Appendix C - Things to Avoid in Web Design (and How to Do It Right)
Reference: YouTuber The Website Architect.
Principle: Do not mess with web design standards by trying to reinvent the wheel.
Avoid using slides to present important information
Why: Very few people will go beyond the first slide.
What to Do: Present important information directly on the page without requiring interaction.
Avoid using the hamburger button to hide the navigation bar on large screens
Why: It adds unnecessary effort for users to find and use the navigation.
What to Do: Display the navigation bar openly on larger screens.
Avoid having the contact form on a separate page
Why: Users may not go looking for it.
What to Do: Include the contact form at the bottom of the homepage.
Avoid center-, justify-, or right-aligning text longer than three lines
Why: It reduces readability and slows down scanning.
What to Do: Use left alignment for paragraphs.
Avoid using slow animations
Why: They interfere with quick scanning and frustrate users.
What to Do: Keep animations minimal and fast, or skip them entirely.
Avoid hiding or customizing the scroll bar
Why: Users rely on visible scroll bars for navigation and page orientation.
What to Do: Keep the scroll bar standard and always visible.
Avoid changing the website background as the user scrolls
Why: It can be visually distracting and make the site harder to read.
What to Do: Keep a consistent background for better readability and user comfort.
Avoid requiring a click to reveal navigation dropdowns
Why: Clicking slows navigation and adds friction.
What to Do: Use hover-to-reveal menus on desktop or clear, accessible navigation patterns on mobile.
Avoid time-consuming opening messages or splash screens
Why: Users want to access content quickly; delays cause drop-offs.
What to Do: Let users access content immediately; skip the intro unless absolutely necessary.