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Design for a 1024 x 768 Screen Resolution
By Todd Follansbee, WebMarketingResources.net

Internet users don't like to scroll any more today than when we started testing them 10 years ago. A user typically arrives on a homepage and -- far more often then you might suspect -- just doesn't bother to scroll down.

The good news is that designers now have more room in which to put critical design elements "above the fold."

Organizations that monitor screen resolution trends, such as OneStat and TheCounter.com, show that at least 75% to 80% of Internet users worldwide (probably more because of the "unknown" factor) have a screen resolution of 1024 x 768 or larger. Your Web analytics program will give you stats for your own site.

As a result, usability experts including Jakob Nielsen recommend designing for a screen resolution of 1024 x 768. This size translates to an actual new width of 965 pixels (after subtracting for browser scroll bars and framework), up from 770 under the previous 800 x 600 design standard. Designers gain nearly 200 pixels -- over 20%. How should you use this new space?

Testing shows that to be most effective, primary or critical page elements must appear above the "visual fold" -- that is, the screen as seen without scrolling. Now you have more space to include these elements. Simply put, if it is important, it must be visible at first glance on a normal monitor without scrolling.