Every website makes an argument. Whether it’s trying to persuade you to buy a product or simply to stay long enough to read the latest article or blog post, every website design decision is made with a central purpose in mind. Believe it or not, that’s rhetoric!

Viewing websites as a means of persuasion can help us make better, more effective decisions as we’re designing web pages. By evaluating every element of our site in terms of how it supports our rhetorical purpose, suits our rhetorical situation, and is tailored to our audience, we can implement design choices that not only aid accessibility for our users, but that make a persuasive final product.

This site is full of helpful information on how to build an effective, well organized website that will serve both your personal needs and the needs of your users. The site is divided into three sections that cover a few central aspects of web design: user experience, visual design, and coding. The panels to the right of the main articles on these pages are full of tips and tricks for helping you along the way, so don’t miss them! Before you get your hands dirty with HTML5 and CSS, it’s important to organize your goals for your website and its users. The first topic we’ll cover is the five planes of user-centered design, which will give you the tools you need to build a user-friendly site before you get wrapped up in the code.