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Top Web Design Mistakes

In his hilarious website (which is now archived, sadly) Vincent Flanders highlighted websites that were substandard in design and/or function. He curated a list of what he called the 'Top 30(ish) Web Design Mistakes"

We showcase some of those, here: (and have added a few of our own). In short: Don't be a web clown!

  1. The site/company tells you how wonderful it is but not how its going to solve your problems
  2. Our site was designed to meet our needs rather that yours
  3. We say "Welcome to..." on our home page
  4. It takes longer than 4 seconds for the "Man from Mars" to understand what our site is about
  5. The "Man from Mars" cannot quickly find the focal point of the home page
  6. Our site doesn't make us look like credible professionals
  7. Our home page - or any page - takes more than 4 seconds to load
  8. We never conduct any user testing
  9. We don't analyze our log files
  10. We don't know which design items are not necessary
  11. Quickly scanning the page doesn't tell our visitors much about its purpose
  12. We have not eliminated unnecessary design items
  13. The "Man from Mars" cannot quickly find the focal point of the current page
  14. We don't know if our site looks the same in the major browsers
    1. We haven't checked it out in different platforms/geometries either
    2. "Tell me, what is Responsive Web Design again?"
  15. Our pages have too much or too little white space
  16. Our site mixes text colors on the page
  17. We don't put design elements where our visitors expect them
  18. Logo is not on the top of every page and clicking it doesn't lead back to the home page
  19. Visited links don't change color
  20. OUr site doesn't make visitors feel they can trust us
  21. We don't identify PDF files with an icon
  22. Our site uses divider bars
  23. Our logo does not look like it was professionally made
  24. No one has spent the time figuring out if our color scheme alienates our international users
  25. Our site breaks when visited with the JavaScript turned off
  26. OUr site doesn't have a privacy or legal statement page
  27. Our site mixes and matches text sizes on the page
  28. We don't know what content is popular
  29. Our site's design was 'borrowed' from another site
  30. The important content does not fit in the first screen
  31. We used justified text
  32. OUr site uses pop-up windows
  33. Code is 'ugly', 'bloated' and difficult to maintain
  34. Uses HTML styles rather than CSS
  35. Site requires registration before you can enter
  36. Site uses blinking, scrolling, fading, or moving text
  37. Site uses underlined text for emphasis (often confused with hyperlinks
  38. Links are broken or ill-marked
  39. Links consist of large phrases (10-20 words)
  40. Non-thematic fonts
  41. Site uses animated GIFs
  42. Users must click 4 or more times to get to vital information
  43. Site arrangement requires horizontal scrolling

Additional Concerns: