Mistakes – they happen in life. They are how we learn, grow and develop into improved versions of ourselves and our businesses. Without them, we wouldn’t be able to grow wiser. No-one likes making them, and no-one likes suffering the consequences of them. But what if you had someone to make the mistakes for you? In this article we will be unveiling the top three design mistakes to avoid so that you can be aware of them before you have the chance to make them!
The word ‘negative’ usually has a bad connotation and perception in our minds, but in this case negative is good! Many designers have a fear of negative space in visual design. However, this white space is equally important as the content on the site. It helps improve user experience as you can read and navigate the site easier. It may sound like a bit of an oxymoron, but the more white space there is, the more the content will stand out. A good example of this in action is Chanel’s website. The homepage has a large amount of negative space which causes the centre image to stand out more. It simultaneously allows the user to easily see the pages Chanel’s website has. Both of these contribute to the ease of navigation.
Visual hierarchy refers to the method of organizing design elements by their level of importance. The size of words directly impacts the order of which we notice the content and words. Failing to do this can cause a ‘word overload’ for the user, and cause them to get overwhelmed by the amount of similarly sized content they see on one page. However, having words organized by their importance drastically reduces the amount of effort needed by the user to engage with your website. This then greatly improves user experience.
Kerning – or the spacing between letters – is equally as important as the words you have on the site. It ensures readability and ensures your text doesn’t look awkward. Incorrect kerning will not only confuse readers, but also cause readers to not take in the information that you are presenting. For example, incorrect kerning with the letters ‘c’ and ‘l’ could make it appear like the letter ‘d’. To avoid this, ensure that each letter is equally spaced and aligned correctly.
We hope that this article provided you with enough information to not follow in Britney Spears’ footsteps and say ‘oops i did it again’! At Burst we believe that awareness is the catalyst for change, so by reading this article you have taken the first step in creating great improvements in your design business’ future. As we said, mistakes happen in life… but if they can be avoided.. even better!
