HTML, XHTML & CSS

Chapter 21: Ten HTML Do’s and Don’ts
This is why user feedback is crucial. If you don’t get feedback through forms or
other means, aggressively solicit some from your users. If you’re not sure how
you’re doing, consider this: If you don’t ask for feedback, how can you tell?
Don’t Get Stuck in the Two-Dimensional-Text Trap
Because of centuries of printed material and the linear nature of books, our
mindsets also need adjustment. The nonlinear potentials of hypermedia give
new meaning to the term document, especially on the Web. It can be tempting
to pack pages full of capabilities until they resemble a Pony Express
dynamite shipment that gallops off in many directions at once. Be safe: Judge
hypermedia by whether it
✓ Adds interest
✓ Expands on your content
✓ Makes a serious — and relevant — impact on users
Within these constraints, such material can vastly improve any user’s experience
of your site.
Stepping intelligently outside old-fashioned linear thinking about text can
improve your users’ experience of your site and make your information more
accessible. That’s why we encourage careful use of document indexes, crossreferences,
links to related documents, and other tools to help users navigate
your site. Keep thinking about the impact of links as you look at other people’s
Web materials; it’s the quickest way to escape the linear-text trap. (The
printing press was high-tech for its day, but that was nearly 600 years ago!) If
you’re seeking a model for Web site behavior, don’t use your new trifold fourcolor
brochure, however eye-popping it may be; think about how customerservice
people talk to new customers by phone. (“How can I help you today?”)
Don’t Let Inertia Overcome You
When dealing with Web materials post-publication, it’s only human to goof
off after finishing a big job. Maintenance isn’t as heroic or inspiring as creation,
but involves most of the activity required to keep any document alive
and well. Sites that aren’t maintained often become ghost sites; users stop
visiting when developers stop working on them. Never fear — a little work
and attention to detail keep pages fresh. If you start with something valuable
and keep adding value, a site’s value appreciates over time — just like any
other property. Start with something valuable and leave it alone and it soon
becomes stale and loses value.
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