Designing for the web would be a lot easier if there was a formula for making a good web site. Such a formula can never exist because different web sites have different needs.

Every web site has a goal. Some web sites are there to entertain, some are sources of information, others are trying to sell a product. All these web sites must be designed differently.

The first step in designing a site is to ask "What is the purpose of this web site". Once this question is answered and the site's goal is established, an audience can be targeted.

A web site designed to advertise or sell the latest computer games can safely target a high tech audience. If someone is interested in a computer game that can only be run on a fast computer with the best graphics and sound cards, it can safely be assumed that they will have a recent web browser, with all the latest plug-ins installed, and probably a fast modem.

Information based sites, on the other hand, should aim to reach as wide an audience as possible. A medical database, for example, should be accessible to everybody. This means that it should work on every web browser and shouldn't be too dependent on graphics, sound or other effects.

Most web sites lie somewhere between these two extremes. This site, for example, strikes a compromise. I want to be able to impress prospective clients with my use of animated graphics, and javascript effects, while at the same time keeping the site accessible to a wide audience. The result is a web site which is still visible in older browsers, but far more impressive looking in the more recent versions.

Once the goals and audience of a web site are established, the design of the site can be begin. Unfortunately, there are a lot of bad web designers out there, and, therefore, a lot of bad web sites.

• Why are there so many bad web sites?
• Why do I need a web site?