Visual Design and Usability are two factors web developers and web designers need to focus with. The two factors are the two ends of a scale, the more you try to add usability, the visual design can be compromised; the more attractive the website is, the less user friendly it may become. www.articlecity.info has a good article on web visual design and Usability.
Some usability gurus have traditionally expounded that developing a web site should be focussed on the usability, not the outlook. However, as opposing these views, User experience designers and Information architects have argue that, since human have the tendency of an extremely short "attention span", an attractive Visual design is essential to lure users making them stay on the site for a longer time.
Patrick K's article on Visual Design and Usability describes the how the two views exist together depsite being the different ends of the scale. A site with a minimalistic visual design is the major design scenario prevailing in the UX design world these days. A website loaded with graphics and animation may be attractive although losing usability functions or taking up more time in loading while a minimalistic website may look dull, however providing the necessary details or information the website is meant for.
Patrick K's article on Visual Design and Usability describes the how the two views exist together depsite being the different ends of the scale. A site with a minimalistic visual design is the major design scenario prevailing in the UX design world these days. A website loaded with graphics and animation may be attractive although losing usability functions or taking up more time in loading while a minimalistic website may look dull, however providing the necessary details or information the website is meant for.
For a better improvement in the fusion between usability and visual design, developers/designer has now been using Prototyping tools to create wireframe models of website outlays. This helps in determining the looks of the website in a proper way even before its development.
