Leszek Grocholski Overview of institutions on the internet
	This article was translated thanks to the grant received from the Open Society Institute

Preface

Internet is at present the most refined source of information, supplying various data about institutions, to a far greater extent than printed sources. It's even claimed, that an institution which doesn't have a page on the Internet, does not exist. Rapid development of the Internet was based on the prediction that it will become the most popular method of acquiring information. It should be acknowledged that a reputation of a business enterprise may rest entirely on its web site presentation. A new name has been coined: "e-business card". Browsing web sites has generally some commercial aspect, it is therefore possible to risk an assertion that the final result seen on a monitor's screen may not only influence the viewer's opinion of that firm's web site presentation, but also the magnitude its future contracts.

For many institutions, the highly interactive and adjustable to the individual needs of a client, the Internet's home page became a key to acquiring a larger number of customers at a lower financial outlay and minimum running costs, thanks to the ability of fulfilling various needs of clientele visiting the web pages. It is important that a client, at the end of a web site session, should be sufficiently impressed to tell his friends and acquaintances. Opinion expressed by a satisfied customer is the most effective form of building reputation of a firm or a product, and the Internet appears to be made for it. It should be noted that people taking advantage of the Internet developed an information system about the quality of service offered by the net. If a customer is dissatisfied with goods or service, he will undoubtedly send his opinion by the electronic mail to all his friends, or place it on a frequently accessed virtual bulletin board.

A person is guided by his or her own preferences, and therefore a visit to a given site is decided by its appeal. There are places on the net which one can view with pleasure - because they are pretty and appealing. There are other, not necessarily nice, but favoured by the users, because they are friendly and in a clear readable manner provide the sought after information - the data is quickly supplied. But there are some which are offensive. We judge them to be ugly, in a bad taste, and in an appalling style.

What does it mean 'a bad style', or what does 'offensive' mean? We are stepping into the quicksand of subjective judgements. What then is the meaning of the phrase "The web site style"?

Choice of elements + arrangement = style

A web page comprises of a limited number of components. The classical elements, typical to printing materials, are graphic art and text. It is also possible to include on pages miscellaneous animations, forms, dialogue boxes, expanding menus. All those elements combine to create a multimedia (not just a plastic) image. It can therefore be stated that a web site style is always a specific choice of suitable elements, and their particular arrangement, guided by the intended function of a page.

Having such an explanation at one's disposal, it is tempting to add up the number of conditions, at least adequate to acknowledge that a page was designed in a good style. Good style appears mainly in a plastic form, which can be either liked or not. In this respect, genuine criteria can only be applied by art critics, professional specialists. That is why, although important it is, I propose to skip this factor. However, the constituent parts of a web page have a considerable effect on its reception. Discussed in the article are qualities which graphic elements, text, and multimedia elements should posses.

Graphics in a good style

While designing a home page it is necessary to remember that graphic images appear mainly in GIF, JPEG, PNG formats. In the case of graphics we frequently have to deal with compromises between quality and the available memory. They arise from:

• computer monitor's resolution: 72 - 120 pixels per inch, affects image quality
• format GIF, which has 256(or less) colours in 8-bit palette, format JPEG, although contains 24-bit palette, its method of compression causes irreversible loss of picture quality
• network. capacity.

The true criterion in assessing a good style of a page is the choice of format of the actual picture: small pictures, line graphics, captions, images having clear transitions - that's the domain of GIF format. On the other hand, large photographs, graphics containing plenty of half-tones, should best be realised in JPEG format, at the same time a creator must maintain balance between the quality of pictures and the size of files. Graphics created in GIF format should be optimised with respect to quantity of colours, since reduction of palette has a considerable effect on compression of graphic files.

Pictograph, ideogram, symbol

We shall now attempt to analyse the function of graphics on web pages. The role, least original, but also most common place, that is: illustrative and decorative. Furthermore, graphic elements create atmosphere, an image climate, they give support to written word. An icon, drawing or a photograph do not require knowledge of a language, their meaning is visual not semantic. They are universal, economical and capacious carriers of information. Frequently, on the web pages, we come across pictographs representing real objects, or ideograms, a symbolic representations of ideas and concepts associated with displayed objects. Pictographs and ideograms are in other words, a graphic metonymy, that is, a treatment of semantic organisation of a web page, dependant on application of a picture as an information carrier. This carrier depends on utilisation of plastic presentation, which remains in true logical link with the indicated content. Sometimes graphics can create metaphor - have therefore ability to evoke subliminal senses, richer and far exceeding a simple representation. If a page is more than just a collection of accumulated together elements, and if from their arrangement emerges additionally, an ease with which a recipient can assimilate the content unaided, then it is possible to talk of true metaphor on the page, it can be said that the web page is rich in symbolic content.

