Screen Space -
Your Scarcest Asset
Part 1 of 3
by Brandon Jubar
Using Space
There is a significant difference between publishing in print and publishing (or
designing) for the Web. When a person is reading a newspaper, for instance, they are able
to skim over a large amount of content in a quick glance, zeroing in on that which is of
interest to them. Unfortunately, this is not as easy to do on the Web because you are
limited by the size of the user's computer screen. It is important, therefore, to find an
appropriate mix of elements, and lay them out in such a way as to maximize there
usefulness to someone visiting your site.
The Content vs. Navigation Question
The most difficult balance to strike is that between content and navigation. On
the one hand, we say that the main factor in attracting repeat visitors is to provide them
a great deal of excellent content. On the other hand, we admit that the best content in
the world may not save you if visitors must struggle to find what is relevant and find it
difficult to move around and explore your site.
The entry pages to many of the commercial portals (such as Yahoo!) are virtually
nothing but navigation tools - especially the ones that allow users to customize their own
'start' page - and that is exactly what they are supposed to be. Unfortunately, many
organizations seem to be modeling their own Web sites after these commercial portals. By
loading their pages with menu upon menu, they feel that they are offering their visitors
valuable information.
The ParishWebmaster.com does not agree with that assumption. Unless your Parish
Web site is going to offer (at least) daily updates in dozens of topic areas, there is no
need to use 80% of the available screen space for nav bars, menus, buttons, tool bars,
outside links, etc. Only 20% or less of the screen space should be used for such things.
The 80% should be used for content, including text and graphics, which is why most people
visit your site in the first place. It only makes sense to give them what they want.
Effective Use of 'White Space'
One area of design and layout for print that does translate well to the Web is
the effective use of 'white space'. When you are designing the pages of your Parish Web
site, do not give in to the urge to fill every square inch of the page with stuff. Much
the same as when people feel the need to fill the air with sound during a conversation
(umm... ah...) rather than allowing pauses and periods of silence, novice Web designers
often feel the need to fill the page with text or graphics or buttons or nav bars, and do
not effectively use one of the most basic tools of layout and design - 'white space'.
Although some studies have shown that many teenagers like a cluttered page full
of cool graphics and stylish text, a cleaner, less cluttered look has a much wider appeal
and much more appropriate for at least the more common areas of your Parish Web site. Some
key places to utilize 'white space' are:
- Around blocks of text, to avoid the appearance of running into graphics or other
text.
- Between columns of text.
- Between paragraphs, making it easier to read and giving a less formidable
appearance.
- Around titles and headings, which gives them more emphasis.
By using white space, you make your Parish Web page more appealing to the eye,
simple for the visitor to identify the information relevant to them, and much easier for
them to read and comprehend your content.
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