Website Design

If you already have a relationship with a web developer, but you need assistance with the design aspect, I can help. I'm experienced in developing website designs and producing mock-ups for developers to build, and, as I also develop websites myself, I understand how websites work and what developers need. Just as importantly, I also make sure I understand what your customers need and expect from your website, so 'User Experience' (UX) is always at the forefront of my design process, as is 'Conversion Rate Optimisation' (CRO) which involves designing the elements of your website which encourage sales and enquiries. Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) will also be considered through the design process making sure the website's structure and content is optimised for Google and other search engines.

I can help you from the very beginning of a project including logo design, brand identity, design style, site structure and optimised website layouts. I can also work to an existing style guide or full corporate design guidelines, or create additional page designs and templates from an existing design.

I can provide files to hand over to developers in a range of applications including Adobe XD (preferred), Adobe Illustrator, Sketch, Figma or whatever the latest hot design tool is.

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Can I provide a finished live website?

Yes. This page is primarily about the design aspect of website design but I do also offer full end-to-end website design and development service where I will do the technical part and build the website on the appropriate platform, make it all work, put it live on your chosen domain, provide ongoing support and maintenance, and  help you with training and guidance on how to make you website work best for you.

You can find out more about these aspects on my dedicated pages: Website Development and Website Support & Maintenance.

More about web design and my process

Good website design incorporates many specialist areas including Graphic Design, Wire Framing, Responsive Design, User Experience Design, Conversion Optimisation. Elements of all of these will be used for all projects, but depending on the project, some more than others.

Graphic Design

I think most people understand this one. This is the part that makes it all look good. You've probably experienced websites that just don't look good or don't feel right. Good graphic design takes into account the audience and should result in something  appropriate, visually appealing and distinguishable from the competition. I worked as graphic designer for many years before becoming a full fledged digital designer so my design work is always to a high graphic design standard.

Wireframing

Wireframing is a step in the design process which involves creating the outline for a website, illustrating the layout, structure, and functionality. These are typically black and white layouts with the deliberate exclusion of design elements like colours, graphics, or typography. The idea is to focus on the core structural and functional aspects without being distracted by design elements which can be added later. I may suggest producing wireframes if the project warrants it, usually for larger complex projects.

Responsive Website Design (RWD)

RWD is an industry term that means to design for all screen sizes, from phone to tablets and large desktop screens. It's the standard these days but I still get asked if my websites and design will work on all screen sizes. The answer is 'yes', all of my  work is designed with all screen sizes in mind right from the start. I use the 'mobile first' (another industry term) approach, which means to design the smallest, and usually most challenging, screen size first, then rearrange elements for the larger screens which have more layout options.

User Experience Design (UXD or just UX)

UX revolves around users or customer and their needs. It's all about giving them what they want and need, in a way that's as easy and pleasurable as possible. You'll have probably had a bad user experience on a website at some point, something that doesn't work, something that takes too long to find, something that promises but doesn't deliver. This is all UX. It can be a very involved and lengthy process for big websites with thousands of visitors, or done with a lite touch some smaller projects. It can be anything from making sure delivery costs are shown clearly to developing expensive systems to help with complex tasks.

Find out more on my User Experience Design page.

Conversion Rate optimisation (CRO)

CRO is the process of optimising a website to better achieve a required goal. It may be to sell more of a product, get more phone or email enquires, encourage a download or sign up to a mailing list. It can involve anything from small text updates to adding or redesigning entire sections. This is all about trying to get the customer to do what you want them to, or 'converting' a customer interaction into one of your goals. It ties in with the other areas as well as good design and user experience will result in a better conversion rate. CRO is always considered throughout my design process.

Find out more on my Conversion Rate Optimisation page.

Search Engine Optimisation (SEO)

SEO is the process of optimising your website so it shows up in search engines, primarily Google, for relevant search terms. It's important that this is considered from the outset as a website without the correct page structure and content will have no chance of being seen. SEO can be an ongoing aspect of your website but you can rest assured that any designs I create will take SEO best practices into account, including good website structure, clear navigation, logical categories and landing pages and well structured page content.