Form and function is both vital to a web design. Form is one
base and function is another. Function without form is boring.
Nonetheless, even if the form is impressive yet not functional
it will be disappointing. Thus, there must be a symbiotic
relationship between the two in order to give life to the site.
If a site is more of a marketing tool, it must incorporate
visual and multimedia images to keep its form accurate. On the
other hand, it must also offer helpful content in order to
convey its marketability purpose.
The first thing that designers must do is to attain a good
balance. In other words, function must first be known before its
form can be developed. The equilibrium is always hard to
achieve. In fact, some web designers are spending several years
in order to perfect the form and function.
Equilibrium between balance and form is a must. However, the
usual key problem is that sites often do not balance form and
function. What are we to do then?
When this happen, do not put form over function. Always make
function a priority. Then, create an attractive form to create
it. What is the reason behind the choice? Basically, visitors
come to the site in order to quench a need or expectation. If
you put form before function, you will be sacrificing the
visitor's best interest. Aside from that, visitors also have a
short attention span. They have no patience. If you make things
complicated and not functional, it will just create a domino
effect that will make them leave the site in a matter of five
seconds. This will mean no sales at all. Not profitable,
therefore not good!
In designing we have to do away with the usual mistakes that
sacrifice the site's functionality. Here are some of its
examples:
1. Using font color that is painful to the eyes and in contrast
with the background. 2. Using fonts that are smaller than size
12. 3. Misplacing graphics and other elements. 4. Placing so
many unnecessary images in the page making load slowly. 5. Using
uncommon and hard to recognize links. 6. Making a totally
graphical design that can make the visitors clueless and
frustrated.
The key to an effective website lies not so much in how flashy
its form is but how intimate can it answer the needs of the
visitors in order to elicit their buying or subscribing
potentials.
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