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Do I look at every page?
To make a proper evaluation, you have to look at every page in the site. If we only look at a few pages, what have we seen? What are we going to base the evaluation on? Remember, it is not just the technical and visual part of a web site that is being evaluated. It is also the content. Think of all the knowledge we gain by evaluating web sites.
It's great to be entertained — to have a good laugh — but to gain new knowledge makes a web site even more interesting. If the content is presented in a visually pleasing manner and the site is technical sound, then I think it's safe to say, "We have a winner!"
Geetha Thirunakkarasu, Webmistress
Geetha's Web Design Awards (program closed)
The evaluation period varies for each award program, and it takes about a maximum of 6 weeks, depending on the number of evaluators involved and the number of visits made by each evaluator.
It also depends on the quality of the evaluations. New or inexperienced evaluators might base their evaluations strictly on the look of a website or on their likes and dislikes. If they can't make their own decision, sometimes they'll look at the awards previously won by the website and make a decision based on that.
Good quality award programs are judged by highly experienced evaluators. The evaluations are done in a professional way, and the evaluators can identify even small problems. They use a score sheet to make sure all websites are evaluated using the stated procedure.
The evaluation starts with the list of disqualifiers. This is the fastest way to determine if the site has all the required elements. The evaluator then continues to apply standardized testing procedures, and sometimes multiple visits are required.
Professional evaluators will do a fair and THOROUGH evaluation to get accurate and consistent results. Evaluators help to improve the quality of the web by dedicating time and effort to reviewing websites and encouraging webmasters to strive for excellence.
Kim Cole, Webmistress
World of Knowledge Awards (program closed)
The length of time an evaluation takes and whether every page is examined is really dependent on the site being evaluated. I will cease an evaluation if I come to a disqualification point, and so will many award givers I know. If I see that all of the text on the first few pages of a site has been centered for no apparent reason, I do not proceed any further. This review is very short.
Sites that pass my disqualification points take longer to evaluate. I click through them to visit most of the pages, but I don't spend a great deal of time on any one page or section. At this point, I am just getting a feel for the site. Perhaps ten minutes for a large site.
The second time I visit the site I go through it much more slowly. I try to visit every page, although it is possible that a linked page gets missed here and there. This second review can take an hour, an hour and a half, or it may be spread out over two days. It all depends on the size and complexity of the site in question.
Although I use very detailed criteria, each evaluation is really a brand new start. The structure of the site, in large part, will determine how I view it. So will the design, as far as ease of navigation and reading are concerned. Even the topic may lead me to view the site in a particular order.
Rest assured, however, that look at the site I do. All of it. After all, I cannot put my seal of approval on a site unless I am sure the entire site has earned it.
Debra Sharp, Webmistress
Mesweet's Awards
The time it takes to evaluate a site depends on the size of the site and how many times you visit it. My first visit usually takes between 2 and 15 minutes. Just long enough to get a first impression and make sure the site passes all my disqualification points.
Sites that pass the first visit are put in my "yes" folder, and they get a second visit, which takes between 15 minutes and an hour. Every site left in my "yes" folder after the second visit gets a third one, which is probably the final visit. The third visit also ranges from 15 minutes to an hour.
I look at most of the pages in a site, but I can't say that I look at every one. I don't always look at the "awards won" pages.
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