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Web design analysis: government portals industry

Australian Government's Departament of the Environment web site home page web design review.

Screenshot

web design example industry authorities government websites

The analysis of this web site's design includes the assessment of the most important parts of web design: structural elements, layout, typography, graphics (e.g. logotype, buttons, advertisement banners), dimensions and other parameters. Besides that, a number of other aspects is evaluated. These include usability, simplicity, intuitiveness, trustworthiness, as well as general attractiveness.

Design structure

The web page consists of the following design elements:

Header

Header is the upper part of a web site. Usually it serves as a place for the basic information about a company, for example a logotype and a motto.

The header of this particular web design includes the following:

The logotype of the company is located on the left side of the page. It consists of the name of the company un an image. The logotype uses 1 colour:

The logotype, as it belongs to the Australian Government, uses state symbols.

The background of the header is grey colour.

Main content

The main content is the part for the main information of a web site, e.g. for product descriptions.

The main content of this web site contains:

The background of the main content is white colour.

Navigation

Navigation is a tool that allows users to visit different parts of a web site. Navigation can be implemented both as a separate menu and as links located inside the content. The design of this site uses 2 menus or navigation panels.

Hyperlinks are not visually highlighted.

Content layout

There are several layout types:

This particular web design layout divides the page into an upper part with columns below. The design does not use any additional elements that would affect the layout of the page.

Typography

The design of the web page employs 2 fonts. The typography of the web site is internet-friendly. It means that all the fonts belong to the internet-friendly fonts that are automatically installed on many operating systems. Internet-friendly fonts are correctly displayed on the majority of computers and browsers.

The fonts of this design are are easily readable. Readability is determined by the font type (internet-friendly/unfriendly) and size.

Graphics

The design of this web page also uses other graphics.

These graphics are:

The graphics mentioned above are primarily used to illustrate. the web site's content.

Dimensions

The web site uses flat design. It means that all the design elements are visually placed on one plane, as well the the design elements themselves are flat in appearance.

Flat design is easily understandable by the users, as well as it allows presenting complex information in an easy and user-friendly manner. The negative side is the fact, that flat web design is so popular nowadays, that, if executed poorly, can look boring and unoriginal.

Additional elements

In addition to the main elements, the web site does not use additional elements, the aim of which would be to enhance the user experience and better present the necessary information.

General parameters

Judging by the looks of the web site, its web design is neither adaptive nor responsive. This means the the design does not change together with the size of the screen - the size and the layout of design elements remain the same or almost the same. In other words, the design does not adapt to the screen size. This makes the use of such sites difficult if not impossible, as many design elements go beyond the screen when they should have adapted.

The web design does not employ special methods of attracting users' attention and motivating them to perform certain actions.

Usability

The main aim of any web site is to ensure a pleasant user experience, as well as to motivate users to perform certain actions. All these aims are achieved through the skillful use of web design. In order to do so, the design must be:

Simplicity

The web design of this site looks quite simple. It means that the design helps users to perceive information, or at least does not trouble to do so. Information is presented in a clear and structured way, and user can immediately see all the necessary information, as well as understand, which information is primary, and which is secondary. Also, the user's attention is drawn to the content, not to the design parts that should not draw attention. The design does not contain unnecessary elements that do not provide information or decoration, or that make using of the site more difficult.

Intuitiveness

The site's web design looks intuitive enough. It means that the design helps the user navigate through the site and look for information effectively, not wasting time for thinking about where a particular information might be located. A new user, most probably, will have no problems locating the information needed.

Trustworthiness

This particular web design looks trustworthy. It means that the design makes the user trust in the web site. The page looks modern and is not overflowed with advertisements. Its content is relevant to the supposed area of activity of the site and looks well-founded and structured. It gives the sense that the owner of the page did not spare money and/or skill in developing the site, which implies that the company itself is respectable and trustworthy.

Attractiveness

In general, this web design looks does not look attractive. It means that either the design as whole or its elements are not visually attractive. In extreme cases, they can turn users off upon entering the web site. Most often this happens if colours are not matched correctly or the layout is not properly executed.

Valuation

The weak points of the design are: