Download WEB STYLE GUIDE, 2nd edition

Don't impose style
Don't set out to develop a "style" for your site, and be careful about simply importing the
graphic elements of another Web site or print publication to "decorate" your pages. The
graphic and editorial style of your Web site should evolve as a natural consequence of
consistent and appropriate handling of your content and page layout.
Maximize prime real estate
In page layout the top of the page is always the most dominant location, but on Web
pages the upper page is especially important, because the top four inches of the page
are all that is visible on the typical display screen. Use this space efficiently and
effectively.
Use subtle colors
Subtle pastel shades of colors typically found in nature make the best choices for
background or minor elements. Avoid bold, highly saturated primary colors except in
regions of maximum emphasis, and even there use them cautiously.
Beware of graphic embellishments
Horizontal rules, graphic bullets, icons, and other visual markers have their occasional
uses, but apply each sparingly (if at all) to avoid a patchy and confusing layout. The
same consideration applies to the larger sizes of type on Web pages. One reason
professional graphic designers are so impatient with plain HTML is that the H1 and H2
header tags display in grotesquely large type on most Web browsers. The tools of
graphic emphasis are powerful and should be used only in small doses for maximum
effect. Overuse of graphic emphasis leads to a "clown's pants" effect in which everything
is garish and nothing is emphasized.
Cross-platform issues
Browser variations
Every Web browser interprets HTML and CSS tags a little differently. Tables, forms, and
graphic positioning and alignment tags will all work a bit differently in each brand or
operating system version of Web browser. These subtleties normally pass unnoticed,
but in very precise or complex Web page layouts they can lead to nasty surprises. Never
trust the implementation of HTML, CSS, JavaScript, Java, or any plug-in architecture
until you have seen your Web pages displayed and working reliably in each brand of
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