Dashboard Design: The Key to Giving your Viewers What they Want

When our web designer, Stephanie Corn, came on board with us, I didn't realize how much she would literally change the face of our websites. Her experience designing for a site that needed a homepage that helped users manage their experience was something she brought to the table and changed the way we design our sites overnight. You see, she used to work at WebMD and help manage their site.

WebMD's challenge was to help users get to the information they came for directly from the home page with the fewest clicks possible. (up to 3 maxiumum!) With thousands of pages, they needed to target their consumer's needs very quickly right on the home page. They do a very good job of that. Take a look:

The design is compartmentalized. If I have a question about my cough or strength training, I can find it on the left side of the page. These are sections viewers can clearly see which will take them directly to the information they need. Viewers can also see all the services and programs the company offers right on the home page. They don't have to delve into a lot of pages to get the information they seek. This reminds me of a dashboard on an airplane, all the tools are in your face and give you the information you want instantly. (Welcome to "dashboard design!" I knew my 7 years of experience in the airline industry would come in handy someday....heh, heh, heh!)

Keep in mind this not only works for very large sites, it works just fine for smaller sites. Take a look at one of our clients, Beloin, Brown, Blum & Baer:

The viewer can see what types of law they practice right on the home page and can also get to all the attorney's profiles. A contact area is also included and should be on the front page of EVERY site! (Contacting you is what its all about--right?)

So, now go take a look at your own site. Are you giving the viewers a direct link to what they want most? Are you advertising your products/services right on the home page? Is there a way for people to get to your contact form or contact you by email? If its not, then its probably time for a redesign and a dashboard to help your business "take-off!"

   

Comments

[Jim Durbin]

An excellent point. Usability in design has been gaining traction in large companies for some time, but small companies can benefit greatly from working with a designer who understands the flow of a website and the importance of showcasing important information immediately.

Intuitive navigation is something that designers do well, but far too many web developers lack the knowledge to create.

I think this simplicity is one of the reasons that business blogs are so effective. Tackling one industry, with categories and a single column of information is much easier to do than tackling a huge website with multiple choices in where to go for links. A blog on home contracting is easier to use than, say, the Home Depot site. If you asked someone - they might be more inclined to say Home Depot has better, more complete information, and they would be right. But a reader is more likely to stick with the blog, because finding the information on the Home Depot site is such a chore (even if it's just 5 clicks away instead of right in front of you).

Likewise, Google beats the pants off of Yahoo because Yahoo is very complex, with a lot of information. Google is a simple box that takes you where you want to go.

Simplicity. It's the new black.