How do you approach web design from a user-centric perspective?

Diving deep into the world of our users is step one in the user-centric web design odyssey! ?????? It's all about getting those golden insights into who our users are, what makes them tick, and what they're really after on our sites. ????? ?? Through surveys, heart-to-heart interviews, crafting detailed personas, mapping out their digital journeys, and crunching analytics data, we get to the core of our users' needs, desires, and the occasional frustrations. ???? By truly getting this, we can tailor our web designs to not just meet but exceed their expectations, solving their puzzles like a pro! ??? This isn't just about building websites; it's about crafting experiences that resonate on a personal level. ????

- "Know your users" must first be an honest assessment, otherwise it just means "Understand Your Users to Better Exploit Them", in plain English without the buzz words. - Place all necessary info on the landing page, thus avoiding having to go to FAQ pages or request 'support' and open 'tickets' for obvious needs which wastes everybody's time and nerves. - Avoid intrusive blurbs, 'testimonies' and useless 'mission statements'. If a product or service is real and needed, it will speak for itself. - Don't say something is FREE if it's not, such as with trials, limited use, beginning at, and other marketing gimmicks. - Don't refer users to upgrades when the link given is to purchase what they already have. Keep it organized, clear and true.

Setting goals for your web design? Think SMART! ?? Your mission is to align with what your users crave and what your biz needs. Use the SMART framework to craft goals that are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound. Aiming to boost sales? Or maybe you want fewer people bouncing off your site? ??????♂? Whatever your aim, make it crystal clear. Then, bring out the big guns like Google Analytics, heatmaps, and A/B tests to track your success. It’s like having a high-tech compass pointing you to web design gold! ????? Remember, if your website is the party, your goals are the VIP guests. Invite them wisely, treat them right, and watch your online space become the talk of the town! ????

Laying out your website is like setting up a party venue! ?? Keep it clear, so guests know where the fun is at. Consistency is your DJ, keeping the vibes flowing smoothly. ?? And make it intuitive, like placing the dance floor right by the speakers – no one should get lost finding the good stuff! ???? Use design principles like hierarchy to spotlight your star attractions (the main stage), contrast to make your signposts (CTAs) stand out in the crowd, alignment to keep the buffet tables (content sections) straight, and proximity to group partygoers by the bar (related content). ???? Before the big night, draft up a floor plan – that's your wireframe. Then, do a walkthrough with your mockups to make sure the experience is seamless.?

Today, more than ever before in History, the press-for-speed mode is always on for Internet-related businesses, so the emphasis always goes to capture the attention, persuade and get users to buy some service or product in less and less time. However, as human beings first, our emphasis must be always on straightforward, no-nonsense, unambiguous and truthful communication at all times, somewhat distant from the influence of AI generated text. Optimizing your content in this perspective should be your primary concern, if only to balance the overwhelming pressure for concise text and impactful visuals just to capture your would-be customer. Care for being human first and to relate to other humans like yourself, and the rest will flow well.

Once you are certain that your skills will be used for a healthy idea, needed product or essential service, then it's time to know your visuals. If you're not an artist yourself and are unsure of what visuals to choose from the vast array of styles and trends out there, I would recommend consulting a designer friend before committing yourself to this or that. Keep in mind that visuals must have a consistent style and closely match what your message is about. The same goes for the fonts you use: chose one distinguished font with 'personality' for headers. Use a matching single sans-serif font for all concisely written body text. Keep the design airy, use an overall pleasant color palette and you should be good to go for most projects.

You're now aware of techniques, online resources and 'best practices' for this field. It's now time to outgrow 'business as usual' and face the challenge of humanized communication, divested of AI, PC (political correctness) and certain trends and notions whenever these invert common sense and Reality at large (i.e.: mainstream science isn't everything...) There's a lot of work to be done to bring back true freedom and true notions about Life to all our communications, whether business-oriented or just everyday talk among humans that wish to continue that way. Your choice of words, visuals and ideas can change much for the better. Whenever possible then, educate your clients to achieve this. When impossible, just seek other clients...