Going Underground - Things The Tube Can Teach You About Web Design

When it comes to your website take a leaf out of the London Underground's book of branding and design communication.

Your website design should send clear signals about what your brand stands for and in what direction you want people to take. Usability is a big issue for Transport for London as much as it is for your web design.

If you're searching for some clarity on the subject of web design/usability then I hope this post gives you some answers. Let people of the train first and then take a seat, mind that can of pop, put that free paper to one side and enjoy the ride.

Things The Tube Can Teach You About Web Design

• Mind the gap - if you think there might be a hole in your site that users fall through then make people aware of what they should do next. Even better than that analyse your sites statistics, find where people are exiting your site and plug the gap.
• Tube map like navigation - Asthetically pleasing and easy to
  understand, the tube map is a set of complex information presented in
  it's most simplistic form, your site's architecture should be the same.
• Good service - at all times, check those links work with a tool like Xenulink.
• Service updates - keep people up-to-date with your latest news.
• Have a strong brand - be consistent with colour, layout and positioning.
• Have consistent signage - make it second nature to use your site.
• Take your luggage with you - you might have had a site designed by someone who let you down or left you feeling stuck between stations waiting for them to announce what was happening with the site. If you're about to get a site redesign at the outset set in place clear lines of communications and a schedule to minimise delays.
• Tanoy system for important information - make sure you have clear call to actions on every page.

Would the lady going down the escalator please lower her umbrella, it doesn't rain underground.

• Modernisation - in a changing market be aware that what your original website was created for, might not meet the needs of your client base today. The tube network is over 100 years old but is constantly being updated to cope with new demands.

Things Not To Take From The Tube

• Don't pack information in like sardines in a can, let your site breathe.

Please let the passengers off the train'.... 'Please let the passengers off the train first'....... 'PLEASE let the passengers off the train first'....... 'let the passengers off the train FIRST!'...... 'Go on then, stuff yourselves in like sardines, see if I care, I'm going home.

• Don't let your site down by using the same principles as the Northern Line, notoriously slow, prone to break downs and difficult to navigate in places, its' bad reputation precedes it.
• Customer service - make sure your customer service is spot on, have clear points on your site for people to contact you with a telephone number and email link on every page.

Your delay this evening is caused by the line controller suffering from E & B syndrome: not knowing his elbow from his backside. I'll let you know any further information as soon as I'm given any.

End of the line

When the tube works it's great, it's fast and gets you around the city at a remarkable rate but due to previous lack of funding it's prone to break down and annoyance. Don't let your website fall into the same black hole.

All change please.