website structure

[tZ]

Ok… so I have had my nose for the lasrt three months in all the technical mumbo jumbo about the web. So now I am starting to look for some direction in the designing part of the web. Not books that show me well done or cool websites only that are complient but, something more geared towards structure and information design on the web. I have looked through amazon and what not but have come up null.

So I was wondering if anyone here could possibly recommend some good resources and/or books on proper information set up on web. Adressing such things as hwat is best to be placed on the homepage, different types of layouts based on the maount of information within a website, stuff like that. I mean… I have general idea what goes where and what not about page structure on the web but, would like to know more and have my knowledge not just be based off of what i see everyday but sound experts on the matter.

So if anyone could recommend some type of reading about page and information structure on the web that would be great.

[Bear]

sorry to not be much more help, but it's kinda dependant on the experience/point of the website

A City Guide, for example, would provide an equal balance of differing interests, perhaps with a combination of static and dynamic elements (why not try... if you're interested in such and such go here etc etc) so that frequent visitors are always getting a refreshing view or a different suggestion at the very top of the page, with access to more common, useful resources to the side which they can jump into for returning reference

A bank on the otherhand would need to provide static, fast access information which is coherent to a diverse range of users and easy to understand.

Are you looking for a specific context (for your own website, for example), or just a general guide?

I think it hasn't really changed over time per se, these may be good starter areas to look at

http://tech-head.com/info.htm

http://www.informationdesign.org/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User_Centered_Design

[Emmanize]

Hmm. I don’t know if I have a right to reply here as my views are different. But I agree that experience is key. A book is handy but not in the “real” world. Your best bet would be to interact with other web designers and ask questions. Try not to be reliant on books alone…get out there. I understand you want to be different and updated, but this can be achevied other ways. The best way to be unique is to teach yourself as well as reading books.

[nyc_skater]

I like this book

The Web Style Guide (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0300088981/102-0286577-4016140?v=glance&n=283155)

And Don't Make Me Think (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0321344758/sr=1-1/qid=1156251904/ref=pd_bbs_1/102-0286577-4016140?ie=UTF8&s=books) is a classic

[tZ]

I've read don't make me think but, I'm looking for something more along the lines of structuring information and balancing out graphics on web. When its appropriate to use them and not to enhance the design… things like that. That style guide book looks interesting. I'm not looking for basic stuff but, more advanced such as structuring information within a page and correct approaches based on the amount of information within the entire design. I might check that style guide out though.

I do agree that expierence is key. However, how can you gain knowledge if you are doing things incorrectly from the start bec asue all you have is expiereince. I'm saying its wrong but, personally I like to know I'm doing things correctly before gaining expiereince doing them. You can have all the expiereince you want but, if you are doing it incorrectly then its incorrect.

In my opinion books are the second to best to a instructure or someone in the field.

thanks for the link nyc_skater.

[Emmanize]

I've read don't make me think but, I'm looking for something more along the lines of structuring information and balancing out graphics on web. When its appropriate to use them and not to enhance the design… things like that. That style guide book looks interesting. I'm not looking for basic stuff but, more advanced such as structuring information within a page and correct approaches based on the amount of information within the entire design. I might check that style guide out though.

I do agree that expierence is key. However, how can you gain knowledge if you are doing things incorrectly from the start bec asue all you have is expiereince. I'm saying its wrong but, personally I like to know I'm doing things correctly before gaining expiereince doing them. You can have all the expiereince you want but, if you are doing it incorrectly then its incorrect.

In my opinion books are the second to best to a instructure or someone in the field.

thanks for the link nyc_skater.

Same as you can read until the world ends but you don’t actually learn anything until you do it. It’s making the mistakes that teaches you. If you never make mistakes you don’t learn…end of. Ok some make more mistakes then others but we all make them. Most people face the world blind, but if you’re too afraid to then don’t do it in the first place. It’s also a fact that doing it will improve your confidence; I have never found reading book boosts my confidence; it does the opposite in fact lol. Your going to make the odd mistake, no matter how much homework you do its part of life. Thats just my opinion anyway.