Website Design Principles

The elements of effective website design which will be used to develop the new IAT website are outlined below (reference source) with conclusions about what they imply for IAT's new site design.

Content

Content is the information provided on the site - including text, sound, animation and video. Good content should be engaging, relevant, and appropriate for the audience. You can tell it's been developed for the Web because it's clear and concise and it works in the medium.

Structure and Navigation

Structure and navigation refers to the framework of a site, the organization of content, the prioritization of information, and the method in which you move through the site. Sites with good structure and navigation are consistent, intuitive and transparent. They allow you to form a mental model of the information provided, where to find things, and what to expect when you click. Good navigation gets you where you want to go quickly and offers easy access to the breadth and depth of the site's content.

Visual Design

Visual design is the appearance of the site. Good visual design is high quality, appropriate, and relevant for the audience and the message it is supporting. Visual design should be consistent in overall "feel" but also customized within individual spaces when the site is serving distinct, multiple audiences.

Functionality

Functionality is the use of technology on the site. Good functionality means the site works effectively in using contemporary website capability to provide information and services. It should load quickly and work regardless of the user's system or browser. The design and implementation of technology should be as intuitive as possible and enhance the typical user's experience and satisfaction - not the developer's.

Interactivity

Interactivity is the way that a site allows and encourages you to do something on it. Good interactivity facilitates the engagement of users by: (1) making content & services more engaging and interesting, (2) facilitating participation by users - whether getting in touch (enquiries), providing their input (polls, feedback) or obtaining services (forms & applications, directories, payments, etc).

Overall Experience

The overall experience encompasses content, structure & navigation, visual design, functionality, and interactivity, but it also includes the intangibles. The quality of the overall experience determines how long people stay on a site, whether they make an enquiry or participate, if they'll come back or refer the site to others, and, most importantly, whether they obtained what they were looking for.

Implications for new IAT website

> The visual design and interface of the new site should be re-created in an attractive and professional way that meets contemporary expectations.

> IAT needs to determine the main target audiences for its website. E.g. (1) prospective students and their parents, (2) prospective staff & partner organisations, (3) existing students & staff, (4) government, GHQ & community stakeholders.

> Information & service needs for these users that will be met through the new website to be fully identified. This will determine the scope & amount of detail to be made available on the website and also delineate between information to be provided on the website and the new intranet. E.g. For current staff.

> The content and functionality for delivering the required information and services on the new site needs to be created & developed in effective ways. Content cannot be simply copied from existing documents or sources. Delivering services online should also be done in effective ways - e.g. not just linking to a Word doc form but creating online forms that can be submitted directly through the site.

> For the information and services on the new site to accurately and effectively service site users, all content and services need to be connected with the relevant IAT organisation areas. E.g. Enquiries and applications from prospective staff with HR. Enquiries and applications from students/parents will connect with who? (a centralised point or a position in each School?)

> The structure & navigation of the site must: (1) make it extremely simple for all users to find the area, content & service of interest; (2) allow for a considerable amount of content to be made available without the site being confusing or overwhelming through efficient organisation & hierarchies; (3) enable the site to expand in scope as IAT grows while maintaining an effective structure; (4) allow re-use of content and services in separate areas or ways without creating duplication.