Design Tips for Your Web Page

As for any publication, define your purpose and audience.
Begin with a simple but easily expandable plan. Simplicity will facilitate access for your audience and maintenance for you. Writing the design on paper is a good first step.
Plan your organization around the way your reader will use the page. A site map will help you envision the best arrangement.
- Use page size divisions.
- Use appropriate navigational links.
- Consider technique of tables (without borders) to create pleasing look and efficient organization
- Apply 3-5 rule of design. Roughly 3-5 proportion for layout, or 3-5 blocks of information.
Include author identification, both individual writer and institution if appropriate), the date, and (optional) a copyright notice -- ©. In FrontPage, look under the Insert menu for Symbol as well as Date and Time which the software will automatically update.
Provide a consistent look in your design. (After creating an appropriate design and navigational links, you can copy the file and use it as a template for additional pages.)
Create balance and clarity in placing text and graphics and use white space appropriately.
Consider page weight, size of files, which affects download time for users. The main concern is graphics and other non-text files. Limit the size of graphics use software to check page download time.
To avoid pitfalls:
- Don't format for a particular browser or monitor.
- Use a spell checker and proofread.
- Always check pages on the server after saving or uploading.

Guides to Web Authoring | Student Writer's Web
sbooth@qcc.mass.edu (Sheila Booth)