

Ask HN: What is the goal of website design? - JacobEdelman

What do you think the goal of website design is?
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MalcolmDiggs
It could be beauty, enjoyment, entertainment. But for many of us the only real
goal is to convert a user.

On the eCommerce projects I've worked on, a "conversion" was defined as a user
simply making a purchase. So the goal of any of our designs was to make that
action happen as often as possible (in as high quantities as possible). At the
end of the day, it didn't matter if we personally hated a design, or if we
thought it was ugly or anything like that. The design that made the most money
_was_ the best design.

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Warewolf-ESB
Ultimately, it is for conversion of the right person. Conversion may mean
anything from giving your existing customer information they need, getting a
new customer on board or getting a newsletter sign up.

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AtTheLast
I website should help someone accomplish a task.

Now that task could be range from buying a faucet to seeing when your favorite
band is in town. The easier it is to accomplish the task, the better the
website.

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KhalPanda
Err... to convey the ['content', 'service', 'message', 'tool', 'function'] of
a website as effectively as possible?

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JacobEdelman
But what about making a site that's pleasant to use. It might take more clicks
to get somewhere but the style and experience is better. Sites like HN and the
Drudge Report convey the information effectively but they are not necessarily
as pleasant to use. Is designing a site like designing clothes? If so,
function is definitely not the only consideration.

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AtTheLast
Design will always be a blend of form and function. With an optimal goal of
creating a product that is aesthetically pleasing and easy to use.

I would error on the side of making something more useable than beautiful. If
something is ugly, but still usable, it has value. If something looks good and
is not usable, it doesn't have much value. Unless it's Art or something that
is only meant to be looked upon.

