Creative people always try to think out of the box and look for the next brilliant idea. We want to create something so unique and incredibly outstanding that it makes the rest of the world pay attention.
But how far is too far? How much can you stretch the boundaries of convention? Where is the point when it all breaks down in functionality, usability or effectiveness and just becomes confusing?
What good is anything if no one knows what it is or what to do with it?
Architects and Engineers Don’t Get Along
A friend of mine is a structural engineer. He designs the framework of many big, flashy signs seen outside casinos in both Las Vegas and around the world.
He’s good at his job. He knows how to make a structure sound, whether it’s a simple bookcase for his office or a 70-foot chandelier in a posh lobby. He understands how loads and stresses work, what holds up in a hurricane and what crumbles with the slightest shake of the earth.
I often hear my friend complain about the architects he works with. Many of them make his job difficult because they don’t seem to care about structure – they only care that the signs look good. They want it pretty and spectacular – structure be damned! That brace on the south wall? No, we can’t have that. It destroys the aesthetics!
Where Should You Draw the Line?
I read a post over at Vandelay Design that listed 25 websites with creative layouts. I looked at the websites on the list and there were indeed some pretty incredible layouts.
The sites were stunning. They were creative and unique. They had depth and texture and great design galore…
But I couldn’t help thinking, were they practical? As far as user-friendliness, functionality and usability goes, I doubt any would survive one of our drive-by site critiques. The designers wanted to push the limits so much with amazing imagery that they seemed to be forgetting a site needs to be user-friendly too.
Here’s an example. When you land on Colour Pixel, you’re blasted with a bright orange pixelated background and so much visual activity that the Las Vegas Strip pales in comparison.
It’s creative, yes. But as a site visitor, where do I go? What do I click? That’s not good for a site that boasts user interface design. And many of the other sites gave me the same impression.
Cool to look at. Hell for visitors.
Make It Work Together – Or It Won’t Work At All
A site with unique design that’s also user-friendly isn’t impossible. Functionality doesn’t have to be boring, and design doesn’t have to be out on the fringe of Alice in Wonderland.
Keep basic conventions in mind. They’re there for a reason. You could have the most amazing graphics on your site, but if people can’t figure out how to find what they need, the site is useless. And a useless site doesn’t bring in great sales.
Remember to include familiar elements even when you’re being creative. Visitors need guidance, and they don’t want to think.
And you don’t want to shock people so much with your awe-striking design that they’re knocked on their ass and can’t get back up to hire you.
It’s important to be unique. I was iffy about hiring you guys myself until I saw this site. Your old site just seemed a little too conventional, too much of a straight Rev Mag conversion, but this site showed you can do unique very well.
So… being unique earns money.
However, I also believe it all comes down to focusing on what your end goals are. If the goal of your site is to sell services or products, then the whole design should work to accomplish that goal. If the design is so flashy that it dominates over what you are actually trying to tell the visitor, then it’s too far. For a business site, the design should tastefully frame and make the services stand out, not eclipse them.
I remember seeing a website once that belonged to an artist, there was no navigation. You had to randomly run the cursor over each page to find it, and hope you found the right button. Totally flippin useless site….
Creativity is great, however the customer has to feel comfortable enough with your site to be able to appreciate your work.
.-= Melinda | WAHM Biz Builder´s last blog ..Email Branding – Add Titles to Your Feedburner RSS =-.
I’m an architect. Some of the best engineers I’ve ever worked with are those willing to engineer a structure around your design vision. In other words, they don’t limit our potential, they execute it in similarly creative ways.
I wonder if there is a translation of this to web design? Perhaps those sites that really push the envelope can be the most creative-looking while maintaining an intuitive user interface. I have faith that it can be done.
.-= Wojciech Kulicki´s last blog ..‘Staycation’ Added to Webster’s Dictionary =-.
