Look Both Ways: Web Design School Teaches Designers Two-way Communication
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by Ellen Foster
Web Design School Review Columnist
When customers encounter a poorly-designed Website, frustration often drives them—and their business—elsewhere. For example, a Web site for a local softball league caused all kinds of irritation when people interested in joining couldn’t find any contact information on the home page. Eventually, someone found a buried email address that allowed users to request information; the few who did had to wait weeks for a response. If the site owner—or web designer—had had any web design education, he could have avoided this amateurish mistake and earned some satisfied customers in the process.
Prominently Post Your Email Contact in Web Design
Sound business practice dictates that a Web design should always include contact information—a prominently displayed email address at the very least. Additionally, a home page should include a phone number, business address, and fax—the same information that would go on business cards, stationary, and marketing materials. If the contact information crowds the home page’s Web design, a prominent link to an information page can function as a worthy substitute. Once the contact information has been posted, someone needs to monitor the communication it generates. It’s great to create a highly-trafficked Website, but if no one monitors electronic communications, the site will quickly lose its base.
Web Design School Teaches Technique…and Manners
Sometimes common sense and courtesy are conspicuously absent from the World Wide Web, and while most people don’t expect every organization to employ a professionally-educated Web designer, the softball league site discussed above serves as a reminder that designing a business Website without any contact information could mean disaster. Web design school is the perfect place to learn all aspects of the design process—even those elusive good manners.
About the Author
Ellen Foster is a freelance writer and teacher. She has worked with students of all ages
Source(s):
“Content and Feedback,” Web Style Guide
Posted at 12:31 PM on March 31, 2007
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