CHOOSE YOUR METAPHOR
Issue 1, July 1999
By Marie Gallagher
Graphic Design & Support

met a phor \ n 1: a figure of speech in which a word or phrase denoting one kind of object or idea is issued in place of another to suggest a likeness or analogy between them.

So what do you want your site to look like? Choose wisely, and you will create clarity. Choose poorly and you will confuse your audience. What type of site are you trying to create? What is the general feel? Don't use rubber ducks as a metaphor for an airline. It doesn't make sense. Your metaphor should help enlighten the reader. It should clarify.

Here are some things to remember when designing your site. ·

1) Keep in mind the experience of the user. If your audience is not technically inclined, don't use jargon.

2) Choose a theme that can be split apart into clear sections. This gives you icons or bullets to work with For example, A forest theme could be broken into trees, leaves, forest animals, etc., each depicting a different category of information on your site.

3) Consistency, consistency, consistency. A crisp, clean, professional-looking home page followed by a page backgrounded in skull and crossbones is confusing, inconsistent, and just generally a bad idea.

4) Use common sense. If you want people to read the words, then don't choose a red background for your red words. Put some distance between the colors.

5) Decide what you want people to focus on when they're at your site. Make those items stand out.