What is this fondness people have for “Under Construction” pages? I scarcely work with a client who does not want bunches of them. They want to create the entire structure of their envisioned content and functionality as empty pages, and make it live in that condition. Aargh! People, just type out an outline of your grand vision. Don’t impose it on the world. Scribble it on a napkin, then put the napkin in a safety deposit box or on a gallery wall as you need. I try to explain two things to these folks: It’s a cruel joke. A network of empty pages is not landscape of foundations open to the sky, much less an ethereally beautiful cityscape of skeletal frame buildings. it’s a row of dark, curtained booths with inviting signs on them like “Chinchillas,” “Smexy Girls,” and “Fried Snickers™.” But when the visitor enters each booth, she finds it empty. Each one is not known to be empty until you actually walk in. People don’t put up with that crap. This has two important aspects: If someone clicks on a link that takes them to an empty page, they will almost certainly NEVER CLICK THAT LINK AGAIN. You might later build magnificent art, a Gmail-killing Web app, or an irresistible message, but none of the visitors who came before will ever, ever go there! After clicking a few of these cruel links to empty pages, a user will LEAVE YOUR SITE OR APPLICATION. They will quickly conclude that they are in a depressing ghost town, with tumbleweeds blowing down the street. They will likely miss any actual cool stuff you already have. So: DON’T DO IT! Forgive the “outsider typography” (thanks substitute), but I’m begging here. Create only the pages and interfaces for which you NOW have content and functionality ready. Let the lacunae intrigue and tempt the visitor. On your Barnaby Jones fan site a link labeled “Episode List” that goes to an empty page will cause people to click once and never again. A temporary LACK of an “Episode List” link will have your visitors wondering why you don’t have one, but when you’ve finished that section and the “Episode List” link appears, both new and repeat visitors will gleefully click upon it. Trust me. Just do as I say. Don’t make me rant again.

What is this fondness people have for “Under Construction” pages? I scarcely work with a client who does not want bunches of them. They want to create the entire structure of their envisioned content and functionality as empty pages, and make it live in that condition. Aargh! People, just type out an outline of your grand vision. Don’t impose it on the world. Scribble it on a napkin, then put the napkin in a safety deposit box or on a gallery wall as you need. I try to explain two things to these folks:

  1. It’s a cruel joke.
    A network of empty pages is not landscape of foundations open to the sky, much less an ethereally beautiful cityscape of skeletal frame buildings. it’s a row of dark, curtained booths with inviting signs on them like “Chinchillas,” “Smexy Girls,” and “Fried Snickers™.” But when the visitor enters each booth, she finds it empty. Each one is not known to be empty until you actually walk in.
  2. People don’t put up with that crap. This has two important aspects:
    1. If someone clicks on a link that takes them to an empty page, they will almost certainly NEVER CLICK THAT LINK AGAIN. You might later build magnificent art, a Gmail-killing Web app, or an irresistible message, but none of the visitors who came before will ever, ever go there!
    2. After clicking a few of these cruel links to empty pages, a user will LEAVE YOUR SITE OR APPLICATION. They will quickly conclude that they are in a depressing ghost town, with tumbleweeds blowing down the street. They will likely miss any actual cool stuff you already have.

So: DON’T DO IT! Forgive the “outsider typography” (thanks substitute), but I’m begging here. Create only the pages and interfaces for which you NOW have content and functionality ready. Let the lacunae intrigue and tempt the visitor. On your Barnaby Jones fan site a link labeled “Episode List” that goes to an empty page will cause people to click once and never again. A temporary LACK of an “Episode List” link will have your visitors wondering why you don’t have one, but when you’ve finished that section and the “Episode List” link appears, both new and repeat visitors will gleefully click upon it.

Trust me. Just do as I say. Don’t make me rant again.

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