Design Elements for Tourism Website

Contents

1. Introduction …………………………………………………………………………………………………………….….2
2. What is design thinking?………………………………………………………………………………………..2
3. What makes a good web design?……………………………………………………………………………….2
4. What are important design elements?……………………………………………………………………..2
5. Innovation…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….5
6. Innovation in my website………………………………………………………………………………………….….5
7. Who is the audience?……………………………………………………………………………………………..8
8. Why does the site look as it does?…………………………………………………………………………..8
9. References…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….10
10. Appendix………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………10

1. Introduction

The first thing that comes to our minds when we hear ‘design’ is about something visual. But this is not only a view but also an understanding of how people feel and what experience design delivers to the observer. And also the impact of design thinking and web design in our lives. Moreover, its importance in economics and its influence on business, sales of the products and customers.

2. What is design thinking?

Being successful nowadays require a person to have knowledge about technology and different ‘problem-solving’ skills. As Dam et al. (2018) explain ‘Design Thinking is one of these skills. This processes can help us systematically extract, teach, learn and apply these human-centered techniques to solve problems in a creative and innovative way’. In other words, how to find the problem, to analyze it, to find a solution. The importance of the design lies in making human lives more attractive, convenient and easier and also to reflect customers emotionally. According to Brown (1954, p. 4) ‘Design thinking relies on our ability to be intuitive, to recognize patterns, to construct ideas that have emotional meaning as well as functionality’.

3. What makes a good web design?

Nowadays, the Internet and computer technologies can transform all the information into a visual and that makes it easy to perceive. According to McManus (2012, p.10), The best websites are built using a combination of technical and artistic skills, and a good understanding of how people use the Internet. Finding the best way to make a good web design is to understand what visitors looking for and what they expect from your website. And as the McManus (2012, p.11) explains ‘One of the skills a web designer needs are the ability to put themselves into the shoes of the website visitors’.

4. What are important design elements?

Different elements have a vital role for website design each one of them has a function. Elements such as text, pictures, home page, labels, etc. and the sum of them makes web page working good.

Putting so many elements in one page would be confused the visitor. Simple and clear page leads you to easier and faster navigation around a site. Web visitors just skim-reading. Using the right colors, text size, buttons etc. will help them to find the necessary information. The balance is the key and the picture below shows that. Simple design makes webpage looks better than makes it overwhelmed.

Similarly, colors have an influence on people’s experience. As Khattak state, ‘Peoples are affected and attached with different colors emotionally.’ (Khattak et al.,2018, p. 185) Using the right color scheme depends on what the site is about and what emotions are related to the product. That is how different brands choose the perfect color for their logos.

For instance, take the pink color people to associate it with love, beauty, sensitivity. Brands such as ‘Victoria’s secret’ and ‘Cosmopolitan’ choose pink for their logos to illustrates the feminine. Another example is the pink ribbon which has become a symbol of breast cancer awareness and the women strength.

Proper fonts must match with the theme of the website. Some fond styles are playful others look more traditional or western. Text size depends on its function. For example, for heading choosing large size is the better option or underline the key point of the text. In fact, human eyes skim the text on the page to find the needed information. The bold or underlined font makes this process easier. 

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There are some more elements that are important for a good web design (well-selected pictures and good-quality photos, links, menus). The result is a combination of elements which work in harmony. As McManus (2012, p.61) said, ‘Using design elements consistently sends a signal to your visitors that you’ve paid attention to the details. It’s easy to put things onto a screen. It takes more care to combine them so that they look like they belong together in a single design.’ The goal is to reach out to people and to keep their attention.

5. Innovation

According to Whittington (2018, p. 2) ‘Innovation is about ideas and how they can be exploited through product and service offerings’. The figure (fig. 7) below shows that ‘an idea reminds just an idea until it is embodied within a tangible product or service offering, at which point it may be described as an invention. An offering is only considered to be an innovation when it is successfully deployed and used by some community or market for which it delivers a benefit.’ And the innovation is associated with creativity and imagination while entrepreneurship is liked to a risk and a successful delivery of innovation.

6. Innovation in my website

The main idea of my website is about a culture guide. But on the Internet there are many different websites with the same function. Analyzing the information about web design and innovation I tried to make it simple and easy to use; to add only the needed information and this leads to the idea revolved around etiquette and norms in different countries and also to help people to share their own experience.

