Creating Classroom and School Web Pages:
Elements of Good Web Page Design
| Creating Classroom and School Web
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| Screen Design | Navigation
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ABCs of Screen Design
- Use a consistent approach to layout, background, and design,
so that users can quickly adapt to your design. Using a hodgepodge
mix of design, graphics, and backgrounds will slow download time
and confuse the viewers of your site.
- Take a minimalist approach. Employ graphics to clarify or
illustrate meaning. graphics used for decorative purposes should
be kept to a minimum because they can be distracting and slow
navigation. If you want to employ a graphic theme such as a banner
or logo, use it throughout the site.
- Use white or subtle pastel shades of color makes the best
choices for backgrounds. Avoid bold, primary colors unless you
want maximum emphasis, and even then use them sparingly.
- Type must always contrast sharply with any background. Black
on while is always safe.
- Empty, or white space is encouraged. It provides balance to a
page. Use plenty of it to break up the space between paragraphs
and sections.
- Keep the pages short because long, scrolling pages may be
harder to navigate, making it more difficult to find specific
information. In general, it should not be longer than three
monitors full.
- Longer pages are desirable when it is anticipated that the
viewer will want to print the page. For example, in this workshop
each page associated with a topic is included on a single
page.
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Navigation
- Provide navigation tools in a consistent fashion so that users
can count on finding navigation tools in the same location
throughout the web site. Navigation buttons should be marked
clearly and logically.
- Links to another site should include clear description about
the content as well as download time if it is a site which
contains multimedia (such as video clips or movies) or
exceptionally slow download time. Also note if specific plug ins
are required.
- Users should be able to easily return to the Home Page, thus
every page should include a link back to home and to other main
navigation points within the site.
- Avoid dead end pages. Every page should include at least one
link.
- Top level of menus should include no more than 20 categories
in order to minimize the need for scrolling.
- The entire Home Page should fit on the screen without
scrolling - or a least with minimal scrolling.
- Build clear navigation help if necessary to assist visitors in
navigating your site. Readers need a sense of where they are
within the site because it is so easy to get lost. Providing a
graphic overview may be helpful to the concrete-sequential visual
learner.
- Include an e-mail address, contact names and institutional
affiliation on every major page. Not all visitors will enter
through your Home Page.
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