Website design generally refers to arranging of contents of a website so that it can provide a better experience to users. Most of the websites are designed using HTML (Hypertext Markup language) as a programming language.
In order to make a website functional i.e., to meet the primary purpose and requirements of the website, it should have necessary functional elements. Functional elements in website design refer to the components that must be present in a website so that it can run efficiently and achieve its specified goals.
Functional Elements of Web Design
Common Functional Elements of Web Design
Some of the common functional elements in website design are listed as follows:
- Navigation: For a website to be functional it should provide a proper navigation system in it so that users can easily access the information. Navigation acts as a road or path in a website, by passing through which the user can access required data and information.
- Layout of Content: The primary function of a website is to provide data or information to the user. So, the content that is to be dispensed should be coherent and in a chronological manner. Thus, content layout is one of the main functional elements of website design.
- Search Bar: For a website to be simple and attractive to users it should provide a search bar. It is a horizontal or vertical bar in a website that enables a user to easily access any information and readily lets them find data. It increases the readability of the website.
- Animation: The role of animation in a website is as much important as development and content of website. It makes website attractive and visually appealable to users. It also conveys important information to users in an efficient manner by using techniques such as contrast, moving images, highlighted texts, and many more. It thus enhances the readability of content in a website.
- Chatbots: These are computer programs which works upon Artificial Intelligence (AI). Chatbot interacts with user through text, speech or graphics and gives a desired information to user. It guides user through website and provide human interaction with website which enables user to collect data in convenient manner.
- User Interaction: User Interaction (UI) is one of the fundamental aspect of website designing. It is important that users should interact with website (developers of website) in order to upgrade the efficiency of website. Proper UI design makes user to work and visit on website frequently which would result in success of website.
Techniques for Using Functional Elements in Website Design
Some of the basic techniques which are required for using functional elements of website design are listed as below:
- Designers of website should make sure that users are provided with proper path to access the required information. They should be provided with proper navigation techniques like clear menus, efficient search bar and chatbots, etc.
- Proper spaces should be provided during designing of web. It provides users clarity while accessing the information and helps to focus on content of website, thus helps in increasing readability in website.
- Use of proper colors in a website is a major key technique in designing a website. Color not only enhances the content, which is provided by the website, but also promotes the brand to which website belongs. This, helps in creating a positive image of the brand.
- Website should provide fast loading speed. This could be achieved by reducing size of image but without deterioration in quality of it, prioritizing techniques should be used, i.e., important content should be loaded first. These techniques will make sure that users would be quickly provided with important information.
- Proper interaction of users with developers and designers of website should be provided during designing of a web. This would ensure users that their feedback and complaints are being under consideration. This would make users to visit and work on website frequently.
Reasons to Use Functional Elements in Website Design
Some of the benefits of using functional elements in website are listed below:
- Attracts users, i.e., users will visit website frequently with longer durations as functional elements will be able to provide necessary information to users with ease.
- Functional elements in e-commerce websites help users to find products effortlessly and enables users to navigate through the website for their product of interest.
- Functional elements in web design helps users to engage in website. It also helps users to actively interact with developers of website to share their feedback and necessary steps that would be required in order to make website more efficient.
- Functional elements also promotes brand of website. This could be achieved by using particular font, colour and designing of texts or images.
- Functional elements like animation helps users to focus on a particular information and also guides user through website.
Limitations of Functional Elements of Web Design
Functional elements of web design offerrs some limitations. Some of them are listed below:
- Due to use of a large number of functional elements in web design, a website may take a longer expected time in loading, thus creating a negative impact on user.
- A website in which large number of functional elements are present requires frequent maintenance and updation.
- When large number of functional elements are added to a website it increases cost in development of website. Due to this free information cannot be accessed by user.
- Some of the functional elements which are provided by designers of website may not be compactible with all devices or browsers. Thus, it would affect the accesibility of website to all users.
- While adding functional elements in website design, designers of website may face issues regarding diversified user’s preferences.
Conclusion
A well developed and designed website offers many advantages, like it creates positive user impact and helps users in providing proper navigation throughout the website. A proper coded website which lacks proper use of functional elements of web design may not become well recognizable among users.
Thus, website design is not only the use of attractive interfaces but also focuses on making website interactive, easy and efficient to use. It makes website user-friendly by which users would be engaged and will explore in website which would eventually ensure the success of website.