Graphics and pictures may transform an ordinary design into a highly satisfying end user experience. Regrettably, they may also ruin that experience if utilized improperly

Whether you are developing a website or creating a software app, part of your task is to determine when it is proper to utilize these features. If you make the right choices, your end users will have little difficulty finding their way around and accomplishing their objectives.

In this post, we’ll explore the using of graphics and photos in the context of whether they enhance your style or take away from it. We’ll provide a basic litmus test you can use, and explain a few circumstances where including these components makes good sense.

The Litmus Test: When And Where To Utilize Images

As a site or software programmer, you by now recognize that each single feature or design aspect either contributes or removes from the client encounter. Each piece must be evaluated with regards to whether or not it helps the user achieve his or her objective; if it does not, its worth to the task is thin.

Consider the utilization of graphics in web and software apps you employ every day. Some might help you navigate while others still offer more info regarding a key subject (we’ll discuss both in more detail below); but are they needed? Does the value of their inclusion warrant the price of manufacturing (e.g. design, rendering, etc.)? More to the point, does incorporating them add distress or distraction to the user encounter? If so, it follows that removing them would enhance the encounter.

The preceding is not to advise that designers ought to always follow a stringent, no-frills strategy to style. On the other hand, icons, pictures, and additional kinds of graphics provide tremendous value in certain situations.

Helping Users Navigate

The more versatile your app, the more you’ll need to help clients navigate. This can be accomplished with a blend of text, symbols, and pictures

For example, imagine you were to visit Walmart’s website to buy a camcorder. On the left side of the website, you could see a text link that says, “Cameras and Camcorders.” No picture is required at this juncture since the top-level description is self-explanatory.

Further suppose you searched more significantly into the website to the “Camcorders” section. Here, pictures or images of the different types of video cameras offered might prove useful, particularly if you’re unfamiliar with the products. Photos that distinguish categories, such as DVD, Hard Drive Disk, Flash Memory, and High Definition will help you swiftly drill down to your preferred formatting. In this case, the images would improve your experience on Walmart’s site.

When Images Offer Framework And Info

Outside of navigation, graphics and pictures could also be beneficial for providing clients with additional info. For example, consider eBay. Very few people would be prepared to bid for certain products without first viewing pictures of the products. Or, consider a theme park’s site. Travelers could be able to gain access to an online map that can help them plan passages to the park structured on their lodgings. Real estate websites are now expected to supply visual tours through listed properties.

By including graphics and pictures in these applications, developers can design an end user encounter that provides informational value.

Should Graphics Be Used For Decoration?

This is a fine line for software developers and designers. The temptation is to include graphics so as to beautify or break up a web page or section, and make it look much less formidable

The risk is that by doing so, developers might lose usability; the images and pictures must be relevant and provide some measure of value that makes the experience more effective and simple for the user. Or else, they take away from the experience, and thus ought to be removed.

If your judgment regarding any design component – including images – is that it does not hurt or harm the user experience, it most likely hurts it. If that’s the situation, resist the urge to incorporate it.

Author Bio: This information on application development is provided by http://OnlineInvoicingReview.com, a website about http://www.onlineinvoicingreview.com/. Check out their reviews online at http://www.OnlineInvoicingReview.com

Category: Business Management
Keywords: invoices,invoicing,billing,billing software,invoicing software