Six Steps to Implementation

Step 1 - Topic Characterization

• “Chunk” what you do or have done into several major pieces… for example: If, as a counselor, your treatment types are described as traditional, natural, and alternative techniques, then those can be the categories for navigation.
• “Cluster” similar items for ease in reading. In some cases, the clusters can be those items which naturally go together.
• Categorize not only what you do (“treatment”) but other major items like “workshops” and “contacts”

Step 2 - Select Support Functions

• “Library,” “Links” and “Help” may need to be selected to be include in the system of navigation.
• Decide whether you want web surfers to become a “Member” of your website. Or restricted to some.
• If you are going to publish specialized web information at no charge, you will need a tab or link to that.
• Other services including “How to Navigate,” “News” and “Events” need consideration.
• Marketing, advertising and email support are other considerations which may be part of your business.
• Online Payments? Also, see checklist.

Step 3 - Organize the Navigation

• Think about clients, what they may need and how you will provide the information on your website.
• Think about surfers and how you will draw them to the things you want them to see.
• Using a blank page, roughly draw circles for the tabs or links and write in what they should say.
• Then take a blank page for every tab or link and draw large circles and write in the topics you want to present on the page(s).
• Review and change as needed until you are “satisfied” with your draft overall website.

Remember, this is just a draft - we’ll finalize things later.

Step 4 - Apply to Navigation

• The major topics like TREATMENT, WORKSHOPS and so forth become the major tabs or linkages to other “pages”
• The sub-topics become either drop-down menu items or lower level linkages in an expanded list.
• Update website

Step 5 - Flesh in the Verbiage

• Everywhere you have a reference to material elsewhere, you need a brief summary for the link.
• Even the major tabs/links need a description to make it easy for the surfer to figure out what is where and whether they want to go there.
• And if you have material which may be considered to be controversial, explain that up-front with your rationale for providing it.
• Update your website with all information. Review, review, review!

Step 6 - Esthetically Pleasing

• Review images to make sure they load fast and are appropriate for your purposes - keep under 20K.
• Review any graphics or maps to be sure they are ok and provide what are needed.
• Test all the features to make sure they work. Especially test things like feed-back forms and so forth.
• Go ahead and change things if they are not right.

(At this point, it will help if you have family, friends and associates review your site to see what they think. There are also free online automated review processes which can find things like missing links and slow loading images and incompatible features.)