Web site Review

Process

• The site organization has been tested with users.
• Clients have reviewed the architecture for completeness and appropriateness.
• The site organization has been finalized and documented.
• A site maintenance plan is documented.
• All content has been acquired or planned for.
• Site logs and search logs have been reviewed for possible refinements.

Overall

• The architecture matches overall site requirements.
• The architecture makes sense at a glance.

Coverage

• No relevant content is missing.
• No unnecessary pages can be removed.
• The site has all necessary pieces, e.g.,
• Home
• About/Introduction/Overview
• Contact/Feedback Forms
• Site Map/Site Index/Table of Contents
• Help/Frequently Asked Questions
• Search
• Error Pages
• Privacy Policy/Copyright Policy

Task Analysis

• All important tasks and user types are supported.
• Common tasks flow along a natural and short sequence of pages.
• Important tasks are achievable in one section of the site, or appropriately cross-linked.

Organization

• The site is relatively broad and shallow, no deeper than 3 levels, no broader than
• about 16 options.
• Categories are placed at the right depth. Based on importance, no categories need
• to be promoted or demoted.
• Important options come first.
• Related options are grouped.
• The organization is flexible. Sections can be added and deleted without major
• reorganization.

Categorization

• Categories divide up the space sensibly.
• Each category has comprehensive coverage.
• All topics are in the correct category.

Orientation and Labeling

• Pages are clearly identified and explained, with clear page titles and good descriptions.
• Landmark pages are sufficiently distinct.
• Labels are clear, meaningful, and appropriate to their target content.
• Labels are consistent in specificity, tone, and usage.
• Link labels provide the scent of all subcategories.
• Scope notes are provided when useful.
• Users can gauge their progress through the information.

Links

• The link to the home page is explicitly indicated.
• External links are chosen with restraint, appropriate, and regularly maintained.
• Page links are minimal and clearly labeled.
• There are no dead-end pages—those without any outgoing links.

Navigation Bar

• The navbar indicates where the user is currently located.
• The user can see how the current page is positioned within the whole site.
• The hierarchy is clear. The user can determine which options are at the top level
• versus a sublevel.
• Text navigation is provided for users who are not viewing images.
• Navigation is at the top and the bottom of long pages.
• The user can quickly review all options without scrolling or rolling over the options.

Search

• Users can choose to either browse or search (though search may not be needed on
• small or very well structured sites).
• The scope of the search is clear.
• Search tips are provided, especially after too few or too many results are found.
• Search results indicate the number of matches and the total records or documents.
• Search results are comprehensive, precise, and relevant.
• Search results are ordered usefully.
• Search results provide the context and/or description of each match.
• Search results are categorized when there are a large number of matches.
• The search query is repeated in the results, and users can easily refine searches.
• Common queries produce good results.
• The search is robust with regard to misspellings, alternate spellings, synonyms,
• plurality, and prefixes and suffixes.

 Layout

• Simplicity, consistency, and focus.
• Contrast, balance, and repetition.
• Proximity, similarity, and good continuation.
• Critical elements stand out.
• Critical information appears toward top left of the page.
• Works for printing and at a variety of window sizes (e.g., 520 pixel
• maximum width of your design).
• Provides appropriate focal point, emphasis, and hierarchy of information.

Background Image

• Can be compressed to a reasonable size.
• Aligns with the foreground images.
• Will tile appropriately.

Navigation

• Navigation is scalable.
• The most complex page can be developed using this framework.
• Proper page titles and link labels have been used.

Text/Fonts

• The typeface matches the page style.
• The number of typefaces is limited.
• The use of typefaces, weights, and emphasis is limited.
• HTML text is aliased (jaggy) and presented in the expected font.
• Font size is flexible.
• Text links are underlined.
• Text links are different colors for visited and unvisited links.
• Body text, titles, and labels are legible.

Images

• A consistent light source is used.
• The compression of the mockup does not lose too much visual quality.
• The images are used to support the content of the page.

Color

• Color is used appropriately (e.g., for grouping, pop-out effects, and so forth).
• Color is appropriate for dark, light, and grayscale monitor settings.
• Contrast is appropriate for dark, light, and grayscale monitor settings.

Client Requirements

• Required logos, fonts, and colors are included in the mockup.
• Page titles, button labels, and link names are accurate.
• Appropriate identifying images and marks are included.
• The client address is correct.