Design Decisions vs. Audience Considerations

We design a website for its users, and not ourselves, nor even our clients. For a website to succeed it must somehow engage the end user, and finding the best way to bring that about is the role of the web designer.

And users means everyone, not those using a particular browser, or accessing the internet at speeds close to the velocity of light. Understand the audience.

It goes without saying that clean, CSS-based, standards-compliant code is called for here so users on slow connections, with old browsers, or using screen readers will be able to access your content. Feel free to use Flash and video, as long as you consider alternate means of content delivery. Then test and test and test again.

The song remains the same.