1. Web design Most digitisation projects are made available through Websites Effective Access depends on good web design Identify users and their information needs Design site around users information needs

2. Layout Consistent page layout Use templates Break large pages into screen sized pages Reading on screen: –20-30% slower on screen than in print –Users scan rather than read Use hypertext links to documents rather than duplicate information

3. Navigation Navigation menu on every page Menus: no more than seven choices Get to any point within three links Site map Provide both browsing and searching

4. Images Keep image files small Images should be less than 100Kb unless intended for high resolution, high bandwidth Use “thumbnails” - small images that link to larger images Provide alternate text Images should enhance information rather than distract from it –Avoid background images and colours that obscure text –Avoid animation, blinking

5. Links Give information about where the link is leading, e.g. short description, warning of large file. Use meaningful words for link e.g. –“Here is the link to the Digital Library”, not “click here for Digital Library” Don’t underline text unless it is a link

6. Metadata Use meaningful terms in: – – tags Standard metadata schema: DC, TEI, EAD etc. Identify site maintainer Provide date of last update

7. Standards Use standard HTML coding Test page using different hardware and software