Pine Rivers SHSHelpWhy this site looks the way it does!

Why this site looks the way it does!

The general approach to the layout and design of the Pine Rivers SHS web site is influenced by the need for useability. Useability is determined by two main factors: clarity of page content and the speed with which that content comes to you. This approach is best exemplified by useit.com where Neilsen advocates useability as a priority in structure and design of web sites. 

For the bulk of our web site users will be accessing pages from the school network or from home using dial up connections. Although the school has an capacity ISDN connection it is under considerable load during the school day. Data speeds on home dial up connections are similarly modest. Heavily image laden or unduly large pages will arrive at your screen excruciatingly slow in those circumstances. This is why the Pine Rivers SHS web site uses graphic images sparingly. The design approach of our site seeks to provide reasonably efficient delivery of information in most circumstances.

The exceptions to this is the Home Page which uses an image based design and some content within the curriculum pages. In addition there are a number of unavoidably large adobe acrobat files used to enable specific documents to be published and retain their layout for printing purposes.

In the interests of clarity the pages employ some basic layout conventions which apply to the vast bulk of pages. This primarily aids easy navigation but does in addition assist the viewer to either or read information relatively easily.

More on our design approach... 

• useit.com: Jakob Nielsen's Website

• How users read on the web useit.com
• Top Ten Mistakes in Web Design useit.com
• 10 golden rules for great website design The Sunday Times
• Another useful web builder's resource: CNET Builder.com