How important is the look ‘n’ feel of your website?

“The look ‘n’ feel of your website is important. However, it is less important than your text-based content. In most commercial websites, the role of the traditional graphic designer is relatively minor. The role of the information architect is central. The role of the editor and author is critical.” Gerry McGovern

—How important is the look ‘n’ feel of your website? (GerryMcGovern.com)

Note that McGovern is not claiming that design is unimportant — he’s just observing that fiddling endlessly with colored stripes and whitespace (as my students often do when they first begin making web pages) has only minimal impact on the value of a web site; far more important is the role of the information architect. Join the discussion over on WebWord.