How Does Your Website Measure Up?
 by: Dan Karwoski

Does your website make a good first impression? Is the navigation intuitive? Is the content appropriate for your audience? You've had your website up and running for a while now but you've always had a nagging suspicion that your website is lacking effectiveness and you just can't put your finger on it. You've dabbled with colors, added/removed images re-written the text but it still feels as if everything just isn't working together. Wouldn't it be nice if you had a way to sort things out? Well now you do!

Find out if your website has power, energy and the right stuff to help your business succeed. You'll be able to find out if the navigation; advertising, optimization, imagery and look are combining to make your home page an effective tool. Each section has a number of questions that help define, in detail, all the important areas of a well designed website. Just run through the list starting at the top. When you're finished just click the "Total Score" button at the bottom.

Just use the simple Q and A form here: http://www.learn2design.net/login/secure/interface/eval.php to see if your website meets established design standards. Using this checklist form you can rate your website (or anyone's) to make sure you've got all the essentials covered effectively.

Now the hard part; you have to answer the questions honestly and objectively! I know, it's your baby; you've spent countless hours nursing it to stardom. But now is the time to make an honest assessment. (Pretend its someone else's website if that helps.)

The form should only take 5 to 10 minutes to complete and at the end there is a brief description of what your score means and what you can do to improve your site.

About The Author

Dan Karwoski has been teaching website design to college students since 1997 and has created quality work for MSNBC, Microsoft, Amazon, Atom Films and many others. Interested students can learn the basics of web design by registering at http://www.learn2design.net. Please email questions to [email protected].
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