www.nod.org is a professionally designed, well written website dedicated to The National Organization on Disability (NOD), founded in 1982. It’s impossible to locate a flaw! It is the ideal website, an example for others to follow. It owns all the necessary parameters that make a website popular, interesting and informative.
Firstly, the home page is an all-encompassing plethora of disability related news, information and resources. The first thing one notices are words that please- “Welcome to the NOD website”. These five words are enough for a visitor to take greater interest in what he feels has been put up for him. The graphics and color scheme are just right to set a professional environment, while inspiring and motivating the visitor to learn and participate in whatever way possible. The look and feel of the website is consistent throughout.
The tag line clearly states the objective of the website, which is to make count the ability, and not the disability of the handicapped. To that very purpose, the home page tells all! All relevant information is provided in an organized manner. Neatly stacked on the left side of the home page is a list of categories devoted to the active community involvement of the disabled, in the social, religious, economic and political perspective. In addition, there are employment, housing, transportation, educational and healthcare prospects for the disabled. All these options are very easy to access. The pages are well linked to the home page, as well as other pages of the website, making for easy navigation. The “Quick links” on the left hand side are also easy to get to and logical, leading visitors to the information they seek. The site map and a provision of “Search” further facilitates quick searching.
There is quite some content at www.nod.org, aimed to educate, inform and inspire! It is written expertly in a clear, concise, straightforward and easy to understand manner. The headlines are apt, pithily informing the reader of what is in store for him. The only drawback that may be pointed out is, too much information on one single page, which is not easy to scan and may tire out the reader.
Furthermore, none of the pages on the website have been cluttered with lots of pictures. There is no overt attempt to make the website attractive just for the sake of it. Also, the absence of advertisement banners indicates that the main purpose of www.nod,org is not to make money, but to spread awareness about disability and to get more and more Americans to participate and support the less fortunate. The “e-newsletter” and “Disability News” add to the seriousness of purpose!
What further makes the website powerful is its high accessibility standards, which are not only related in detail in the website itself, but can be witnessed by visiting the website. Moreover, the inclusion of an “About NOD” page informs the reader about the mission, history, accomplishments and the people associated with www.nod.org, This, together with the “Site help” page, that contains contact information and frequently asked questions, enhances the credibility of the website. Also, due credit has been granted to the corporate and individual sponsors of the website.
Thus, to conclude, www.nod.com is usable, informative, professional and attractive! It is fast, being uncluttered and to the point! Visitors will not be disappointed with the common blunder of most websites, which is poor spelling, careless grammar and punctuation. Every page is well structured, text is readable and the layout and colors are appropriate to the subject at hand! The navigation scheme is kept simple and sensible. Finally, credibility has been well-established to ensure return calls from all visitors. Inclusion of all the above factors make www.nod.com a well-designed, well-constructed and user friendly website!
Reference
- www.nod.org – National Organization on Disability