Web Usability & Data Content Services
The Trading Company of Peter Millington
| Home Page |
| << Web Audits |
Do-it-yourself Website Audit |
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Before you start... | ||
| - | Clear your temporary internet files (cache) for a true idea of loading speed. | |
| - | Run the tests using the public version of your website - the one actually on the internet - rather than the version that you edit on your PC for uploading. What works on your PC may not work on the Internet, and vice versa. | |
| - | Use a new browser window or tab, so that you still have this page available for the instructions and recording answers - Launch a new browser window | |
| - | Note the time when you start, so you can see how long it takes. | |
| 1. | The length of your core web address will be assessed as part of the audit. | |
"Welcome" Page |
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| The first page of some websites is a "splash" welcome page that only shows the organisation's name, logo, or pictures, with just one "Click to Enter" option, or something similar, to take users to the real Home Page. | ||
| 2. | Does your website have a splash welcome page? | Yes:
No: Unsure: |
Menus and Navigation |
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| 3. | Do any of your menus have more than 7 buttons/options? | Yes:
No: Unsure: |
| 4. | Does every page on your website have a link back to the Home Page? | Yes:
No: Unsure: |
Header Titles |
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| Go to several of your web pages. Look at what is in the browser's title bar and compare this with the main title or heading in the body of the page. | ||
| 5. | Do any Title Bars say "Untitled", "New document", etc., or just give the web address? | Yes:
No: Unsure: |
| 6. | Do the Title Bars change to match new page headings as you move around? | Yes:
No: Unsure: |
Standard Content |
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| Some information should appear on all your web pages. | ||
| 7. | Does every page have a contact email address or a link to a Contacts page? | Yes:
No: Unsure: |
| 8. | Is an update or review date given on every page? | Yes:
No: Unsure: |
Frames |
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| Frames are where a web page is divided into two or more sections that can be scrolled independently. | ||
| 9. | Does your website use frames? | Yes:
No: Unsure: |
Searchability |
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| Start up Google or your preferred search engine, and search for your organisation by (a) name and (b) your key product or subject (not a trade name). | ||
| 10. | Name of organisation: Is your website in the first 10 search results?* | Yes:
No: Unsure: |
| 11. | Key product or subject: Is your website in the first 30 search results?* | Yes:
No: Unsure: |
| * Searches are normally international. If your organisation only operates nationally, you may wish to try again using the "UK Only" or similar option. If your activities are purely local, you may need to add the name of your town or county to the search terms. | ||
Pictures and Graphics |
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| Move you cursor over each picture or graphic image in turn on your web page. As you hover over the image, an appropriate caption should appear.* These are called ALT titles. | ||
| 12. | Does every picture or graphic have an ALT title? | Yes:
No: No Images |
| * You may like to practice with the logo on this page. | ||
Accessibility |
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| Using your browser's View - Text Size menu, increase the text size setting a couple of notches. | ||
| 13. | Does the text actually change size, and the layout stay readable? | Yes:
No: Unsure: |
| Change back to Medium or Normal text size when you have finished. | ||
Cool Stuff? |
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| Does your website have any of the following?: | ||
| 14. | Other people's pop-ups or banner advertisements? | Yes:
No: Unsure: |
| 15. | Pages that only say "Under Construction", "Coming soon", or something similar? | Yes:
No: Unsure: |
| 16. | Animated graphics, Flash movies, or flashing text? | Yes:
No: Unsure: |
Valid HTML |
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| Web pages are created using a mark-up language called HTML.* Check for any errors in your home page using the W3 HTML Validator at http://validator.w3.org/check or the WDGroup Validator at http://www.htmlhelp.com/tools/validator/. | ||
| 17. | Does the Validator report say your page is Valid HTML? | Yes:
No: Unsure: |
| * If you wish to see your web page's HTML, you can do so using your browser's "View - Source" or "View - HTML" option. | ||
Loading Speed |
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| Check the loading speed of your website using WebSiteOptimization's free Analyzer - http://www.websiteoptimization.com/services/analyze/index.html.* | ||
| 18. |
Are there any red warnings under WebSiteOptimization's "Analysis and Recommendations"? |
Yes:
No: Unsure: |
| * The Analyzer may take a while to run if your page is large or has lots of images. | ||
Printability |
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| Print off (a) your Home Page, (b) your "Where to find us" page - if you have one, and (c) one or more of your biggest pages. Use "portrait" orientation. If your browser has a Print Preview option, you may use this instead at the full size setting. | ||
| 19. | Is information lost from the right hand edge of the paper? | Yes:
No: Unsure: |
| 20. | Are any web pages over 4 sheets long? | Yes:
No: Unsure: |
External Links (Optional) |
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| Does your website have a separate page for links to other sites? If so, you should try them all to check that they still work.* | ||
| 21. | Are any of your links broken (i.e. no longer working)? | Yes:
No: No Links |
| * A convenient way is to test your links page URL in the W3 Link Validator - http://validator.w3.org/checklink. This may take a while to run, especially if you have a lot of links. Look for entries highlighted in red at the bottom of the page under "List of Broken Links". If it crashes, you have a least one bad link. | ||
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