@ Wojciech – My brother’s an architect and my sister is a structural engineer. She’s older than he is, and obviously rubbed off on him while he was growing up. Every single building he designs, you can hear him say stuff like, “Have to make sure that the engineers can do this…”
Big respect for their job, which is structural safety. They respect his, which is making something look… well, pretty damned amazing. Teamwork. And you have to have that, when you have people walking around all over your designs
I think website designers should lean toward functionality and ease of use. Nearly all websites try to get information to the viewer; we want that information to flow as easily and quickly as possible.
.-= John Soares´s last blog ..Get Editorial Feedback Early When Working on a College Textbook Supplement/Ancillary =-.
I recently read Michael Pollan’s “Place of My Own,” about his building an office for himself, with the help of his architect and a skilled carpenter, and one of the ongoing themes through the whole book was how the two of them–the architect and the carpenter–had apparently different objectives. But more than that, they both were more or less convinced that they, and their point of view, was the correct one.
There’s an important distinction, I think between doing nifty, cool, creative things just because you can and making them actually work. But the trick is to remember who the audience is. What a carpenter or an architect finds amazing and creative is not necessarily what the person using the office needs. Designing a webpage that’s beautiful and totally edge-pushing isn’t going to do anybody any good if they can’t figure out what to click to get where they need.
.-= –Deb´s last blog ..Shoot for the Moon =-.
It’s Sullivan’s old phrase – form follows function, and I think it has an application in web design as much as in architecture.
Resolving that concept with creativity and pushing the envelope is the challenge we face every day.
A friend of mine who recently wrote a critical piece on architecture said her criteria for evaluating a building was simple – “Does it make you think?” Surely, we can create things that are both functional and make us think. And surely, it’s not an easy task…
@James – I agree that teamwork is key. An architect who thinks he can do anything and an engineer who prefers straight walls will get nowhere if they can’t synnergize some sort of great alternative.
.-= Wojciech Kulicki´s last blog ..‘Staycation’ Added to Webster’s Dictionary =-.
I recently ran across the site of a well-known fashion photographer (who also, of course, is into other kinds of photography). The concept for the home page was amazing. It was definitely something I had never seen before.
But then I started trying to figure out how to get past the home page. Once I figured out how the navigation worked, I started trying to decide which page I wanted to look at first. There was so much stuff there, I couldn’t decide. And I didn’t really have time.
So I gave up.
As I walked away, I thought, “What a shame”….because his work is stellar.
And having a ‘different’ website should really work for him.
But if even *I* end up walking away…….
I’m just sayin’.
All the best!
deb
.-= Deb Owen´s last blog ..the sound of settling (challenge yourself) =-.
The designers wanted to push the limits so much with amazing imagery that they seemed to be forgetting a site needs to be user-friendly too.
This post made me giggle a bit – it reminded me of the arguments developers and the Human Factors folks would have at Bell Labs. Developers wanted to make things obvious, so they’d use color combos like bright yellow and red to “draw the eye” to the buttons (every….single….button). They’d hate that HF would respond, but it’s so hideous nobody would use it…..
.-= Barbara Ling, Virtual Coach´s last blog ..#1 way to make money online with CommentLuv longterm – Part 2 =-.
Yeah, I agree when someone goes all out on being unique and creative but forgets to put in the points of truth and familiarity to alow the reader to grasp the premise of the story. The creativity is all they see and the story is lost in it.
Great post and great advise.
.-= J.Morgan´s last blog ..“Uh…hello dialogue!†=-.
When it comes down to it I hate when people go way overboard with website design. It would be nice to have some cool background that popped off the screen. But, sometimes they don’t get it right.
Kind of like the transformers movie website. (thing takes forever to load and the images are not worth the time)
.-= Wallpaper´s last blog ..New York Mets Wallpaper =-.
@Patrick: We’ve come a long way since that first Rev Mag theme. That one was only up for a year when we realized it wasn’t showcasing what we were truly capable of. Striking the balance between too much flash and not enough took a lot of careful consideration and planning for sure.
