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BY
SUE SALIM
 reating
a Web site is a lot like cooking. When you cook,
you blend different ingredients in just in the right
proportion to create a dish that pleases the eye,
as well as the palette. A well-crafted Web site
follows the same recipe. It should be functional
and achieve its objective, which in most cases,
is to sell a product or service. At the same time,
it should have great aesthetic appeal.
When
we prepare a meal, one of the most important things
we do to ensure the success of our efforts is to
taste the food. However, when building a Web site,
many business owners neglect this essential "test."
Companies
spend thousands of dollars building Web sites, but
they forget to evaluate the end result. The failure
rate of Web sites that cost a fortune to create
is needlessly high, since a simple evaluation during
construction can prevent a disaster. An ounce of
prevention is all it takes.
When
you develop your Web site, whether you are updating
an existing site or building a new one, you need
to consider a number of important factors, such
as aesthetics, the technology used to build your
old Web site, customer requirements, future content
changes, search engine optimization, Section 508
compliance, and changes in user technology. The
following discussion of some of these essential
features will help you to plan a successful Web
site venture and avoid common pitfalls.
1.
Aesthetics
One
of the primary reasons business owners decide to
redesign their Web site is aesthetics. Just as fashions
change, so do Internet graphical standards. The
Web has seen a number of trends come and go, such
as colored horizontal lines for impact, buttons
that appear to be made of glass, and the "strictly
business" e-commerce look.
Just
as graphical styles change, the underlying technology
involved in creating Web sites also changes. The
Internet is no longer a simple gopher, using unglamorous
Courier-style text and performing mundane tasks
with minimal fanfare.
Today, your Web site is the first contact many
people have with your company, and you must capitalize
on that opportunity. To keep your customer's interest,
your Web site has to be eye-catching, interesting
and entertaining, as well as quick and easy to use.
One
of the most sought-after technologies in Web site
design is called Flash, a vector-based animation
program that allows you to create and place dynamic
and interactive elements on your Web site. This
program is extremely popular now, due to the small
file size and high impact that animations can provide.
But remember, your Web site is only as good as the
artist who designs it, so even with an expensive
software package you can still wind up with unpredictable
or undesirable results.
In
a perfect world, your Web site designer would have
all the answers for building the perfect site. However,
experience teaches us that this is not always the
case. Therefore, you should be familiar with some
fundamental guidelines for design so that you can
oversee the project and make sure it meets your
requirements. For instance, you should be aware
of the following design etiquette, in case your
designer isn't:
- Avoid
using words with all capital letters, as the reader
interprets this as shouting.
-
Italics generally give an unfavorable impression,
because they can appear wobbly and unsubstantial
on the computer screen.
- People
can misread underlines as a link to other Web
sites.
- Avoid
frames, which divide content into multiple, scrollable
regions. When used, some items can remain unmoving
while you scroll in other areas, thus minimizing
disorientation. Some search engines cannot read
frames and, hence, cannot index your site. If
you must use frames, then offer an alternate,
non-frames version, as well.
2.
Site Technology
The
original technology used to build Web sites is outdated
today. Your existing Web site may use CGI scripts
to run e-commerce sites, but CGI scripts will slow
down your Web site's response time. Today, designers
use ASP, ASP.NET, PHP, Cold Fusion, and a variety
of other vastly superior technologies to bring older
Web sites to state-of-the-art functionality.
Although
many business owners agonize over the expense of
rebuilding their old Web site, the initial investment
will more than pay for itself over time. Rebuilding
your Web site is a good investment for reasons of
security, speed and flexibility, and it is invaluable
if you want to remain competitive, retain your clients,
and entice new ones to do business with you.
3.
Customer Requirements
When
a business owner decides to redesign her Web site,
her primary objective typically is enhancing the
site's functionality (i.e., installing more customer-friendly
features). For example, older Web site "models"
used a shopping cart system alone, meaning the customer
could click to select and click to purchase, but
nothing more. New technology makes it possible to
include wish lists, wedding registries, add additional
shipping options, retain customer account information,
offer auxiliary services or links, such as real
estate listings, and much more.
You
will need to have a firm grasp of your customer
requirements before you embark on an update of your
Web site. Know what you want, write it out in detail,
and make sure your designer understands your specifications.
Work
closely with your designer while she or he is developing
your site so that you are apprised of the changes
as they are completed. A little vigilance on your
part will prevent the pot from boiling over while
you are otherwise occupied.
4.
User Technology
Web
site technology is more sophisticated today, as
is user technology. Your customers continue to buy
faster computers with better video cards. They change
their service from dial-up to broadband and choose
the most sophisticated browsers. They are also more
knowledgeable about Internet technologies.
Web
pages can look very different in different browsers.
