How could the ICAS website be improved?

As a professional accountancy body, ICAS have thousands of members and potential members perusing their website on a daily basis. While the site is well established and full of vital information, there are still a number of improvements which could be made to enhance the users' experience.

First and foremost, there is no site map to aid the users’ navigation around the pages. This is an important tool as many visitors will use it to find specific areas of information on pages. Without one, users may have to search through headings and additional sub-headings to find exactly what they are looking for, which may cause frustration and deter the user from returning to the site again.

This leads on to the fact that while the website has topic headings down the left hand column, it appears unorganised and untidy. In comparison with other websites of a similar purpose, such as ACCA (http://www.accaglobal.com/) and ICAEW (http://www.icaew.co.uk/), ICAS has far more headings than either of these, which makes it seem very complex and difficult to navigate. Users will have to spend much more time trying to get to the section they want on the ICAS site than any others.

In addition, the ACCA, ICAEW and in particular, CIMA (http://www.cimaglobal.com/cps/rde/xchg/live/root.xsl/index.htm) websites all use vibrant colours to make each section stand out, whereas ICAS simply use blue text against a white background. The use of colours gives each section its own classification which can be used to identify further sub-sections by associating them with a particular colour. That is why people associate Coca-Cola mainly with red and Pepsi with blue. Colours can be used to brighten up the site and make it more exciting to look at, as at the moment the blandness of using only two colours gives the website an old fashioned and boring appearance which may deter users from visiting the site again.

Further to this, the site could be improved by becoming more innovative in its layout and structure. A perfect example is the ACCA website, which uses a simple and effective design to make it easier for users to access appropriate sections and to get more enjoyment from their time on the site. In comparison, the ICAS homepage in particular has an excessive amount of information on it which can be overwhelming when first entering the site. Instead of overloading the user with information, ICAS should keep it uncomplicated and try to make it effortless for visitors.

While many websites are aided by the use of images on their pages, it is important to only use images which advance the purpose of the site. (http://www.netmechanic.com/news/vol5/beginner_no2.htm) At the moment, the images on the ICAS site seem very basic and do not tell the user what they actually relate to. Interestingly, ICAEW and ACCA use very little, if any images on their sites. Instead they use colourful, vibrant, abstract text to highlight the importance of a particular page or section. ICAS should use a similar approach to their site as it gives the impression of a well organised, modern and innovative professional body.

Finally, the advertisement which is at the top of the ICAS page, while very relevant to the subject matter, is not consistent with the design and layout of the homepage. This makes the site look even more untidy as the first thing a visitor sees is a bright red advertisement flashing across the top of the screen. Granted there are financial reasons for having an advertisement, however it could be re-designed and placed in a more appropriate area in order for the homepage to remain easy to read and appear more consistent and well organised.