Less, but useful
A sample note on keeping the parts of a website that help people and questioning the rest.
· Ghozy Samudra
A smaller website is not automatically a better website. The useful question is whether each part helps someone understand, decide or act.
This is a sample note for the Notes collection. Replace or edit it before publishing.
Keep what earns its place
A service page might need a detailed explanation, examples and answers to common questions. Removing those just to make the page look minimal can make the visitor work harder.
Start by keeping the information people need. Then look for repetition: two sections saying the same thing, several actions competing for attention, or a navigation item that leads nowhere useful.
Choose motion with a purpose
Motion can show that a menu opened, connect a change to an action or draw attention to a useful detail. It becomes a distraction when it delays reading or makes every section compete.
Keep important content available without animation. Respect reduced-motion preferences, and make sure the page still works when JavaScript is unavailable.
Leave room to maintain it
A feature also creates future work. Someone has to update its content, check its behavior and keep its dependencies working. Before adding one, ask:
- Does it solve a problem a visitor has today?
- Can an existing part of the site do the job?
- Who will keep it accurate after launch?
The aim is not the fewest elements. It is a website where the useful things are easy to find and the owner can keep them useful.
For an example of starting with content, read Start with the words.
