What makes a good web interface?

I'm currently working on my portfolio and am in that awful process of collecting past works together for screenshots etc and came across a web app i designed for a past employer. This prompted me into thinking..

"hmm... what _really_ makes a decent web interface?"

..so then people, thoughts? Is it wise to break away from the traditional menu bar layouts for example?

This interface was for an intranet app allowing techies to trace details of client internet setups quickly and efficiently.

d-sine

:: d-sine :: www.d-sine.org

I'm currently working on my portfolio and am in that awful process of collecting past works together for screenshots etc and came across a web app i designed for a past employer. This prompted me into thinking..

"hmm... what _really_ makes a decent web interface?"

..so then people, thoughts? Is it wise to break away from the traditional menu bar layouts for example?

This interface was for an intranet app allowing techies to trace details of client internet setups quickly and efficiently.

d-sine

:: d-sine :: www.d-sine.org

If you keep the navigation buttons/links organized and in one area so that it is obvious what they are, it is OK, IMO. It does pay to put your navigation where visitors are used to finding them. The left-side and top navigation styles are pretty universal, and allow the most room for content.

I hate those sites that make you search for the links, like planets around a sun, with no text to tell you what the link is. Usability and content have to take priority over design or originality.

It is amazing what can be done with basic layouts, and I find working within limitations stretches the old creative muscles a lot.

http://www.eyesitewebdesign.com/dale.gif
Eye Site Web Design
Why, I’m afraid I can’t explain myself, sir, because I’m not myself, you know...
- Lewis Carroll

I agree with what you're saying Dale and I find that it's often something to do with the use of non-HTML (eg. Flash) that tempts designers/site producers (whatever you wish to call them) away from the more traditional layouts. I have read your comments in the NOF thread about the (un)commercial use of Flash on the web and I think you put it very well. I personally find very little use for Flash and have never really had much time for it. There are plenty of ways of producing exciting and easy-to-use navigation methods without things like Flash.

I think the style of interface probably (nearly always) depends on the site itself. For example a great deal of art/portfolio/media-related sites use more unconventional interfaces to help create an "experience" for the viewer, whereas the more information/resource sites plump for the horizontal/vertical bars.

For the usability-stretcher : I have visited a site where the menu appeared in its own little pop-up window, and the first time i visited the site i closed it by accident thinking it was an advert, i then spent about five minutes or so wondering how to browse the site, how about that for clever design!!

d-sine

:: d-sine :: www.d-sine.org

I tend to agree with what Dale has suggested as well...in that navigation must be obvious...

my preferences regarding navivation location are top for the main nav bar and right hand side for the sub navs... For the life of me I could never really understand why the nav would be on the left other than it was close to the search bar in IE, even so, the scroll is on the right for those who if they are still existant do not use wheel mice...and most viewers are right handed...does this mean anything, well I think so, others do not...so as long as everyone can easily find what they came for then all is cool...

As for Flash, I do feel that there is a place for this technology in most every area, from nav bars to banners right on through to full fledged sites...there are many different user groups out there, and to offer more rather than less is a pretty durn good approach... rather see a few non traditional sites thrown into the mix than none at all...makes for a very interesting web world.

Finally in answer to your question re-interface designing...what ever is the prefered look for the particular target audience you are shooting for...eg. web design site looking corporate, music site looking funky, tech info site sporting a tech edge look and feel...and for those who really wish to work hard at it offer more than one look re- skins... [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif[/img]