Designing Basic Web Sites III: Interface Design Based on Web Style Guide, Lynch and Horton Technical Communication Fall 2006, DAHMEN

Print design adopted to the Web Basic standards still apply:  Address your audience  Identify the source/who is speaking  Provide titles and visual hierarchy  Keep content up to date/ dated  Identify the source/home page

What every page needs Informative title Author’s identity Creation/revision date Link to home page or menu page « home page » URL

Identity Nav. aid Standards in navigation and icons Feedback

Bottom of page Alternative text-based navigation Date Conditions Certificates

Basics of User-centered Design Clear navigation Apple uses 4 different navigation structure on this page You are HERE

Avoid Dead End docs

Other points to keep in mind… Direct access Bandwidth/interaction Simplicity and consistency Design integrity and stability Feedback and Dialogue

What about accessibility? « One of the defining principles of the Web is that it should provide allpeople; regardless of physical or technological readienss, with access to information » --Horton and Lynch, p. 26

Aspects of Accessibility Provide alternates and fallbacks Use style sheets (CSS) Follow accessibility guidelines

New AUI homepage displays accessibility info Alternative navigation Meets accessibility standards

Issues in Navigation Context (see Apple example) Allow going back Provide a sense of location in sequence Horton and Lynch, 32

Page Bottom Date Certifications Feedback Navigation