Page typography

Problems with achieving a good typographic style of web pages warrant a book, rather than a brief mention in a short article. The link between form and text is very important. Typography is not just a skill of setting various kinds of type on web pages, it is also an art of arranging a page, composing the style of the entire web site, it is finally the sign of times. A letter (character) in our contemporary world acquired autonomic qualities: in advertisement, on posters, on sign-boards, on street neons. And so, in these new circumstances letters are becoming symbols speaking to us metaphorically, with a secondary meaning. Typography is inseparably connected with order and precision. Serious approach to the rules of typography forces us to regard each web site as a constructional entity, embracing planning of its function and objective, modelling, consideration to those elements which mark out text (titles, subtitles, citations, colour, etc.) and to the form of basic text (choice of shape and size of type, interlineation, paragraphs, initials, lists etc.), and also to the utilisation of tables (of various functions).

We can now speculate in what direction will the design of web pages progress. In my opinion the web pages will always be linked with the word and text, independently of the fact that it will be multimedia web sites and therefore include contents stated by nonlingual means. Since the word will remain, it is worthwhile to remember that a correct choice of type, readably assembled page, sensible use of tables, arrangement of empty spaces and light can make a web page absolutely beautiful.

Fundamental mistakes

Mentioned below are few fundamental mistakes made during the design and construction of web pages.

1. Function of a page is not clear
 
There are many pages on the net devoid of any kind of concrete information, or a general idea, and yet so little is needed to present, by simple means, something really interesting, in an attractive manner. What is required is a little effort and a little imagination. Frequently we come across a situation where meritorious content of a page is able to cover up some aesthetic shortcomings, which we most probably miss, anyway.

2. Unreadable navigation
 
Next in line is the problem of navigation. People visiting our home page should, in each corner, know where they actually are and have an easy access to other pages. A good idea is to include, on each page, references (textual or graphic) of a characteristic form or colour, which would also give the pages defined and recognisable character. A design should from the very beginning be so planed, as to take into consideration future expansion, so that a complete reconstruction of the whole site can be avoided.

3. Colourful and sparkling
 
Maintaining correctly adjusted coloration of a page is one of the elements causing beginners most problems (and also more advanced). Sometimes one gets the impression that some authors convinced themselves that, the more aggressive choice of colours, the more viewers will be attracted to their web pages. The extreme example of that could be a page where an animated background of changing rainbow colours was used. Of course, the text under those circumstances was not very readable.

4. Structural extravagance - frames within frames
 
Quite common mistake in the art is a structural flamboyance. We are entering the main page and there we see four sub-pages, each in a separate frame. It makes a terrible impression. Almost every web page can be so constructed, that the use of frames is avoided. I do not reject the use of frames altogether. However, they should be applied in moderation. Their use, beside being aesthetically detrimental to the whole page (zips don't look very nice), complicate effective navigation, frequently causes loading delays, and often impede filing. Only the latest browsers are capable of correct interpretation while recording frames.

5. Attaching large files
 
Music and animation effectively enhance presentation. Unfortunately files of this type are very large and their downloading may take a long time. It happens that after sending file's URL we have to wait and wait. It isn't due to the line overloading but to the enchanting melody emanating from our loudspeakers ( if we have the sound player card). If we consider it necessary to include a musical motive or an animation, it is advisable chose the option of downloading it straight onto the disk.

6. Showing the latest technical tricks
 
There are people consumed by the ambition to incorporate all possible applications of the latest technical innovations, which currently appeared, in connection with a pure language (most likely HTML). Page meters, clocks for several time zones, or a moving signs running along the status bar at the bottom of a page, or even instructions interpreted by only one kind of browser. Tricks of that kind irritate very often, not just by their form, prolonged downloading, but also because they don't respond to the older types of browsers. It must be remembered that not everybody has got fast links, latest browsers, and nerves of steel. Particularly irritating might be frequent appearances of information windows showing various errors interpreted by the browser.

Summary

Every page should be founded on a specific and discernible conception of a graphic art nature. The most important criterion defining a good design style of a page is functionality of each applied element. Good typography an suitably applied graphics, aid interpretation of text contained within web pages, made it acceptable or "unacceptable" - everything depends on the quality of the designer style. In reality it is easy to asses the quality of a page. All that is necessary is to view it yourself and persuade a few friends to do likewise. It is imperative that the test should be carried out on a moderately slow computer of middling graphic capability, and of course, via modem. To carry out the assessment it is necessary to answer the following questions: "Is it easy ?", "Is information correctly arranged ?", "Are answers coming up fast enough ?, "Are goods easily 'collected' into an electronic trolley, or is location of individual items rather difficult and it is necessary to shuffle pages back and forth" ? It is necessary to ensure that everything that appears on Internet pages should be thoroughly tested before it reaches clientele. There is usually only one chance to make a good impression.

Bibliography

1. Andrusikiewicz Piotr: O dobrym stylu projektowania stron WWW. "Webmaster" 1999 no 10.
2. Andrusikiewcz Piotr: WWW i typografia - trudny związek. "Webmaster" 2000 no 1.
3. Tomza Robert: Bolą oczy, puchnie głowa, czyli błąd w sztuce. "Webmaster" 2000 no 1.
4. Gates Bill: Biznes szybki j@k myśl. Warsaw 1999.

This article is based on a conference proceeding given during a seminar "Jak mnie widzą, tak mnie cenią. Rola literatury firmowej w kreowaniu firmy" organized by The Main Library and Scientific Information Centre of Wrocław University of Technology. Wrocław, 25th October 2000.

Translated by Jolanta Wróbel