Web Usability & Data Content Services
The Trading Company of Peter Millington
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Website Audit Headings |
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Web Address (URL/Domain name) |
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| This section evaluates the appropriateness and usability of the URL(s) used for the website. A simple and memorable web address is an asset, whereas long, cryptic and punctuated URLs tend to deter end users. | |
Home Page |
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| This section examines initial impressions (including loading speed), useful information content, clear purpose and incentives for end users to re-visit and take action. | |
Site-wide Consistency |
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| This section checks that all the pages in the website have the same look and feel, are branded consistently with the organisation's name, logo, etc. | |
Standard Content |
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| This section covers the largely administrative and contact information that should appear on each page of the website. | |
Information Content |
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| This section examines the information that is specific to your website, in terms of its quality, accuracy and timeliness, an appropriate balance of text and graphics, and appropriate use of plug-ins (e.g. Adobe Acrobat). | |
Use of Language |
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| This section covers English language spelling, grammar and style, as well as readability features such as appropriate use of headings, text width, and the explanation of terms and abbreviations. | |
Special Pages |
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| This section covers four pages with special information that appear on many websites. They are marked separately. | |
| What's New | |
| Listing pages recently added to the website or updated, and/or news items. | |
| Organisational Background | |
| Such pages give details of an organisation's offices, sites, history, etc., as well as any bona fides such as trade affiliations, Companies House registration, etc. | |
| People - Biographies & Contact Details | |
| List of key staff with job title and contact details, perhaps also with portrait photos and short biographies. | |
| Where to Find Us | |
| Addresses, maps, travel guidance, etc. | |
Searchability |
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| As well as checking if the website is easily found using the common search engines, and checking its ranking, this section also checks that the web pages have the features that make them indexable. | |
Usability |
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| This section covers the logical arrangement of information on the page, the readability of tables, the use of flags, etc. | |
Accessibility |
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| While Accessibility primarily covers the suitability of the site for disadvantaged users - e.g. the visually impaired, physically disabled, non-English speakers, etc. Most of the features that help these users are usually beneficial for all users. | |
Irritants |
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| This section covers features that usually intended to be clever or attractive, but which most users in reality find very irritating. They are therefore counterproductive. | |
Layout |
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| This section covers the size and layout of individual pages, particularly the factors that affect readability and usability. | |
Structure and Navigation |
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| This section looks at how quick and easy it is to locate and navigate to information in the website. | |
External Links |
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| This section covers links to external websites, checking that they are appropriate and that they work. It also checks that the links are presented effectively. | |
Images |
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| This section checks that the usage of images is appropriate and that there are no technical problems. It also checks that visually impaired users are catered for. | |
Printability |
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| This section checks that when the web pages are printed, information is not lost or corrupted. Printability is difficult to ensure, because it is affected by differing paper sizes, and printer settings, defined either by the printer manufacturer or by the user. Some printers can be set up to fit the web page to the width of the paper, but many cannot. | |
Speed |
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| This section checks that web pages load quickly - especially the Home Page, and that no inappropriate time-consuming features are present. Speed tests were run using a dial-up line using a 56kb modem and with an empty cache. This represents the lowest configuration your users are likely to have. | |
HTML |
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| This section checks that the underlying HTML encoding (visible using View > Source) used to mark up pages for display conforms to good practice and is well laid out. It also checks that the website displays correctly in the common web browsers. | |
Scripts, Applets and Plug-ins |
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| Scripts, applets and plug-ins are used to add functionality to web pages - especially interactive features. This section checks that they are used appropriately and do not compromise users' privacy and security. It also checks that they work correctly. | |
Online Forms |
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| This section checks that any online forms, used to gather data from users, are clearly laid out, easy to use, and non-intrusive. It also checks that suitable data validation is used, and that where appropriate, a print-out-and-post alternative is allowable. | |
E-Commerce Features |
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| For commercial websites where end-users may purchase goods online, this section checks that price-checking, ordering, progress checking and cancellation are clear, easy and non-intrusive. It also checks for good trading practice. | |
Restricted and Charged-Access Sites |
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| For appropriate websites, this section checks that registering, renewing, and cancelling subscriptions (including trial subscriptions), is straightforward and non-intrusive. It also checks that the services provided and any charges are clearly displayed, and likewise terms and conditions. | |
Usage Statistics |
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| It is usually helpful to capture statistics of how many people visit your site, preferably with separate figures for each of the main sections. This helps to organise the site efficiently, and identifies which sections may need special attention. | |
Related Non-Web Media |
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| It is beneficial to give your web address and a contact email address on your non-web media - letterheads, fliers, business cards, etc. | |