When reflecting back on the tasks that were assigned, I saw that the design phase—which included creating mock-ups and mapping out sites—presented significant difficulties because of the fine balance that had to be struck between creativity and utility. Creating mock-ups required careful consideration of user experiences and strategic positioning of design components to convey the functionality and goal of the website. Creating a thorough site map needed careful planning as well as a clear understanding of how to organise the content and navigation of the website. In retrospect, I see the potential advantages of proactively requesting user input and carrying out more in-depth studies on design principles and user experience factors to further hone preliminary thoughts. Although my previous background in web programming and design gave me a strong basis, it also created limitations because it could have limited my research to well-known methodologies and approaches.

The complex interaction between usability and aesthetics in online design, which highlights the vital need to give user-centered design principles first priority, was one unexpected finding from these challenges. The procedure demonstrated how even the most aesthetically pleasing designs might be compromised if the requirements and preferences of the user were not given first priority. These exercises also highlighted the iterative nature of design and development, emphasising the need for ongoing improvement and modification in response to user input and changing requirements. This experience made me see how important it is to collaborate with others, be flexible, and always acquire new skills in order to complete online projects successfully. As a result, I will be more diligent in applying these ideas to all of my future endeavours.