Web design checklist

The checklist above gives you a score and a shortlist of priorities. Below is a brief explanation of why these twelve points were chosen and how to turn the outcome into work.

Why these twelve points

The questions cover six areas that together determine whether a website performs:

• Strategy — is it clear what the page should do, and for whom?
• Structure — can a visitor quickly find what they came for?
• Responsive — does it work on every screen, especially mobile?
• Technique — does it load fast and stay stable?
• Accessibility — can everyone use the site?
• Iteration — do you measure what happens and improve accordingly?

A low score on strategy or structure weighs heavier than a low score elsewhere. A fast site that is unclear still returns nothing. So always start at the top.

From outcome to plan

1. Tackle the "no" answers first. Those are gaps, not refinements.
2. Pick at most three improvements per month. More at once makes the effect impossible to measure.
3. Write down what you expect. "Fewer drop-offs in the form" or "faster on mobile" is measurable; "more modern" is not.
4. Measure after two to four weeks. If the effect fails to appear, roll back or try a different approach.
5. Repeat the checklist quarterly. Websites drift slowly; a fixed rhythm prevents it.

Where most of the gain is

In practice the biggest jumps almost always come from the same three things:

• a sharper hero: one promise, who it is for, one action
• lighter imagery and fewer scripts, making the page noticeably faster
• shorter forms with clear labels and error messages

Those are changes measured in days, not months — and they work on nearly every site.

Frequently asked questions

Does this checklist replace a full audit?

No. The checklist gives direction and shows where things pinch. A full audit goes further: analysis of behaviour, technique, content and search performance, with a reasoned order of priority.

How often should I run through this?

Once a quarter is enough for most organisations. Also do it right after a major change, such as a new structure or a new platform.

What if I answer "partly" to everything?

Then the foundation exists, but nothing is finished. Pick the area closest to your main goal — usually the page where requests or sales come in — and get that fully right first.