Here is a blog article I found that is quite interesting. I think you will like it.

A well laid-out site tells visitors right away whether this site is going to give them what they want or not. And the best sites use conventions in their designs and layouts.

A convention (in this case) isn’t a crowded floor in a fancy hall. When speaking of convention in terms of web design, it means using basic signs, symbols and patterns that people recognize quickly. They’re familiar with them and expect to see them.

For example, when a driver see two signs crossed at the corner of an intersection, that person knows the signs usually indicate street names. When the driver sees a red sign, he knows it’s a warning to stop. He’s learned that a dotted yellow line on the highway means you can pass another car if it’s safe and that flashing lights in a rearview mirror means trouble.

We’ve become familiar with certain symbols and know what they mean without having to be told. We expect those yellow lines on roads, red stop signs at the end of streets and street names at intersections.

Without these familiarities, we’re lost. We hesitate at the intersection wondering if it’s safe to keep moving. We search for street signs and get frustrated when we can’t find them.

To read the entire article, click here.

Robert Scozzari