What Makes Good Blog Design?

Following is a list of heuristics for designing a good blog according to the website: what-makes-good-blog-design

I will use these guidelines to analyze whether Saira’s blog is well designed or needs improvement.

1. Content Should be the Focus.
Interesting content is important. I tried to make my post interesting and informative and adding images that pertained to the topic. In order to keep my visitors focused on the content, I made the content be the focal point of the design. Distracting readers with excessive images and extra items can be counterproductive. For this reason, I tried to make my designs fairly simple. Simplicity is common for blogs that want to emphasize the content.

2. Ease of Navigation.
Readers come to a blog through search engines, links from other blogs, RSS feeds, social media sites, etc. Only a small percentage of readers enter blogs through the front page. Saira’s blog doesn’t have many links from other blogs yet so finding it through a search engine is hard. I didn’t include a sidebar with navigational links which make it easier to find content.

3. Loads Quickly
Many visitors will have a very short attention span (this is really no different for blogs than traditional websites). Saira’s blog loads quickly, it is not weighted down by excessive widgets that decrease load speed. By keeping the blog clean and free of unnecessary items you can really cut down on the time it takes to load.

4. Content Start High on the Page.
Content on Saira’s blog starts higher on the page which makes it get started with the posts, and reduces excessive scrolling.

5. Memorable for Visitors.
Most blog readers visit a number of blogs each day, and many of them will feature the same (free) themes. I downloaded the free theme for Saira’s blog, so I am sure there are many blogs out there with the same design. To make my blog stand out more, I should create my own theme or buy a professionally designed theme. I did see many nice ones, but they were all pricey. If I was planning to use this blog more, I will look into buying or creating a professional design.

6. Not Overrun with Ads.
For most blogs making money with advertisements is a necessity. Even though it is important to use advertisements effectively, I did not add any ads at this point to Saira’s blog

7. Compatibility with Multiple Browsers.
Saira’s blog is functioning in both Firefox and IE.

8. Good Use of Color.
The best designs effectively use color to improve the appearance. I tried to use a theme that had an appealing colour theme which stood out. The one I picked was attractive and looked good on a black background.

9. Easy to Read.
This is really more about formatting the content of the blog than it is about a theme design. I tried to make my posts readable by using headlines, white space, lists, and bold text to make it easy for readers.

10. Important Items Should Be in Prominent Positions.
Effective design will draw the attention of readers to important items, such as subscription information. The most important links, images, etc. should generally go above the fold so that visitors will see them right away. Saira’s blog needs to improve on this as more widgets are added and more content is posted.

I decided to do a usability test on the website http://ecoki.com/ which I consider to be well designed. The information is organized so it’s easy to read and find what you are looking for fast. The space used is simple, no clutter, however large amount of information is managed well. The search box is visible and for the most part user friendly. The visual design or the aesthetics of the site is simple and uncluttered and pleasing to the eye. They have well use of color, font and graphics, and overall a good visual design that grab attention. Links are clear, the links work as planned and designed, graphics don't take long to load. The blog does not use long winded sentences or huge words. Scan-ability and readability is good.

Here is a design comparison of ecoki.com and Saira's blog.

Contact Lens

The invention of contact lens is significant and one which I consider to be in the top 5 list of the greatest inventions of the 20th and the 21st Century.

Until contact lens came along, there was no alternative to eyeglasses. Playing sports, involvement in certain occupations, one’s appearance were all affected by wearing glasses. Wearing contact lens are desirable for many reasons and are a great contribution to cosmetics, occupations and most importantly to one’s self-esteem.

Why Wear Contact Lens?

Contact lenses have many advantages over framed lenses. Here is the list of some of the benefits:

   1. They do not steam up when the wearer goes from the cold outside to a warm room.
   2. They can be worn safely during sports.
   3. They eliminate the need for less attractive lenses.
   4. Peripheral vision is increased
   5. The incidence of breakage is extremely low.
   6. Contact lens cheaper than glasses now, cost of frames alone is high nowadays

Sometimes, the adjustment period in learning to use contact lens properly can be longer than for eye glasses, especially for younger children. However many kids or teenagers don’t like to wear glasses as it can impact their self-esteem. I remember when I got my glasses in grade 5, I was petrified. I always feared being teased about them so I often didn’t wear them and as a result my eye sight worsen. Contact lens are easy to use. You insert them in the morning, and basically, you forget about them. No need to worry about lost or misplaced glasses, or getting them dirty and having to clean them perpetually.   Glasses are bulky, easily broken and misplaced and hide the one’s natural look.

 Following link does a comparison of Contacts vs. Glasses
Contact Lens vs. Glasses


Types of Contact Lens
From: http://www.mamashealth.com/eye/contacts.asp

There are two general categories of contact lenses – soft and rigid gas permeable. All contact lenses require a valid prescription.

• Soft Contact Lenses
• Rigid Gas Permeable Contact Lenses
• Extended Wear Contact Lenses
• Disposable Contact Lenses

Soft Contact Lenses
Soft contact lenses are made of soft, flexible plastics that allow oxygen to pass through to the cornea. Soft contact lenses may be easier to adjust to and are more comfortable than rigid gas permeable lenses. Newer soft lens materials include silicone-hydrogels to provide more oxygen to your eye while you wear your lenses.

Rigid Gas Permeable Contact Lenses
Rigid gas permeable contact lenses are more durable and resistant to deposit buildup, and generally give a clearer, crisper vision. They tend to be less expensive over the life of the lens since they last longer than soft contact lenses. They are easier to handle and less likely to tear. However, they are not as comfortable initially as soft contacts and it may take a few weeks to get used to wearing permeable contact lenses, compared to several days for soft contacts.

Extended Wear Contact Lenses
Extended wear contact lenses are available for overnight or continuous wear ranging from six nights up to 30 days. Extended wear contact lenses are usually soft contact lenses. They are made of flexible plastics that allow oxygen to pass through to the cornea. There are also a very few rigid gas permeable lenses that are designed and approved for overnight wear. Length of continuous wear depends on lens type and your eye care professional’s evaluation of your tolerance for overnight wear. It’s important for the eyes to have a rest without lenses for at least one night following each scheduled removal.

Disposable Contact Lenses
The majority of soft contact lens wearers are prescribed some type of frequent replacement schedule. “Disposable,” as defined by the FDA, means used once and discarded. With a true daily wear disposable schedule, a brand new pair of lenses is used each day.

Some soft contact lenses are referred to as “disposable” by contact lens sellers, but actually, they are for frequent/planned replacement. With extended wear lenses, the lenses may be worn continuously for the prescribed wearing period (for example, 7 days to 30 days) and then thrown away. When you remove your lenses, make sure to clean and disinfect them properly before reinserting.