@Mel: Making your visitors think isn’t good at all. The concept may seem line fun, and people might find it amusing once they “get” it, but when you want information fast, you don’t have a lot of time to play around. Best to be clear, not clever.
@Wojciech: I have faith it can be done too. We try to do that here every day. Like James said, it’s all about teamwork. Cross training helps achieve the give and take required between the designer (architect) and the developer (the engineer). When each person understand what the other requires to get the job done, they can keep those elements in mind while they’re working.
When I design a site I’m always thinking two or three steps ahead to how the coding needs to be done. When I’m developing, I’m thinking about the design elements. I’m a designer first and foremost, but having that understanding how it all fits together on the development end certainly helps out everyone involved in the project.
@John: Functionality is key, no doubt about it. When it’s a personal site just for fun, you can get away with a lot more. Sites for business are another story.
@Deb: I remember reading that too and this makes me think of a lot of the home improvement shows on TV. Take Extreme Makeover: Home Edition for example. Ty and his team are creative as hell, yet they always manage to provide a home which is exactly what the family needs without the creativity becoming useless window dressing.
@Barbara: What? No bright mustard and ketchup buttons? But…but…ok. *crumples up sketch and tosses it in the trash*
Sounds like those developers need some fresh ideas.
@Wallpaper: For sure! All those fancy tricks and techniques take up a lot of space if they’re not properly formatted. There’s always a chance that some visitors are still on dial-up or *gasp* even still using IE6. And if you’re a visitor with state of the art equipment and the site still takes that long to load, then you know there’s some serious issues going on behind the scenes!
@Deb Owen: Agreed, too much info is almost as bad as not enough. A bad case of option paralysis is enough to turn off many visitors, it’s just too much work.
Uniqueness and creativity will go far as long as functionality is still there. As Deb remarked earlier about the photographer’s website, she was impressed with the homepage but had to figure out what to do next. But if it was just a so-so homepage, she probably wouldn’t have taken a second look. The key really is to find a balance between creativity and functionality. If you can get away with a lot of creativity without sacrificing functionality, then that would be better.
When is comes to web sites, part from navigation you have to consider, the seo factor as well. Additionally, a good and glaring design might capture attention initially but after some time it’s heavy on the senses…so simple and clear wins the race
.-= write a writing´s last blog ..How and Why to Write a Book =-.
@JMorgan: sort of like going overboard with the special effects in a movie, eh? Too much flash and not enough bang.
@JamesF: Very good point. Sometimes a design can be technically well done and you can’t help but “ooh” and “ahhh” over it. You can see the creator of the site had some skills that warrant a second look. And as Deb said, after she had to dig too much, it became a hassle. Pretty wasn’t good enough to carry through to a sale.
@Write a Writing: Yay for clear not clever!
As a construction manager (office buildings & medical centers) I can honestly say that when architects & engineers don’t coordinate their work (including mechanicals) it makes my life miserable. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve said ‘looks great – what’s holding it up’.
My blog needs a facelift – but I’m also thinkin’ I need to settle on a theme. I’ve been battling with this for a few months. It’s cool making friends but it’s not helping me sell books – & I don’t want a blog resembling an infomercial.
.-= Dave Ebright ´s last blog ..The Real Jack Rackham =-.
The comments I get about my site are “welcoming, warm, clean, friendly” – and that’s a combination of content and design. Given that these are the exact words I’m going for, I’m ecstatic with the design and no it’s not cutting edge. But Harry gave me exactly what the site needed and that’s better than cutting edge design.
.-= Alex Fayle | Someday Syndrome´s last blog ..Beating the Odds: The Bloggess Interview =-.
Another excellent post! This is a very good addition to your previous one on conventions
There’s really only so much that our eyes can handle, right? I wouldn’t want to go to a site that’s so overwhelming that I don’t know why I went to the site anymore. Sometimes simple is beautiful. It’s in striking a balance between design, content, and functionality that the best websites are created. Thanks so much!
.-= UPrinting´s last blog ..12 Water Inspired Web Designs =-.
