Analyzing a Webpage/site

Authority Who is the author? What are the author’s credentials? Is the webpage/site sponsored by any organization or corporate? What is the URL domain?

Communication Can you contact the page/site developer? Is their contact information included on the home page? Are forms of feedback or interaction available for the various users? – (EX. Quizzes, message boards, options, feedback forms, etc.)

Accuracy What is the purpose of the webpage/site? – To Communicate, To Educate, To Entertain, To Conduct Business Is the webpage/site a “glorified” infomercial? Are funds or members being recruited? Is there any support or evidence that the webpage/site or products are of good quality?

Currency Is the information up-to-date? – What is the date on the webpage? Last updated? Are all links current? – Are “dead” links / “orphan” pages present on the page/site? Links / Pages in a web site that don’t lead anywhere; the page has been deleted or will not load

Objectivity Is the information within the website very detailed? Can the information be checked for accuracy? – Are links provided? Is the information bias? – If biased, is it obvious or hidden? – How is the usefulness of the information impacted by the bias?

Accessibility Does the site load quickly? Can you navigate easily throughout the site? Are advertisements present on the site? – Do they interfere with the ability to navigate and use the page/site?

Creativity Is the text legible and neat? Do the graphics add to the content of the webpage/site or distract from it? Is a color scheme or a common design used throughout the entire site?

Organization Is the site well organized? Did you find any mistakes in spelling or word usage (grammar)? Is all information clearly presented? Does the site have clearly identified goals? Are the targeted audiences (the group of individuals the pages are designed specifically for) easily distinguished?

Design Principles for Creating Webpages/sites

Balance Balance: the arrangement of the elements on the webpage/site Symmetrical webpages: – Create a balanced or centered atmosphere – Too much symmetry can create boring, uninteresting pages/sites Asymmetrical webpages: – Suggest an energetic, fun mood

Proximity Proximity: elements that relate to each other should be placed by each other – EX. Mission statements near a company’s name, a caption near its corresponding photo White Space: empty space around text and/or graphics – Need to find a happy medium between too much & not enough – To create white space: add line brakes, space around tables/images, indent paragraphs, paragraph breaks etc.

Contrast Contrast: the mix of the elements to attract attention Achieved through: – Light on Dark, Dark on Light background and text colors – Varying the size of text font Contrast brings focus

Focus / Emphasis Visually dominant and eye-catching focal points which can be achieved through repetition – A break in the basic structure will draw attention Unity Creates a consistent brand or identity for site Forms a connection between elements Adds organization Factors which contribute towards Unity: – Color- Proximity – Repetition- Consistency – Alignment