Web Design Principles

A lot of web design firms will just take your money and provide an 'off the shelf' website hosted on their own servers. This method of creating a site maximises profits and ties you into their hosting and support package. We are different, here's why...

At AFM we work with you to create your website so that it is tailored to your own requirements. We register any domain names and hosting packages using your own contact details and provide you with all the registration information at the end of the project. We do not charge any sort of regular maintenance payments and since you have all the registration details you are free to change to another design firm if you are not satisfied with our services.

Effective First Impressions

Research has shown that the average person browsing the Internet only allows twenty seconds to find what they want. If a site fails the twenty second test the person will go elsewhere. This makes it extremely important to design a website for a fast and effective first impression.

Exciting Presentation

A well designed website will allow you to provide information to your target audience in a clear, well presented, easy to navigate and visually stimulating manner.

Professional Image

The feel of your website should encompass the style of your organisation, and should project the image you wish to present to the world. Your website can be presented in a style that will tie in with your existing business stationery and promotional literature, or you might decide to try a fresh approach.

Presentation Design

The visual appearance and presentation methods should suit the purpose for which the site is intended. So, for example, if you are mainly providing an information service then animated artwork is only going to get in the way of your users reaching the information they want quickly and efficiently. However, your organisation may need a modern, high impact, multimedia presentation style. AFM's website designers will support and advise you on presentation design so that you get the site that meets your needs.

Tailored Graphics

The graphics on your site should load quickly so they don't cause the visitor to get frustrated or give up.

Cost Effectiveness

With AFM developing and maintaining an effective website need not cost a great deal, especially when compared with the cost of traditionally distributed publications. A website is a very cost effective investment when you take into account that once developed it will remain a permanent fixture on the World Wide Web and can be upgraded, updated or expanded as required.

Reaching Everyone

At the moment approximately 20% percent of people browsing the Internet have some form of disability. The technology is readily available to enable them to overcome their impairment and make full use of the resources the Internet provides. However, websites must be correctly configured in order to be compatible with the technology. As legal guidelines tighten more and more websites are falling foul of accessibility regulations. Some, such as the Sidney 2000 Olympic website, have already had to pay damages as a result of failing to comply with disability legislation.

All websites designed by AFM conform to the World Wide Web Consortium Accessibility Guidelines. For example, our own site conforms to the W3C Triple A level of accessibility.