To prepare for the various technology permutations
available to Internet users, access your Web pages
from different browsers to test their effectiveness.
Also, avoid using browser-specific code, such as
DHTML or XML, which are only functional in certain
versions of Internet Explorer and Netscape (among
other browsers).
A
word to the wise: The average Web site requires
a redesign at least once per year in order to keep
up with the changes in technology and user demands.
Use this as general rule when planning for your
future investment in Web site technology.
5. Content
Web
sites that miss the mark usually fail in the area
of online content - what the text on the site says
or tells readers to do.
On
many Web sites, the marketing directives are unclear,
the wording is vague, or the content is lacking
altogether. Customers can easily shop around and
visit a competitive Web site, so you need to evaluate
all aspects of your online presence and make each
feature as attractive and user-friendly as possible.
To
offer the best site architecture and content, give
each page a meaningful title. Provide image maps
for graphical links with ALT tags. You should also
provide a text-based alternative to images for users
who have images turned off in their browsers.
If
you are concerned about reaching an audience that
is older or less experienced with surfing the Web,
you may want to provide a strictly text-based Web
page that provides the same information that can
be found on your standard Web site with navigable
links.
Commit
to writing strong, consistent content that is logically
organized and consistent with other Web sites on
the Internet.
6.
Site Architecture/Site Functionality
The
act of identifying the functional requirements of
a site is paramount to creating comprehensive site
architecture.
Site
architecture can be defined as the content and functional
structure of a site (i.e., an index page), a "contact
us" section, an "about us" section, a products section,
a checkout area, etc. Each area comprises a single
element of a larger hierarchy of information and
functionality. You and your Web designer should
work together to answer the following questions
when evaluating your Web site content:
- Is
the scope/mission of the Web site clear?
- What
are the functional requirements of the site?
- Is
the author clearly identified?
-
Is the content easy to read for intended users?
- Is
contact and help information easily located within
the Web site?
7.
Change from Static to Dynamic
One reason business owners decide to redesign
their Web site is because they want to have the
ability to sell products. As such, one of your main
design concerns should be your customer's safety
and security.
In
order to have a functional e-commerce site, you
must purchase or build a site that provides the
necessary security features and functionality. Each
e-commerce package is different and may or may not
provide the needed functionality, so be selective
when choosing a solution.
Making
the move from a static, information-only site to
a dynamic, interactive site is both exciting and
challenging for business owners. With a marketable
product, an audience to target, and the budget to
invest in a dynamic site, the potential gains for
your business are sky high.
8.
Compliance with Section 508
Government agency Web sites usually need to
be compliant with Section 508, which is part of
the Americans with Disabilities Act and requires
that federal agencies' electronic and information
technology is accessible to people with disabilities.
Section
508 establishes accessibility requirements for all
electronic and information technology developed,
maintained, procured, or used by the federal government.
The term "electronic and information technology"
has been defined by the Access Board in regulations
published Dec. 21, 2000. These requirements can
be found by accessing www.section508.gov.
Section
508 requires that individuals with disabilities
who are seeking information or services from a federal
agency have access to, and use of, information;
it also requires that data provided to individuals
with disabilities be comparable to that provided
to members of the public who are not individuals
with disabilities, unless an undue burden would
be imposed on the agency.
While
Section 508 compliance is required only for federal
government sites, it also may benefit businesses
that want to reach a Web audience that may be older
or potentially disabled.
Section
508 provides guidelines for creating additional
methods of viewing information on a site to make
it clearer to users who perhaps cannot read small
type or who may be blind, yet have the ability to
have Web pages "read" to them by their computers.
It is generally only required for federal government
sites, but it is encouraged for all other sites,
as well.
An
Investment Worth Making
So,
what's the takeaway message? Simply that, with a
little advance preparation and attention, you can
create a highly effective Web site for your company.
Collect
the "ingredients" for your Web site in advance so
that you have all your information available before
you start. Have an idea of what you expect from
the final product. Before you begin, visit a variety
of Web sites, both those owned by competitors and
those owned by unrelated businesses, to collect
ideas and to find examples you can show your Web
designer. Remember, the better prepared you are,
the easier it will be to ensure a successful end
product.
Remember
to check frequently with your designer to make sure
your concepts are being realized, and always test
the final product before implementing your new Web
site.
An
esthetically pleasing, easy-to-use Web site does
require planning, but the end result is a site that
is well worth the time and effort you spent. You
will have a site that will capture your customer's
interest and keep them coming back for more. In
fact, with a little careful planning, you can be
the owner of a winning Web site that will serve
as a model for others to emulate.
SUE
SALIM is president and CEO of American Data Technology
Inc. (www.localweb.com)
in Research Triangle Park, NC. She can be contacted
at 800-525-0031.
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