Designing for Advanced Users
Designing for Advanced Users
In this article:
What Are You Trying to Say??
Large numbers of Internet users are highly literate and well educated. They frequently use the Internet for finding high quality, detailed information. Rather than impatiently bouncing from page to page, these users may employ advanced search techniques to find exactly what they need and often expect to view well-organized, informative web sites.
Yet for the designer, writing in a high-brow or verbose style risks sounding pompous and self righteous, and thereby possibly alienating otherwise ideal visitors. It may be safer to stylize your writing and design in a way that conveys the attitudes or opinions you wish to foster while also providing well-written informative content. For example, there are distinct differences in tone and style between the "informational" sites in graphics 1.1 (www.msnbc.com), 1.2 (seattle.indymedia.org) and 1.3 (theonion.com).
MSNBC (graphic 1.1, below) is clearly a large scale, mass media news outlet meant to mimic the style of a typical news magazine (Newsweek, Time, etc.). The main story is made obvious through the use of a large font size, graphic and central/near top position. The use of primary colors and mostly straightforward, plain language convey an eye-pleasing, but slightly generic tone meant to attract the highest number of visitors possible. Their tag line: "#1 News Site."
Graphic 1.1: www.msnbc.com
In contrast, the Seattle Independent Media Center (graphic 1.2, below) uses dark background colors and a graphic of protesters confronting the police to establish a serious tone that attracts activists and protesters. Their tag line: ". . . journalists offering grassroots, non-corporate, non-commercial coverage of important social and political issues in Seattle and worldwide."
Graphic 1.2: seattle.indymedia.org
Finally, the Onion (graphic 1.3, below) looks and feels like a regular news site (this is intentional and adds substantially to the satirical nature of the site) until you actually read the article titles and summaries. Visually, the overall tone of this page is very simple and clean, lending to the feel of an online newspaper or journal. Only through the written content does the Onion identify itself as a humorous website for the well-read. These are not lists of locker room type jokes. The sarcasm behind the otherwise conventional looking articles appeals to a certain audience that is well educated and familiar with current world events but can also appreciate the social commentary inherent in the articles.
Graphic 1.3: www.theonion.com
- Design Implications: Trust that your high-quality content will be read and analyzed by peers or otherwise well-educated readers. The tone and style of your writing, graphics and color choices will define your web site and the audience you intend to attract. Integrate the visual elements and textual elements to serve your purpose and unify your overall theme.