There should indeed be no boundaries for creativity. One should allow it to take into heights and deliver positive results. Not all can be as creative as he wish he can or ought to be.
Web design engineers have a greater demand today.I am also a web designer.
@Dave E: Teamwork is essential and systems that everyone follows equally important to workflow. Many people don’t realize you can’t design in a vacuum. Sure, it’s great to barrel along with what you think is the Greatest Design Ever, but if you’re not giving any thought to the structure behind it, the design is useless. In the end, it causes more work for everyone, including yourself.
You’ve also hit on a very important point: A business site has nothing to do with *YOU*. It’s all about the end user and making sales. When a site is designed properly, it will draw people in, make them want to stay and generate sales – all in a manner that doesn’t scream infomercial.
@Alex: “Welcoming, warm, clean and friendly” That’s what we do, but there’s no reason why cutting edge and clean can’t work together. We frequently do our best to incorporate both, leaning a little more towards one than the other depending on the client’s needs.
@Uprinting: Balance, balance, balance. Always a fine line between not enough and far too much.
@Brisbane: I don’t think creativity has bounds, but we do have to keep an eye on it or else it’ll run amok
The trick is learning how to harness it for the best results.
@James P: Web design engineer…that’s got a nice ring to it.
Must be something in the air in blogland today. Just got here from Copyblogger and left a long comment about the day’s post on the 11 common traits of creative people — which was nicely done, by the way — making the point that creativity without discipline and proper context makes for a good party, but it’s a risky and often slippery slope in the real world of creating for money.
Then I get here — normally where I start my blogging day, by the way — and discover Harry channeling the very same sentiments. As are most of the commenters today.
I’m just sayin.
.-= Larry´s last blog ..What Kind of Storyteller Are You, Anyhow? =-.
@Larry: Welcome to the Collective – resistance is futile.
The real world is very different once you’re out there creating in it. I can’t help but think back to my senior year in university. Many of the projects created for the end of year show were amazing, but how many of them would stand up in the real world?
Brilliant post! Thanks for sharing. I think it’s every designer’s responsibility to research a little whether by reading or taking a course on usability and how to apply it on web. I started a course last night. Then again: I’m not a designer… I’m an advertiser with a passion for design. Cheers
P.S. Loved you’re closing quote LOL
@Bebop: I had to go back to see what I wrote! Yup, I do have my moments
There are some really creative works here. WOW! I really hate not having enough time to design something as amazing as these.
Harry, I think the web designers can conduct a poll to see if their readers/visitors find the website user friendly.
what do you think about minimalistic design, and the importance of content and simply present a good product/service with discrete “makeup” and don’t forget nice blog/site design does not replace articles/product, do you think if you invest once/year in a site design will make money for you?
for example apple.com/IPhone………….why you buy? because the site is so creative/expressive/original/……../…….no….. you buy because the PRODUCT/SERVICE is great.
do you see hundred great design everyday or hundred great product/service………….
design products and service, create harmony between the site/print and the product/service is the key to obtain success with the help of a designer not to”paint your door” and go crazy because you change your mind when the half of the door is already “blue, you can pay how much you want, money alone does not make designers happy……………………..
.-= wangjel´s last blog ..….â€creating splines that overlap in a very organic and poetic wayâ€â€¦. =-.
It is already proven that users don’t like to think too much when navigating your site. As soon as it becomes difficult to circle around – they leave.
By being too unique, you’re undoubtably hurting yourself, but as Seth Godin says it in Purple Cow: Design Rules NOW!
Balance.
Igor
.-= Igor Kheifets´s last blog ..Answer These Three Questions To Increase Your Revenue =-.
Just took a look at ColourPixel and completely agree – I couldn’t get past the background. Yipes!
You have to keep in mind your target audience, but every site should at minimum be functional, easy to navigate, easy to read and contain useful content relevant to the search queries that lead prospects there.
Great article. Thanks.
.-= Steve-Hostirian´s last blog ..How to drive business by being noticed and remembered =-.