Simon Dickson reports that Hitwise has released a new source of statistical information called ‘Data Center‘, and one of the bits of information it provides is the top websites. I thought it would be interesting to look at the sites we visit the most, and see just how important a good site design is in attracting and keeping visitors. Below is the chart, including a rough mark out of five for my impression of the design, based on usability primarily, but also aesthetics. (I would have given Myspace less, had I decided to give half marks!)

Now, If I work that out, the average mark for design, on the most visited sites in the country is 2.68, with 12 out of the 24 getting 1 or 2. Now I release that this is just a quick and very unscientific test, but it does indicate that many of our favourite websites are just really badly designed.

This could mean one of two things - either design doesn’t matter at all, and everyone who argues that websites should make an effort to have a good design is completely wrong, or that users have become so used to poor design that they have learnt to block it out. Either way, the fact that these websites remain at the top despite rubbish looks and usability means that there is no impetus for change, and we will be stuck with an ugly internet for many years to come!