Designing for consistency

The golden rule for web design is consistency. Learners appreciate intuitively designed courses that take advantage of common, consistent web features.

On the initial visit, most people learn how to navigate a course. They examine the position of menus, headings, images and text and take note of language styles and key terms. Changing these features on subsequent pages is confusing and, instead of focusing on the activities or content, learners first try to re-interpret the layout.

For example, most websites will have a one-layout design for the homepage and a different layout for the subsequent content pages. Also each webpage will have a link to homepage and sitemap.

To ensure consistency:

• Design a clear and consistent navigation system – try to make it intuitive so that learners can anticipate what is to come.

• Create a clear and consistent heading structure and use the headings to help learners keep track of their position in the course.

• Use consistent terminology – don't use words interchangeably. Even something as simple as referring to your course as a module in one spot and a unit in another sends learners off looking for something different.

• Make page titles descriptive and unique.

• Make it easy for users to scan by keeping pages short and breaking up text with multiple levels of headings.

• Use the heading structure to create a visual hierarchy – learners can identify major headings and subheadings at a glance and can use the headings to work out the significance of each element.

• Take advantage of jargon – people know what to expect of terms like 'home' and 'back'.

• Note last update on each page and provide contact information on each page.

• Decide on features and use them consistently – e.g. new windows are used only when linking to an external site.