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Determine Design
The next thing to consider is that the Internet offers unique ways to display information. Considering the large amount of material that could potentially be provided in a Web site, the information must be well organized and displayed. Displaying all your information on one page ("flat form") will overwhelm the viewer with information. The Internet allows you to present information in levels, using hypertext links to go from level to level, and page to page. Levels should be arranged in a “general to specific” hierarchy, with initial pages of general information providing links to more specialized or specific information on the same topic. This allows a viewer to learn as much or as little about a topic as they choose, depending on how many layers down they follow the links. You should also provide clear, consistent navigational tools to guide the viewer through the material.It goes without saying that the design of the site should correspond with the personality of the organization and the work it presents. The design of the front page should clearly encapsulate all of the information and activities contained in the site. The design elements can be used to make this display more elegant, fun, stylish, etc. than simply a centered listing of topics. It could be that your existing marketing pieces will guide the design process, but sometimes what works well on paper does not translate to the Internet.
Care should be taken, however, not to overload your site with all the Web's "bells and whistles." Many sites deter viewers from browsing because the design elements that have been used either take too long to download, use "plug ins" that the viewer has not downloaded on to their computer, use applications (such as Java) that are not supported by that person's browser, or simply assault the viewer’s senses. If your organization does not have the resources to use a professional Web designer, you should take the time to browse the Internet looking for examples of good design. There are several sites that serve as a guide to good Web design, such as "Web Pages That Suck"