Review | Webdesigner Depot

26 Feb

The visual language of a website impresses a visitor far beyond their first glimpse.

In fact, in observing the best websites, you notice that the small details speak to you subconsciously and that consistency improves your experience of the website and as a result makes you more likely to return.

In this article we’ll explore what makes a design consistent, and we’ll showcase some of the most consistent website designs out there.

Please comment at the end of the article about the consistency of these websites and feel free to add links to others that follow this principle. Read more

22 Feb

Happy Cog’s Redesign of VisitPhilly.com:
An Exemplary Modern Website

Review, User Interface, Web Design

48

In January, Jason Santa Maria sent out a tweet announcing that visitphilly.com had been redesigned by world-renowned design studio Happy Cog. My interest was piqued, and I couldn’t help but take a look.

I can honestly say that I’ve never been more impressed with a website redesign than I was with this one.

That Happy Cog was able to turn such a large website into a beautiful, accessible, functional and inviting user experience testifies to the talent of the team at Happy Cog.

By no means am I in a position to offer a critique that does justice to the planning, design and development that must have gone into this project.

But I thought it would be useful to point out why this redesign epitomizes a beautiful and effective website design for today’s market. Read more

30 Dec

The Most Popular Posts of 2009

Best Of, Compilation, Review

20

As 2009 draws to an end, we’re taking a look back at some of the most popular posts that we published this year on WDD.

This collection is made up of the 50 most popular posts, with the most popular being at the top.

Please let us know which ones you liked best and we’d also like to know what type of articles you’d like to see more of in 2010.

Finally, a BIG thank you to all of our readers for an amazing first year of WDD and for your ongoing support.

Now, check out some of the posts that you may have missed, or enjoy reviewing your all time favorites once again… Read more

14 Oct

An Analysis of the Amazon Shopping Experience

Review, Usability, User Interface

31

Designers of e-commerce websites today face a number of challenges in attempting to build a user experience that increases the likelihood of visitors making online purchases.

To battle fierce online competition and overcome the apprehension of skeptical shoppers, designers can take a number of steps to improve the usability of their online stores.

Since 1995, Amazon has established itself as the world’s leader in e-commerce. Its success is not a fluke, nor is it merely the result of being in the right place at the right time.

Amazon’s success is the direct result of a strong user shopping experience.

In this article, we will discuss a number of features of the Amazon shopping experience that will, either in principle or practically, offer a model worthy of imitation by e-commerce developers today. Read more

11 Jun

Doing Social Good with a Great Hosting Provider

Review, Web Hosting

81

Let me first get this out of the way: my blog posts at WDD are not for sale, and I stand to profit in no way from this post.

That being said, I want to tell you about my success in finding great web hosting, as well as a good hosting deal for WDD readers that also lets you do some social good (more about this below).

Choosing the right web hosting provider is one of the most difficult business decisions I’ve had to make.

I realized early on in the game that the quality of the hosting and support is much more important than the price, because a website can build or break your reputation, and I didn’t want to mess around with hosts that would leave me in embarrassing situations. Read more