Web Site Design Tips for HC Schools' Webmasters
Introduction
On this site you will find information that is intended to assist you in the creation
of your school's web site. As Webmaster, it is your duty to try to implement good
design techniques and to provide useful information on your school's behalf.
Planning
- Know the purpose for your web site. Who is your target Audience? What information
are they looking for? How will they know how to find your web site?
- Plan the structure or layout of your web site. The structure will be defined by
the content to be placed on the web site. Organizing your site now will provide
you with many benefits such as:
- Making your site easier to manage.
-
Allow for quicker updates.
-
Make it easier for
your viewers to find the information they are seeking.
-
Create your basic web
site.
The first step will be for you to create the folders needed to store your web pages
in. This is a key step in creating a sound site structure. Next, you will plan the
layout for the links on your pages. And finally, you will activate those links.
-
Next, you will broaden the design of the web site. Decide how you want your web
pages to look. Strive for a consistent design across your site. Create a predictable,
easy to negotiate navigation
system. Here you are looking to provide consistent
functionality across your entire web site. You might find that building your site
using templates the easiest way to go. Remember the basic items to avoid in your
design such as animated graphics, certain colors and combinations of colors, tables
used incorrectly, and font sizes and types that cannot be overridden by assistive
technologies.
- Now it's time to add content
to your web pages. Limit the amount of
information on each page. A good rule of thumb: If the page is longer than a computer
screen's height and requires the use of the vertical scroll bars, then consider
dividing the page into two or more pages. Place the most important information at
the top of each web page.
- Update your site regularly. We cannot stress this point
enough. Have you ever gone to a really well designed site and eagerly digested the
information on it only to return weeks later to find that nothing new had been added?
This will chase your viewers away faster than anything!
- Evaluate your site often.
Check links to be sure that they are not pointing to dead web pages. Try viewing
your site on different computer platforms and different screen resolutions. Make
sure that your pages load quickly. And be sure to update or remove any outdated
information.
