Overall site layout should be 'easy on the eye' and the web pages should have a consistent look and feel, with a good colour scheme. Pages that are difficult to read due to colour clashes or unnecessary animation may result in no further assessment of your site. Menus and site links are covered in our tips on navigation.

• Site graphics, layout and colour scheme should remain consistent throughout and they should complement the overall theme of the site. For example, don't use bright green for a site dealing with an aquatic theme, we would suggest that blue would be more appropriate. Where there is no obvious link to a particular colour then choose one that you like but which also is easy on the eye. 
   
• There should be a clear heading on each page so that visitors know where they are on the site. There should also be a good balance between graphics, text, links and so on throughout the site.
   
• The site must be able to be viewed in all of the main browsers and most of the popular versions still used within each.
   
• Site graphics should be designed and prepared by you. If at all possible do not just use the standard free-to-all clipart available all over the place. If clipart from these sources must be used then ensure that, where appropriate, the site gives credit to the owner or source.
   
• Animations should serve a purpose and be relevant to page content. Site pages should not contain animations and graphics that detract from the basic site content. If in doubt, leave it out. Less is more.
   
• Use ALT tags on graphics so that visitors can read what the graphic is supposed to be if, for example, they are visually impaired or if for some reason the graphic does not load correctly leading to the infamous white box with the red cross in the top left corner.
   
• Flash sites should have a text-only option and visitors should be able to skip flash on the site home or introduction page.
   
• Fonts and font sizes must be easily readable. Consider visually impaired readers. Remember that, unless strange or peculiar fonts are embedded in the site, they may not display correctly on other computers, leading to less than ideal viewing. If possible stick to safe and accepted computer-friendly fonts such as Verdana, Tahoma, Times new Roman and Arial. The majority of the ISMS site is written in Verdana.
   
• Leave plenty of white space. The site must not be filled with page after page of tightly-packed text. Use spacing, bullets, dividers, graphics, tables and so on to break up the text.
   
• Site pages that need to be scrolled down and down and down (and they really should not need to be that long) should have a 'back to the top' link every so often. Many award reviewers will deduct points for more than two vertical scrolls on a page without this facility, and many visitors will not stay long enough to reach the bottom of page after page of this type of layout.
   

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