Website Design
The AEO philosophy is “keep things simple.” While cutting-edge designers and simplicity gurus seldom see eye-to-eye when it comes to website design, a design that is focused on gimmicks and gizmos can easily lose its purpose. It may look “cool” but does the user know who you are, what you do, and how to contact you? Simplicity can be beautiful, impressive, and compelling and at the same time achieve the site’s goal.
Creating designs that utilize Section 508 requirements and the W3C guidelines makes web content more available to all users, whether they are using a desktop browser, voice browser, mobile phone, automobile-based personal computer, etc. Users may be viewing your site in noisy surroundings, in bright sunlight or dark rooms, in a hands-free environment, etc. Accessible design is a benefit to all users.
In addition to utilizing Section 508 requirements and the W3C guidelines, some of the “simple” ideas AEO uses in designing websites:
- Utilize established web conventions.
- Don’t disable user preferences.
- Use properly compressed images.
- Use graphics sensibly - graphics should not get in the way of users.
- Don’t use “click here” or “more” for links – this does not provide contextual meaning, especially for a screen reader.
- Provide sufficient contrast between the background and text color.
- Improve readability by using either plain-color backgrounds or subtle background patterns.
- Ensure that informative content text is a printable color (not white).
- Be consistent with placement of navigation menus on each page.
- Don’t use boldface or all caps for long pieces of text – this is very difficult to read.
- Keep the pages from scrolling horizontally.
- Use common sense page length with jump links to the material and to the top of the page – no one wants to scroll, scroll, scroll, …..
- Separate tables for major sections to improve download time.
AEO works with you to create an original website that will meet your needs and budget.