lecture 10: course conclusion

I was a bit uncomplimentary about that site on the previous slide (although not without reason, I hope) - and it seems a shame to end this course on a negative note. However, it at least draws attention to the fact that there is a lot of awful web design out there masquerading as "professional" - add to that German grossness the previously mentioned www.disabilitysport.org.uk (not accessible to the disabled), The Coral's official site (whaaaat?!) and many more...

It's just all so unnecessary. Web design is something which is fairly straightforward. Why complicate it? You don't have to use complex techniques and lots of eye-candy to get yourself an excellent site that does its job. This, in the end, is what it's all about. And here we come back to points raised at the very start of the course. Always think:

• why should this site exist?
• who's going to be visiting it?
• what are they going to want to find on it?
• how can I make it as easy and quick as possible for them to find what they want?
• are there any other techniques I can use in order to attract visitors?

It's with this last question that the opportunity arises to use some of the more advanced techniques introduced in these later lectures. But always remember that they should only be used to enhance the site, not obscure its basic purpose. Use them only when necessary - and you will be a better web designer for it. You are always writing a site to be read by others, and as long as you remember that, you should be fine.

And most of all, if you carry on doing this - enjoy it. After all, that goes for anything in life.

THE END.