Design with purpose.

June 1, 2006

I know you’re anxious to get online, and that’s a good thing. However, planning your approach to the web needs to be well thought-out and strategic.

If your website is new to the Internet, rather than a redesign, it may make sense to go with a clean and simple template design to communicate your message.

Some reasons for using a template (initially):

• Lower cost design
• Development time reduction
• Easier maintenance for the content manager
• Many design choices

The most important thing to spend time on is refining your message. Too much time spent on colors and dancing baloney may prove counter-productive in the end. Knowing what you want to say and how you say it are critical tasks to complete ahead of any design or development work.

Once you’re comfortable with the information you would like to deliver, it can then be situated in a template design that enhances the overall site experience.

Afraid that your site will look like all the others? Don’t be. Just take a look at Template Monster. This is just one example of an online template warehouse.

Don’t forget that your site design will evolve over time and, initially, the most important task is to get your information online with a clean presentation that won’t deter your target audience from visiting.