance extends usability by ensuring that people of all abilities can navigate, understand, and interact with a website without unnecessary barriers. User experience design is what takes your consumer from point A to point B in the easiest fashion with as few redundancies as possible. Responsive website design ensures this experience remains consistent across devices, allowing users to move seamlessly from interest to action, whether they are on desktop, tablet, or mobile. The faster the sales, the less work the consumer has to do in order to purchase your product/service, the more revenue that comes in yada yada yada…

If you do not have the thought of usability in your design, you can be putting the consumer under some serious stress. If your website’s call to action is unclear, it can be like having a line out the door in a coffee shop, and no one has a clue how to get to the register to pay for their item. Usability of design is needed because it allows the target audience to act upon their feelings.

A good design includes emphasizing systems thinking and storytelling of brands. The main reason why design is needed is so that consumers and target audiences (people) understand easily the world you put them in. Search engine optimization supports this clarity by structuring content and design in a way that search engines—and users—can easily interpret and find.

My final note is that one must never sacrifice good looks for functionality.