How to start a website layout (for complete beginners)

Summary

In this informative video, experienced designer Matt guides beginners through the web design layout process, emphasizing the importance of understanding website types and goals. He discusses organizing information effectively, establishing hierarchy, and utilizing guidelines and grids. Matt critiques examples of poor design and highlights best practices, encouraging viewers to learn layout principles, review quality work, and practice creating diverse layouts to enhance their design skills.

Takeaways

• 🎨 **Understanding Website Types**: Recognize if it's an e-commerce, media, marketing, or app-based website as the design approach varies with each.
• 🎯 **Defining Goals**: Align the design with the website's purpose, whether it's to sell products, engage readers, persuade users, or facilitate tasks.
• 🔍 **User Experience Matters**: A good layout should be intuitive and user-friendly, avoiding confusion and ensuring a clear path for users to follow.
• 📈 **Hierarchy and Organization**: Prioritize information through a clear hierarchy and organize it logically to guide users effectively through the site.
• 📏 **Utilizing Grids**: Implement a grid system, preferably a 12-column grid, to align elements and create a structured, balanced layout.
• 🖼️ **Visual Hierarchy**: Establish a visual hierarchy through the use of size, color, and placement to draw attention to key elements.
• 🔗 **Consistent Alignment**: Use vertical and horizontal guidelines to ensure consistent alignment of elements for a cohesive look.
• 📱 **Responsive Design**: Consider mobile layouts as crucial as desktop, ensuring the design is responsive and maintains hierarchy on different devices.
• 🌐 **Professionalism Through Layout**: A well-thought-out layout contributes to a professional appearance and enhances the user's perception of the website.
• 💪 **Continuous Learning and Practice**: Improve design skills by studying layout principles, analyzing examples, and practicing with different layouts to enhance design capabilities.

Q & A

What is the primary focus of the video by Matt, the designer with 20 years of experience?

The video focuses on teaching the fundamentals of creating effective layouts for web design, especially for beginners, and covers five chapters including understanding the type of website, setting goals, organizing information, using guidelines, and providing free resources for further learning.

What are the different types of websites mentioned in the script?

The script mentions e-commerce websites, media websites like blogs or news sites, content sites on specific topics, marketing websites, and applications like social media, search engines, or AI chatbots that live on websites.

Why is it important to consider the goal of the website before starting the layout design?

Considering the goal is important because the design of a website should be directed towards achieving its purpose, whether it's selling products, engaging readers, persuading users about a company, or facilitating tasks in an application.

What is an example of a poor user experience described in the script?

An example of a poor user experience is a dashboard that is not intuitive, where the user has to navigate through several screens to understand where to go, and the interface elements are not aligned or well-organized, causing confusion.

What is the significance of the 'hero section' in web design?

The hero section is significant as it is the first thing users see when they land on a website. It typically includes the logo, a value proposition, a description, and a call to action, all designed to draw the user's attention and guide them into the layout.

What are the nine principles of layout mentioned in the script?

The nine principles of layout mentioned are focal point, hierarchy, white space, grouping, scale, sequence, alignment, balance, and grids. These principles help in organizing and structuring information in a web layout.

Why is setting up a column grid important in web design?

Setting up a column grid is important because it helps in aligning elements consistently across the layout, creating a sense of order and organization, which contributes to a professional and user-friendly design.

What is the recommended starting point for beginners when creating a column grid?

For beginners, starting with a 12-column grid is recommended because it offers flexibility and control, and it is divisible by many factors, allowing for various combinations and layouts.

How can practicing different layouts help in improving web design skills?

Practicing different layouts helps in understanding the impact of various design elements, exploring creative possibilities, and developing an intuitive sense for effective information organization and visual hierarchy.

What are some resources provided in the script for further learning in web design?

The script mentions free resources such as a video series covering the nine principles of layout, an accompanying ebook, and a link to a video with 10 web design layout ideas.