We have purposely left this item for late in the process of your Web page's design. Most people start by designing a home page, but we started by looking at the purpose of the site, then designing the outline of content and the site structure. This seems to us to be a more appropriate starting point. People do not normally build a house by installing the front door first. They first plan the structure of the house and build that.

Your home page will, however, most often be the first view that readers on the Internet will have of your Web site. As a result, your home page should:

• Be attractive enough to draw their attention;
• Be simple enough to understand within a few seconds;
• Point readers to all the main information sections of your Web site on the opening screen;
• Contain all the important information of the template.

Although the template is used for most documents of your Web site, the home page is not the same as the template. It is likely, though, to have many design elements in common with the template. It should not have a completely different colour scheme and graphics design. A home page should include:

• A title;
• A menu of the main information areas on the web site;
• An attractive and appropriate graphic (not overpowering);
• Contact information;
• Author name and date;
• A copyright notice

Look at these home pages.

The Neurocentricity site does not have a home page that draws the readers' attention. It looks exactly the same as the template.

The Cuban experience site has a home page that is too crowded, although it has an attractive graphic.

You could also look at the following four examples of home pages. You may get some ideas about what you would to do with your home page.

Home Page 1 - Hidden killers - Deadly viruses

Home Page 2 - Trigonometry

Home Page 3 - Destination Himalayas

Home Page 4 - Chernobyl - A nuclear disaster