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• Why do you want/need a web site?
• Site Design Considerations
• Site Design Don'ts
• Site Design Do's
• Graphics Creation
• Content: Acquiring, Creating, and Editing
• Programming

1. Establish why you want a web site. Put it down in words clear and concisely.  A clear understanding of what you wish to accomplish will have to be established before you can have your web site designed effectively.
2. Thoughts to consider. 

• Why do you want or need a web site?
• Will your business benefit from exposure via the web?
• Do you have a product or service you wish to market over the web?
• Do you want to make it so people can buy a product or service online?
• Do you want to inform your guests about your product or service?
• What audience do you wish to reach on the web?
• What information or services are available that will make your guests want to visit your site?

    3.     With answers to those questions in mind, write down a few sentences what the message of your site should be.

1. Try to make your content (subject matter) interesting, valuable, and friendly.
2. Once you have decided on a design for your site, use it consistently on all of your pages, except when it is essential to change it.
3. Choose a color scheme that complements your content.
4. Keep it clean.
5. Text should all be readable.
6. Background textures should be subtle.
7. Apply the KISS principle when using graphics.
8. Make text and graphics elements complement each other.
9. Use JPEG and GIF images. (GIFs are necessary for transparent images).
10. Accommodate the different browsers when you are designing your site.
11. Navigation around your site should be easy.
12. Keep your site updated periodically so visitors have a reason to return.

1. Don’t expect your visitors to wait through a long load time without fair warning.
2. Don’t declare your site under construction. If a site is not under construction, it is doomed for failure.

1. KISS* Keep It Simple, Sir. (Or, whatever you wish to substitute for the second S in the statement).
2. Check spelling.
3. Make sure all your links and forms perform properly.
4. Use safe colors.
5. Make sure navigation is simple.
6. Use animated GIFs sparingly.
7. Keep your site fresh.
8. Break the rules when you need to do so; and never any other time.

1. Use quality graphics that complement the rest of your site.
2. Manage your graphics to make your page’s load time reasonable.
3. Make your art investment count.

1. Clients are the source for content because they know their business better than anyone else.
2. If a high traffic site is desired, then give your visitors a reason to look for you.
3. Guests come to your site because of what is said, what is shown, and how it is presented.
4. Your wording is the lure to bring visitors to your site. Guests come to your site voluntarily.
5. Why should your guests come to your site and not your competitors? Give them a good reason.
6. What can you offer that is not available elsewhere? What is unique about your information or the way it is presented?
7. How is your services, products, or information unique?
8. Is you information valuable and up-to-date?
9. Why should I buy from you and not someone else?
10. How will I make myself available to answer questions from my customers just like the neighborhood store does?
11. The incentive for people to keep coming back to your site is content that is fresh, up-to-date, expanding, and changing on a constant basis.
12. Without gratifying the king (content), your site is doomed for failure.

1. Programming may include sophisticated databases, tracking, communications, and web site maintenance systems.
2. Examples are interactive games, scrolling text, image switches, counters, clocks, chat, and the list goes on.
3. CGI (Common Gateway Interface) for forms and interaction:
4. Guest books.
5. Forums.
6. Mailing systems.
7. Maintaining mailing lists.
8. Presenting and manipulating database contents.
9. Creating dynamic graphics.
10. Visitor tracking and statistics.
11. Shopping carts.
12. Password verification and/or updating.
13. Message and discussion boards.
14. Auctions.

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