Define

• Definition
• Aesthetics
• Analogies
• Appraisal and testing
• Bad web sites
• Business vision
• Content management
• Design approaches
• Design theory
• Dotcom shakeout
• Information architecture
• Retail dilemma
• Top ten websites
• Useful links
• Web geography
• Web jobs
• Web planning
• Web technology

Design theory

The dictionary (OED) explains that a theory is 'a supposition or system of ideas explaining something'. Design theories explain how to produce designs. Since design for the web is a new activity, it lacks a body of tried and tested design theory. But it can learn from other design activities, notably from the built environment design professions. Web design has technical, aesthetic and functional dimensions, as do:

• Town Planning
• Landscape Design
• Architecture
• Interior Design

A key point to note, because it also applies to websites, is that there is a scale-relationship between these disciplines, ranging from large to small, and that the technical/aesthetic/functional considerations apply in different ways at each of the design scales. There is much complexity and my view, deriving from Geddes and Alexander, is that patterns can have a key methodological role in organizing and inter-connecting ideas.

For landscape design, the patterns can be classified as natural, social, aesthetic and archetypal. A good design is most likely to arise when the patterns can be harmoniously inter-related.

For website design, the patterns might be classified as structural, social, aesthetic and archetypal. A good design is most likely to arise when the patterns can be harmoniously inter-related.

For environmental design, the authors who have given most thought to the use of archetypes are Carl Jung and Christopher Alexander. Geoffrey Jellicoe considered the relationship of Jungian archetypes to landscape design. Christopher Alexanders work on a pattern language for the built environment has received more attention from object-oriented computer programmers than it has from architects. It is a book with significant implications for web designers.

For web design, we have some emerging Alexander-archetypes (Topbar, Sidebar, Site Map, Contact Page, Blue Link) but little thought has been given to Jungian-archetypes. The subject could be approached with a 'Man and his Symbols' iconographic analysis of website design.

Alternative design methods

Traditional - amateur

1. Design a homepage
2. Add a navigation system
3. Create a template for subsequent pages

Scientific professional

1. Write a list of words to characterise the 'look and feel' of the proposed website [exciting, surprising, relaxing, elegant, cool, hot, sleazy, etc]
2. Produce a set of mock-ups
3. Market test the mock-ups with  focus groups
4. Devise and test navigation systems

Engineering 

[This procedure is taken from page 110 of Low and Hall Hypermedia and the web - an engineering approach]

1. Requirements
2. Rapid Prototyping
3. Design
4. Implementation
5. Integration
6. Maintenance

Intuitive

1. Let the eye rove through books, galleries, town and country until you hit on a set of images
2. Bash out a test page
3. Persuade the client its a wow
4. Spend, spend spend.

Graphic

1. Select a theme
2. Find an image to epitomise the theme
3. Cut up the image to create a navigation structure

Website Architecture

1. Review the business issues
2. Review the technical issues
3. Review the content and navigation issues
4. Review the graphic issues
5. Implement  a balanced, beautiful and user-friendly design