Memorandum

There are several major areas related to the creation of a web page that deserve specific attention. These are: Design/Layout considerations, Construction mechanics, Marketing and visibility, and Maintenance (remaining ‘Current’ in a changing world).

Time must be set aside initially to discuss (and focus on) purpose. What is the page intended to do? Inform? Sell? Entertain? Solicit, Reform, Motivate, Convert, Direct? The mechanics of a page may vary depending upon its intended use: does it contain an input form? Accept secured credit card payments? Count visitors, or visitors who perform certain responses? Provide a mailbox communications reference?

A ‘page’ should be approximately 6,000 to 8,000 characters (bytes) and contain no more than two (2) smallish pictures - enhancing pictures, not full-page domineering works of art. Graphics are very nice - worth a thousand words? Based upon the time it takes them to load, there may not be enough words! If the wait is worth the price (in time) graphics can be worthwhile - but how do the graphics fit in with the purpose of the page? Focus focus focus.

Your page may or may not consist of ‘Frames’. These may or may not fit with your purpose, but generally they are harder to navigate, harder to maintain, and frustrate the visitor. If, however, your purpose is met well within the structure of Frames, the difficulties alluded to are insignificant compared to the purpose. Focus.

Your construct may include imaging (clicking on pictures or art to link to a pertinent page), or it may include guest/log books, clock(s) and calendar displays. As a rule, the more you have displayed, the busier the page and the longer it takes to load. The more graphics requirements (ie., imaging) the more likely the need for specialized tools. And the more specialized the function (ie., counters) the more host-dependency (service provider) you are likely to encounter.

Finding the search engines is not nearly as important as targeting the right audience. Your page must contain not only the information specific to your particular focus, but it must somehow garner the attention of folks who share a related, similar interest. (Who knows, it may be they are interested in what you have to offer, but never got the chance to see your material because they just didn’t know you exist!)

The ever-growing changing aspects of a company, of technology, indeed the world require a plan for maintenance which will keep your purpose abreast of current requirements. Not only will your products evolve, your headquarters and company logo, address and particulars be subject to change, but your provider is likely to undergo change as well! Planning for change includes planning for disaster, and a backup plan must be constantly ready to protect your web presence should the pages themselves be threatened. A maintenance plan outlines these considerations, and provides for not only security in preservation but security in planning for future development needs.