• Keep the top-level page of your web site concise and uncluttered.

• Make sure that important information is in a prominent place on your web site.

• Do usability testing on your document to find out if the content and structure meet the needs of your audience.

• If you expect to attract audiences with diverse interests, provide different informational paths for them to follow.

• If your web site consists of many small documents with information that people may want to print in its entirety, provide a separate link to the complete document. Consider a .pdf or .txt file for printing purposes.

Consistency is important for the overall layout and design of a web site. Not only does it address identity issues, it sets user expectations for organization and function.

For each web page:

• Determine which elements and/or information will be repeated (department identifier, logo, a link to the next page, a return to the home page, etc.)

• Make sure recurring text or buttons, banners, and identifying graphics appear in the same place throughout related pages.

• Use a consistent style for headings.