When it comes to designing a website, there is so much more involved than just putting objects on a page. It may have been that simple 10 years ago, but as technology and the Internet evolve, so too does the psychology of a digital user. There are multiple ways for people to access content on the Internet: computer, tablet, phone, etc. Every screen is a different size, and there are multiple operating systems for each of these devices Of course, these systems are just distinct enough to cause competition in the market, and a learning curve for consumers.
Due to this, a simple web design is no longer simple and many considerations have to take place in order to satisfy the largest portion of consumers (because you just can’t make everyone happy). People want something that is easy to digest and gets them what they need quickly.
Desktop and mobile versions of the same site generally do not look alike. Webpage design for a computer contains many more elements than the mobile site for several reasons:
Not as much content can fit in the dimensions of a mobile site, so the most important content should be shown and have supplementary info collapsed in a menu.
Web pages should be responsive on mobile, and some interactive or heavily coded elements, can’t translate to mobile. This leaves the mobile site in disarray and difficult to use, turning people away.
Users could have different reasons for visiting each type of site. Desktop sites are ideal for people who can utilize more information, similar to research. Mobile site users usually already know the website and are on the go, therefore needing easy accessibility to the most important aspects of the business or company.
Taking my design challenge from the past few weeks further (more on that in previous blog posts), I created a webpage for The Last Straw, and a mobile site to accompany it.
I tried starting with the mobile design first since it’s easier to focus on the important stuff and add more after than the opposite. However, I found it more difficult and quickly switched to designing the desktop site. Oddly enough, it was challenging trying to come up with additional content to add and I found it easier to pare down instead of bulk up.
Just like with newspapers, information that is “above the fold” is critical, because it is the first thing that someone sees. With The Last Straw, the most important element is the book now button. I placed it at the top, right after the logo. The contrast with the white helps it stand out.
The red, black, and white are iconic for this business, so I didn’t want to introduce any new colors. Instead, I played with different shades and tints of black and white to create variety. The font is also part of the brand, so I used it for headers and the menu while using another similar font as an accent.
After looking at the web pages of other rage rooms, I was able to narrow down the essential content: about us, pricing, events, FAQ, and waiver. I made these each their own buttons right at the top and underneath the logo since the eye usually looks at the top first and then skims down.
The social media icons at the bottom would actually stay there as you scroll down, so contact information is always visible to the viewer.
Minimalistic mobile design
When tackling the mobile design, I knew the most important things were booking, about us, FAQs, and waivers. I wanted to include a waiver button because I remember when I went to an escape room, I had to fill out a waiver on my phone. Having it easily accessible to people is key.
Simple is better, so the other menu items (including what’s already on the home page) are hidden in the hamburger button next to the logo.
The idea of keeping the social media buttons always at the bottom was a feature I wanted to replicate in the mobile version.
I wish I was much more technically skilled to create fancier designs that would appeal better to users, but there is also something nice about the minimalism and the user experience.
Having gotten so far with this design and branding, I feel like I should just open up the rage room myself. Care to rage?
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