I think this is the right forum,if not I'm sure one of the mods would be willing to move it if I gave them a cookie 
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neways..<br />
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Where do you draw the line when it comes to design theroy(usability,color schemes,general layout) and what users of a site like yours expects(ie: lets say your audience visits mainly sites which are made on an almost personal site wavelength[off the wall layouts,almost fully graphical,meant to showcase the persons skill with blending/hackjobs and effects instead of their atchual design skill(the topic that triggered this in paticular was anime fansites)]<br />
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you,as a designer,know what 'should' be done in order to have an effective design...yet your audience will expect otherwise and would more apt to stick around if you cater to this expectation.So,oppinions please...where do you draw the line between what your visitor expects layout/design wise,and what you know should be done?<!--content-->no need to move the thread but i wouldn't say no to a cookie anyway
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On my list there are only two items, usability and SEO, ofcourse this assumes i have the content to fill the site.<br />
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But that's MY list, i design content sites which i want maximum ease of use so that it aids my content in keeping my visitors.<br />
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Sites i design for clients, depends on the clients needs but again always emphasize on usability not being disregarded for all singing all dancing/bandwidth hogging graphics/flash, if the client wants a pretty site fine, but what's the use if it's unpleasant to navigate (or even too hard to navigate).<br />
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At the end of the day i would say you draw the line on doing whatever you have to to keep the viewer at that site, and it changes for each site. If your client demands you design it how they want it, well as long as you make them aware of any problems that may occur (low SERP position) and they understand them, go ahead.<!--content-->
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<br />
neways..<br />
<br />
Where do you draw the line when it comes to design theroy(usability,color schemes,general layout) and what users of a site like yours expects(ie: lets say your audience visits mainly sites which are made on an almost personal site wavelength[off the wall layouts,almost fully graphical,meant to showcase the persons skill with blending/hackjobs and effects instead of their atchual design skill(the topic that triggered this in paticular was anime fansites)]<br />
<br />
you,as a designer,know what 'should' be done in order to have an effective design...yet your audience will expect otherwise and would more apt to stick around if you cater to this expectation.So,oppinions please...where do you draw the line between what your visitor expects layout/design wise,and what you know should be done?<!--content-->no need to move the thread but i wouldn't say no to a cookie anyway
<br /><br />
On my list there are only two items, usability and SEO, ofcourse this assumes i have the content to fill the site.<br />
<br />
But that's MY list, i design content sites which i want maximum ease of use so that it aids my content in keeping my visitors.<br />
<br />
Sites i design for clients, depends on the clients needs but again always emphasize on usability not being disregarded for all singing all dancing/bandwidth hogging graphics/flash, if the client wants a pretty site fine, but what's the use if it's unpleasant to navigate (or even too hard to navigate).<br />
<br />
At the end of the day i would say you draw the line on doing whatever you have to to keep the viewer at that site, and it changes for each site. If your client demands you design it how they want it, well as long as you make them aware of any problems that may occur (low SERP position) and they understand them, go ahead.<!--content-->