As I look at websites around the web (which I do very often) it disturbs me to see so many sites which have over complicated designs.
OK, it’s great to have a site that’s packed with features, but is it really necessary to throw them all in your face the minute you land on a site?
That’s where you end up with ‘lost’ users who get baffled by what you have to offer. An entirely better approach is to keep things concise, to the point. Users like to be guided, ushered almost into what they have come to your site to achieve.
Let’s compare two examples so you can see what I mean…
Jamie’s Italian Leeds
Personally, if I visit a website for a restaurant there are three main things I want to achieve:
- Look at the menu
- Locate the restaurant
- Place a booking
Jamies Italian’s website for Leeds has all of these three things readily available on the home page… nice work! However, this site does highlight the point I’m trying to make in other ways…
The background, although very nice, takes the emphasis away from the page itself. When I look at this website I find myself admiring the pretty pattern rather than the website itself.
El Gato Negro Website
In complete contrast to Jamies feature rich, concise website, El Gato Negro shows none of the three main things mentioned above. It does have a simple background and some very effective photography but features no ‘calls to action’. It simply seems to be a profile for the restaurant itself.
In my opinion, the perfect website for a restaurant would combine the virtues of the two. A layout which displays the right information, and a design that boasts simplicity and concision.
Take a look at the design below. It is grand, good photography, subtle design and shows 2/3 of my requirements- excellent work!
In summary, sometimes designers (including myself in the past) are guilty of ‘over designing’ websites. This results in a cluttered and unrefined image which causes users to turn away.