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If you're a programmer who has ever found themselves inadvertently (perhaps unwillingly!) straddling the line between design and code, this is the talk for you. Even with zero design training or background, there are numerous small, simple and practical ways you can vastly improve the look and usability of a website. In this talk, we'll explore 10 of them together, using research and proven solutions to see how the impact as a whole for both clients and users is greater than the sum of its parts.
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In the talk titled **"How to Make Your Website Not Ugly - Basic UX for Programmers"**, speaker **Hilary Stohs-Krause**, a VP and Senior Software Developer at 10 Forward Consulting, addresses programmers who may feel out of their depth in design. The session focuses on practical strategies to improve the aesthetics and usability of a website without needing extensive design knowledge. Stohs-Krause emphasizes that improving a website’s appearance is simpler than expected and provides a structured framework with actionable advice. ### Key Points Discussed: - **Usability, Credibility, and Design:** - Usability informs functionality—an attractive design impacts how users navigate and interact with a site. - Credibility is strongly tied to visual design; 46% of users prioritize design over functionality in establishing trust. - **Text Presentation:** - **Readability:** Text should be structured for ease of reading, maintaining an optimal length of 50 to 100 characters with sufficient line spacing (1.4 line height recommended). - **Legibility:** Use high-contrast colors to enhance readability, and attention should be given to font sizes that accommodate aging users. - **Organization:** Effective content facilitation through headers, bullet points, and limited distractions helps maintain reader interest. - **Image Usage:** - **Icons:** Ensure icons are intuitive and accompanied by labels to clarify their meaning. - **Graphics:** Avoid generic stock photos; instead, use images that are contextually relevant to the content and enhance engagement. - **Spacing:** Use effective spacing around images to promote better user perception and reduce bias in design. - **Progressive Disclosure:** - Simplify content delivery to prevent overwhelming users, tailored content placement should adhere to the F-shaped reading pattern. - **White Space Management:** - Proper utilization of white space is crucial; instead of cluttering pages, leave strategic areas empty to draw attention to essential components. - **Consistency in Design:** - A cohesive and predictable design helps users navigate a site easily and promotes a positive user experience. ### Conclusions and Takeaways: Hilary Stohs-Krause's presentation reinforces the importance of considering text as visual elements, establishing a structure designed for usability, prioritizing accessibility, and using images judiciously. Proper design not only enhances visual appeal but also supports functionality, ultimately leading to a better user experience. By following these guidelines, programmers can effectively bridge the gap between design and functionality and create more user-friendly websites. Overall, the session provides valuable insights for programmers seeking to enhance the aesthetic and practical aspects of web development, emphasizing that successful design does not have to be complex.
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