In looking at many web sites,
I've come up with an informal list for a web critique.
These questions
approach some of the most common problems I often see. In special
cases, there may be a very good reason why a web designer or
implementor has used a technique or effect mentioned here,
so all of these questions should be taken in the spirit
that they may have a reasonable affirmative answer--but that answer
better be good.
- Why have big graphics?
What is the point of costing your user time and money by
requiring them to download
a large graphic image?
In particular, why would you make them do this without
their prior consent and choice?
- Why use graphics for words?
If you do have graphics on a page, why would you use
graphics to display words? The
HTML FONT element allows you to set the size and
color of text (for capable browsers). Certainly,
you would want to use graphics for the special font
used in a logo or brand name or icon, but why use
graphics to display words when it is not necessary?
Moreover, even if you do display words with graphics,
why not use the Alt tag to allow users with non-graphic
browsers to see the same thing?
- Why have a different logo on each page?
Why not re-use your company or product logo from page to
page so that users who have enabled the memory cache on
their browser won't have to download the logo
from each page? Why have so many variations of your
company logo or brand name throughout the web?
(In one web, I counted more than five variations on
the company logo, yet each variation served the same
purpose).
- Why have a different background on each page?
The use of the Background attribute of the HTML BODY
element can allow you to create a unique look and
feel for your web. Why would you want to change this
background for every page of your web?
This causes users to have to download each
new background, and each new background gives a whole
new visual cue to the user. You loose the
benefit of having a common look and feel for
all your web pages.
- Why use old metaphors?
Why structure your Web so it looks like tv screens or
uses "back" and "forward" metaphors for movement (like
a VCR or a slide show)?. Hypertext allows you to use
associative linking so that users can have the choice
to access information just at the time they might want
it, rather than in a pre-defined sequence.
(One web I encountered used the VCR metaphor to an extreme:
it showed a picture of a VCR player and used that as the
repeated icon on all of its pages).
- Why call your web a "home page"?
Are you really creating just a single page to give information
to your users? Isn't what you are creating a web of information,
associatively linked? If you are creating
Web-based information for an institution or a
corporation, you shouldn't be creating a "home page."
This term implies that you will create a single, gigantic file
that contains massive graphics and too much text to see all
on one screen. The term "home page" generally refers to the
default page that a browser displays when it accesses the web
site. For example, CNN's home page is https://www.cnn.com/index.html,
but the people at CNN do far more than just maintain that
one file.
- Why do a "bait and switch" if you offer a
text alternative to your web?
If you provide a text-only alternative to your site, why would
you provide any links to pages to graphics on your site once the
user has chosen this alternative?
You can provide alternatives to users of text-only browsers
by using the Alt attribute of your HTML IMG elements.
Users who want no graphics often turn graphics loading off.
If you are not going to do it consistently, why provide
a graphics-only alternative at all?
- Why not get to the point?
No doubt you can't
be psychic about what your users will need to see on any
given page of your web. But why not get to the point of
your site or the purpose of any given page right away?
Hypertext allows you to layer information, so
why not place any asides or related comments in other
pages that the user can access if they need that information?
For example, do you need the full text of your legal notice
on the home page of your web? Why not provide it in a separate
file for people to access if they wish?
- Why not focus on your unique contribution?
If your site is about, say, used automobiles, why provide
so many links to Internet information? Why not get right
to the strength of your site and provide coverage of
your subject area in depth? Why provide
so much information not related to your area of business
or expertise? (I've seen many sites, where I couldn't
figure out what area of business or expertise a company
was focusing on.)
If you are are a major telecommunications company, why
provide a soap opera on your web? What benefit does it
give your customers?
- Why use all the buzzwords for no reason?
Why provide market-speak to your users? Do they really care
that your products and services are "interactive,
intelligent solutions"?
What are your projects? Can your users discern what
their benefits are to them easily and quickly?
- Why be cheesy?
Why use overly-cute graphics and language which is dumbed-down
so much it would insult an eight-year old?
If your site is meant for children, clearly identify that;
if meant for adults, why not give them the impression that
you expect them to be intelligent, busy people who are
accessing your web to find useful information for their
interests? Why try to make the web look good just in
the conference room when the boss approves it rather than
appeal to users' needs?
- Why not identify the location of your service
or company when it is important?
If you are providing a web for a restaurant or store that
is involves physical contact for the transaction, why not
tell the user where that store or restaurant is, including
the city, state, and possibly the country? Users of
your web may come across the page showing the menu for
this wonderful restaurant or the catalog for the fantastic
store, but then be faced with the identification: "find us
on Main Street!" What city? What state? What country?
Why not tell people where you are if you expect them to find you?