August 17th, 2007 Posted in Business, Web Design

Web design cliches

When making a site, the following must be avoided at all costs:

• Generic “People on laptops” stock images.
• A model with a headset pretending to be tech support.
• “under construction” – either make a website, or don’t.
• “Reasons to have a website.” They already know they need one, dumbass.
• Flash intros or entirely Flash sites. Just stop it.
• Bullshit about “redefining what it means to create a website”. You sell pretty websites, that’s all.
• Corporate waffle. Read Strunk & White. Use sharp, clear English.
• Spelling and grammar mistakes
• Broken layouts.
• “optimised for 1024×768” or “best viewed in pet browser“. I will choose my own screen resolution and browser thanks. It’s the web designer’s job to make it work in all major browsers and resolutions!

I am going for a lie down in a darkened room now.