1. Presentation by Jason Schlemmer

2. Making the website clear – explain who you are and what you do

3. Introduction  This article discusses some of the most important design issues when creating a homepage.  Following these steps will create a more organized home page.

4. Include a one-sentence tagline This tagline should summarize the site’s purpose. It should also explain what you or your company does.

5. Write a Window Title with Good Visibility in Search Engines and Bookmark Lists Use the TITLE tag in the HTML code to display the company name, as well as a brief description of the site. DO NOT use “Welcome” or “The” to begin the title, since these letters are further down in the alphabet and will sort your site accordingly.

6. Group all Corporate Information in One Distinct Area It is suggested to have an “About ” section of your web page. This can include a section on the home page or a link on the home page to the “About” page.

7. Help Users Find What They Need

8. Emphasize the Site's Top High-Priority Tasks The page should include a clear starting point that allows users to see the main points of your web page. There should not be more than 4 points in this section.

9. Include a Search Input Box Including a search bar is a good way to help users search for specific sections or key words on the web page. The search box should be no less than 25-27 characters long. This helps users search for multiple words without obscuring part of the search query. This is a good sized boxThis box suc

10. Reveal Site Content

11. Show Examples of Real Site Content Display some of your best and most recent content on the page. Specifics work better than abstractions.

12. Begin Link Names with the Most Important Key Word Links are action items on the home page. Starting each link with a relevant word helps the user navigate with less strain. A common violation is to start each link with the company name.

13. Offer Easy Access to Recent Homepage Features Keep a short list that appears on other pages within your site that allows users to navigate to important links: -Articles -Products -Promotions This is similar to what we have on our UMBC web sites.

14. Use Visual Design to Enhance, not Define, Interaction Design

15. Don't Over-Format Critical Content, Such as Navigation Areas Users often dismiss fancy and elaborate graphics as advertisements. I have no idea how this came to be…

16. Don't Over-Format Critical Content, Such as Navigation Areas Users often dismiss fancy and elaborate graphics as advertisements. I have no idea how this came to be…

17. Don't Over-Format Critical Content, Such as Navigation Areas Users often dismiss fancy and elaborate graphics as advertisements. I have no idea how this came to be…

18. Don't Over-Format Critical Content, Such as Navigation Areas Users often dismiss fancy and elaborate graphics as advertisements. I have no idea how this came to be…

19. Don't Over-Format Critical Content, Such as Navigation Areas Users often dismiss fancy and elaborate graphics as advertisements. I have no idea how this came to be…

20. Don't Over-Format Critical Content, Such as Navigation Areas Users often dismiss fancy and elaborate graphics as advertisements. How this came to be, I have no idea…

21. Use Meaningful Graphics Do not simply overstock your web page with images. Users may experience this as sensory overload.

22. URL  http://www.useit.com/alertbox/20020512.html

23. QUESTIONS Are there any questions?