Guide
to Evaluating the Quality of Your Website Design
So
you want your home page to have your logo fill the screen with your
company name flashing on and off while Twisted Sister plays loudly
in the background. Is this good website design?
You
don't have to be a professional website designer to know that the
answer to that question is most likely 'NO!"
What
constitutes good website design?
Below
are some of the most important aspects of a well designed, user
friendly website. You may want print this guide to use as you browse
the internet before you have your website designed. Use it to find
what works for you and what doesn't. You can also use it to see
how well designed the websites are of your competition. You may
want to add design elements of your own to this guide.
You
can also use this to evaluate your own website as it's being developed.
1.
Does the home page load quickly? Is there something to keep
your eyeballs busy within 4 seconds and does the entire page load
within 10 seconds?
2.
Is the site's purpose immediately obvious? Do you know right
away if the website is selling a product or a service and what it
is or if it's a website for education and information?
3.
Does the home page grab your attention by describing problems
you may be having and does it offer a solution?
4.
Can you easily identify the links and locate the information
you are looking for?
5.
Does the site have an easy and simple way of signing up for email
newsletters that offer additional news or promotions?
6.
Is the text easy to read? Is it a comfortable size for ease
of reading? Are subheadings and bulleted lists used to condense
the information into a scannable format?
7.
Does the site project an appropriate and relevant overall image?
Are the colors, images, and fonts in alignment with the subject
of the website?
8.
Does the site use features such as frames, Flash, and animations
with restraint?
9.
Is the site easy for you to navigate or do you get lost and
frustrated?
Here
are some classic websites that have more extensive information about
good website design:
Copyright
©2008 If
you would like to use this article, please
ask. More than likely I'd be happy to share it, and I would
like you to honor my work by allowing me to give it to you.
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