Luca: Web design is like the architecture of a building. It includes the design of the facade, the arrangement of rooms, the selection of materials, and the placement of furniture. It ensures that the building is aesthetically appealing, has a clear structure – and above all meets the needs of its occupants. Good web design will therefore ensure that users are inspired to stay on the website because it is a) visually very appealing and b) easy to navigate – so the desired information can be found quickly.

So that everything works in web design – what does it take?

Luca: Designing successful web design requires a combination of creativity, technical know-how, and a good portion of user orientation. And first of all, it is important to have a deep understanding of the needs and expectations of the target group. I mean: We need to ask ourselves who the website visitors are, what information they are looking for, and what actions they want to carry out. Put simply: Users of a tech startup’s website certainly have different needs than users looking for dog training on a dog school’s website or patients who want to book a doctor’s appointment online.

How do you approach a website project?

Luca: The answer has two parts, namely a factual approach and intensive research – and then inspiration follows. First, I research everything there is to know about the client and their product. Then I organize a workshop with the client – to get an even better feel for them and their service, to understand them and put ourselves in their shoes – and above all to understand their target group. It is perfect when the relationship between me and the client develops in such a way that I see myself as part of the company. I notice that I have reached that point when I start speaking in terms of “we” within a project, because then I have managed to put myself 100 percent in the client’s shoes. And after I have succeeded in that, the implementation of a planned page structure follows, then I deliver a screen design, and ultimately the implementation on the web.

Is there a particular web design project you are especially proud of?

Luca: Basically, I have to say every project is fun in its own way because I gain insight into many different fields. To answer your question, however, I would highlight one project that still makes me very proud today. It is a large startup accelerator. The challenges were diverse: On the one hand, the client has different target groups, which of course each need to be addressed differently, but for which there are also different services. There are startups, large companies that support these startups, political groups, etc. As I said, these target groups must be addressed differently. And yet, the website naturally needs a clear, consistent appearance. As for the various services in the client’s portfolio - from startup programs and events to co-working spaces – these also have to be designed in such a way that the respective target groups feel personally addressed, but can also quickly find their way around.

So web design is a complex topic. Which phase in the project process would you consider particularly important?

Luca: The better I understand the client’s needs and goals, the better the result will be. The more intensively and precisely the necessary details are gathered at the beginning, the easier the implementation and elaboration will be later, and you are closer to a result than if you simply jump right in. So: Better to spend more time with the client at the beginning and ask more questions than to have to do five feedback loops afterward.

What is the most important thing in web design?

Luca: In principle, a balanced mix of user-friendliness and design applies. But from the client’s perspective, the most important thing is that the user finds what they are looking for. That sounds easy at first, but it is quite complex to design a website in such a way that the user quickly finds what they are looking for and that, for example, all buttons are clickable and recognizable. Because we all know this: A confusing homepage that does not function properly is annoying – and gets closed again quickly.