Less is More...or, wait...

I have a friend and confidant that I usually confide in when it comes to a new design I've created. His philosophy is the simpler the better, or as the old adage goes, less is more. In other words, when he visits a site, he shouldn't feel bogged down by images or information. It should have a nice flow, and he should be able to find what he wants with ease.

I developed all different kinds of websites for clients over the years. Some of those clients have the opposite view. They want to add lots of things to their pages. Depending on their business, they have had valid reasons why. So, what's the answer...is less more?

When I visit a website, I subconsciously look for the "wow factor" as many people do. I've visited some and saw mass chaos. Then again, I've visited some that I expect to see tumbleweed rolling across the screen because it's so bland and ghostly. I've seen some sites that pull all the punches with the flash, the glitz, and the glamour and still no wow factor. And, of course, visa versa. Then, there are those sites that I love returning to. They inspire. They spark interest. They pull me in. And before I know it, I've spent hundreds of dollars on their product. I've become an expert on the history of their company. I've invested time and money into the company, just as a consumer.

So, what was it? Can it be achieved? The answer is, it was different things from different companies and yes, it can be achieved. Probably the most common thing among all, was wow factor. The wow factor came in different ways depending on the company. The best site I can tell you about was the site that effectively showed me what their company was all about from the moment I got to the site! For some sites, it was the beauty done within the simplicity. For other sites, it was the organized chaos that flowed so so well.

Shapes and designs can do a lot for a site. Graphics can do the same. And, yes, in many cases, less is more. But, if you want to add a lot to your page without giving your consumer a headache. I would recommend organize chaos that flows. Having a full-looking site is important to one of my clients. If you know their business, you know why. But it is organized. We've worked hard together to accomplish that. Of course, there's always room for improvement.

You can accomplish quite a bit with little or much stuff.

Let your vision be your guide!