Two websites on the Internet drew my attention. Both of them have almost the same purpose (to help people to learn) and both of them has some pros and cons.

The first one combines so many evidence for many different countries. When you start looking around the site you can find information not only about the culture but also about the business. There are quizzes, blog and pieces of training. This means this site is not solely for culture but there is a plenty to read about that. The design is not very attractive, the fonts are suitable with the purpose and colors but the navigation is a little bit confused. When you click on the button with the resources you need to scroll down to see where exactly where ate the real culture guides for countries. That does not make it easier to use.

In contrast, the second one has a different structure which facilitates readers. It is focused on culture and the navigation makes this site better than the previous one. You can add information, to explore and there is something fun for the family. Moreover, this site is connected to social media which is another advantage. When you select the country the information is clear and you can add to the guide

The graph below is a product life-cycle. Start with an introduction of the product, after that the growth and maturity. The third stage is the peak of sales of one product. In the period of time the popularity of one product decrease. Respectively, the sales decline too. It is the same with all products including websites. It needs some improvements to avoid the future decline of visitors.

To do this with my website I try to make it easier to use by taking advantages and disadvantages of these two sites and renewing it into something new that can be useful for people. Starting with something small, makes a good design, thinking about customers. Although, I add a page where people can add their information and communicate with other travelers. That must be helpful for the future development of the site and make it more and more interesting.

7. Who is the audience

In these days it is not difficult to travel all around the world and travelers do this to learn something more about different countries. Traveling is a combination between knowledge and adventure. I decided to make a website about the culture and etiquette in countries. It is for people who want to learn norms before they go on a trip. At the same time to share with other people their experience. 

8. Why does the site look as it does?

There are several things which play a role in the design and why it looks like it does now.

• The motto ‘Explore before you go’ illustrates that people can learn before they have a cultural shock in the new country.
• Considering that the site is for travelers and it gives information about culture, the blue color scheme is appropriate. It provokes safety, trust and honest which makes this color perfect for an educational website like this one.
• The navigation is accessible to all users. It is easy to find the guides, block and how to share with others.
• It is not needed for people to scroll from left to right.

• There are pictures which illustrate what is talking about in the text and links to another web pages where people can find more information about the topic.
• The text and its format are convenient to scan. Visitors can easily find the information that they want. For example, about the first meeting.

• With the page where travelers can share their experience or more about their own culture, this site offers not only knowledge but also a connection between people which is vital for websites.
• Connection to the social media is another benefit for the website.

I choose the first guide to be for Bulgaria which will be interesting for people. The goal to a user-friendly website is to make it attractive for the audience.

9. References

• Dam, R. and Siang, T (2018), What is Design Thinking and Why Is It So Popular? Available in: https://www.interaction-design.org/literature/article/what-is-design-thinking-and-why-is-it-so-popular (October 2018)
• Brown, T. (2009), Change by Design: how design thinking transforms organizations and inspires innovation, 1^st ed., New York, HarperCollons Publishers
• McManus S. (2018), Web Design in easy steps, 5^th ed., United Kingdom
• McManus S. (2018), Web Design in easy steps, 5th ed., United Kingdom
• Dr. Khattak S., Ali H., Khan Y., Shan M. (2018), ‘Color Psychology in Marketing’, Journal of Business and Tourism, 4 (1), p.185
• McManus S. (2018), Web Design in easy steps, 5th ed., United Kingdom
• Dr. Whittington D. (2018), Digital Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Cambridge University Press, United Kingdom

10. Appendix

• Fig.1 http://www.cultivatedwit.com/ , Screenshot
• Fig.2 Taken from https://graphicdesign.stackexchange.com/questions/20044/is-there-a-worldwide-applicable-color-emotion-chart
• Fig.3 Taken from http://rogueline.co/blog/why-psychology-of-color-in-fashion-branding-is-sexy/
• Fig.4 Taken from https://www.pinterest.com/pin/179862578844226355/
• Fig.5 Relationship between ideas and innovation, taken from Dr. Whittington D. (2018), Digital Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Cambridge University Press, United Kingdom
• Fig.6 https://www.commisceo-global.com/resources/country-guides , Screenshot
• Fig.7 http://guide.culturecrossing.net/ , Screenshot
• Fig.8 Taken from http://www.assignmentpoint.com/business/marketing-business/product-life-cycle.html