7 Myths that Make Bad Websites

1 Web design is an extension of our current marketing collateral - we can reuse the text and graphics from our print pieces.

Answer
People relate to a printed page, poster or booklet differently than they do a web page. The key is user behavior. A skilled designer combines compression with good design to eliminate the "weight" of the download. Fast downloads prevent visitors from clicking away before a page is displayed. Successful websites use short punchy paragraphs and sentences that force the visitor to interact with the website and seek out more information.

2 If more people work on it, we'll get it done faster.

Answer
We're all remember the old maxim, "Too many chefs spoil the soup." Websites are designed not assembled. There are many artistic decisions in addition to complex codes and scripts that create the web site's functionality. These might be divided among a group of skilled artists, but one thoughtless change might affect countless pages and the way they are displayed. The best plan is to create a responsible schedule for a web site's development and revisions.

3 The Web is a place where you just try things and see what works - I have a friend who designs web sites in his spare time.

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Good web designers are the result of years of training. They must know typography, layout, the inticacies of coding and stay abrest of countless technical advancements.

4 Documentation is a waste of time and effort.

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The development and execution of a web site is complex. Both the designer and client must have a clear understanding of their agreements and keep track of changes that affect the cost and delivery dates of all products.

5 We can design the site ourselves and save money. We just want a group that will make the web pages we sketch out.

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Not having a designer involved in the development process will affect the final result. (see #3 above)

6 We'll send out and RFP (request for proposal) and get lots of good ideas back for free.

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Designers are busy people. Their work is intellectual property. This being the case, the designers who jump at an RFP without an agreement in place are likely to be experiencing a slow period. Is this who you want developing your website?

7 Web sites don't need much maintenance. We can do it ourselves. It'll be fun.

Answer
Regular updates and alterations including repairing broken links and posting date sensitive content is suprisingly time consuming. That combined with the intricacies of the web's coding make this plan a poor choice for a truly cost conscious company.