The 10 must-dos for making sure your Web site architecture works.
1.
Start with an open mind. Assume nothing. Study
your intended Web site visitors, identify their information needs and then
present the information in the language and order they expect it.Test, test,
test.
2.
Chunk the content. Assume visitors are in a
hurry. Make it as easy as possible for them to scan your site’s content so they
can identify and focus on the relevant information. Provide plenty of subheads.
Use white space to separate chunks of information.
3. Create meaningful categories.
Categories should be based on visitors’ needs, not the organizational structure
of your client’s firm or any assumptions about how information should be
presented.
4.
Design for speed. Avoid large, slow-loading
graphics and animation.Use clickable thumbnails whenever possible, so only those
who want to see a visual or experience a special effect will have to
wait for it to download. Provide an HTML-only version of your site.
5.
Follow accepted standards. Avoid reinventing the
wheel. Don’t confusevisitors by using non-standard colors for
hyperlinks and visited links. Avoid pages that require horizontal scrolling.
6. Avoid unnecessary graphics. Use fast-loading
HTML text whenever possible. Use graphics only when they communicate ideas that
cannot be effectively communicated in text
alone.
7.
Design for easy reading. Use color and
backgrounds sparingly. Assume visitors are seeking information rather than
entertainment. Eliminate distractions such as unnecessary lines.
8.
Design for universal access and for the lowest common
denominator.
Assume most visitors have slow Internet connections. They
should not have to download plug-ins in order to view your site. Recognize that
many visitors surf with graphics turned off and that visually disabled visitors
depend on voice-translation technology that translates HTML text into spoken
words.
9.
Keep visitors informed of their current location.
Never let them get lost. Make it easy for them to identify the
position of their current page location–if only so they can easily return.
10.
Design for printing. Avoid non-standard page
sizes and text, and back- ground colors that do not look good when printed in
black and white.
Web Design 
