Make a page easy to read
A useful page should remain useful before decoration is added.
The complete index
Notes
Seven readings about making a small website readable, navigable and easy to publish.
Reading and resources provide an overview. The following five notes follow a page through its structure, navigation, layout, illustrations and publication.
Keep a small site self-contained
A small static site can be understood as a list of documents and the resources they use.
Let headings explain the shape of a page
A useful heading tells a reader what question the next section answers. It also gives the page a structure that works beyond its visual appearance.
Write links that name their destination
A link is a small promise about what comes next. Clear labels help readers decide whether to follow it and recognise where they have arrived.
Read the page in a narrow window
A small screen reveals assumptions that a wide desktop can conceal. Test the same reading task at both sizes instead of designing a separate miniature page.
Give a small illustration a clear job
An image earns its place when it explains something that the nearby text needs. Its size, description and loading behaviour are part of that job.
Review the files that will actually be public
A working folder can contain drafts and local settings. A publication should be a separate, small collection whose contents are easy to account for.