Structure
User Experience and Interaction Design
Functionality — that is, whether the components of your website work as intended — is important. However, in designing your site, always consider the user's experience. Try to ensure that your website is structured so that as many users as possible, at least of the target audience(s), have the smoothest, most constructive and pleasant experience possible in interacting with your website in its various functionalities.
Information Architecture
Decide how the various content elements of your website, including the different nodes (e.g., sections and pages) of the website, should connect. You generally want to minimize the diameter of your website (i.e., how many clicks it takes to navigate to any given node).
Skeleton
Layout
Now focus more on discrete webpages. Sketch out your plans for the structure of a webpage on paper, or consider creating a wireframe (webpage mock-up) electronically. However, keep in mind that consistency and repetition of certain elements in the structure (such as the location of a header or navigation bar) and design (such as colors and fonts) of pages in your website facilitate user comprehension and overall usability.
Navigation
Be sure that the navigation elements are in place on every page and that their functions are clear to the user. Both structural and design decisions affect the usability of your navigation system. Every page should connect to at least one other page on your website.
