Check-off List for Webpage Creation:

1.  Make sure you have the appropriate title for the webpage in the heading. This means you have to go to the Format menu and select Page Properties to make the necessary change each time you use the template.htm file.

2.  While you are on the Page Properties formatting mode, make sure to also put in the correct author's name.  You might want to use pseudonyms if you wish not to be identified.

3.  This then means that you may want to use a less identifiable email address than your BOL's email address on the update section.  This section's date of modification should always be changed whenever you update your file.

4.  Also make sure your page has 2 navigation bars, one at the very top and one at the very bottom.

5.  Also to ensure that you have the orientation bar and change the file names and location as fit.

6. You should also have a title in the main page (not the heading) and an introduction paragraph that briefly tells the reader what is contained in your pages.  Basically, what are the subsections and links that organize your page.

7.  Lastly, here are the things to consider before finalizing your webpage:

a) A Jakob Nielsen study (http://www.useit.com/papers/responsetime.html) shows that speed is three times as important as appearance. The recommendation is to have no more than 30K of memory per webpage.  So, don't have too much in one page, you can always make links instead. When you have too much, it will take too long to download and your potential reader will leave your site. Ten seconds is the limit of reader's attention span.

b) People have different hardwares and softwares that may not be as sophisticated as yours and would not be able to read webpages in frames or those with fancy animations and java scripts.  So, keep it simple and make sure your main points are made.

c) In addition to making sure your pages are consistent, easy to learn and pleasant to use, consider using the following features when writing for the web since people usually scan rather than read carefully.

 i)   Highlighted keywords
 ii)  Meaningful sub-headings (not "clever" ones)
 iii) Bulleted lists
 iv) One idea per paragraph
 v)  The inverted pyramid style (http://www.useit.corn/alertbox/9710a.html)
 vi) Scannable text
vii) Accessible for the blind with "alternative text" on images.


d) Also make sure your page is printable.

 i) Avoid light text on dark backgrounds
 ii) Avoid frames