4th September 2024 - Feed back session held at RCU Skill Centre, 2 Rajakeeya Mawatha, Colombo 00700.
This blog post covers the key takeaways from feed-back session of BestWeb.LK 2024 competition, a Sri Lankan only web design competition.
Here's a breakdown of the speakers and their insights spoke at the above session.
Introduction and What innovations and addition's have been introduced this year - by Prof. Gihan Dias
- BestWeb.LK
is an annual competition for websites with the .lk domain.
- It
aims to recognize outstanding websites and promote web development
standards in Sri Lanka.
- TopWeb.LK
is a monthly competition that helps participants improve their websites
before the BestWeb.LK finals.
Judging Criteria - what are the key cybersecurity insights and challenges highlights this year by Sampath Hennanayake - IT Manager LK Domain Registry.
- Judges
evaluate websites based on published criteria available on the BestWeb.LK
website (transparency).
- Website owners can assess their website from the target audience's perspective using these criteria.
Penalty Points
- Copyright
violations are strictly penalized.
- Outdated
or irrelevant content negatively impacts scores.
- Using appropriate technology for the website's purpose is crucial.
Continuous Improvement
- Websites
that don't show progress from previous years are penalized.
- Judges
look for a clear purpose behind the website's design and content.
- Upgrades should be purposeful and address the target audience's needs.
Key Access Points for Applicants - what factors leads to score deductions from the Judges perspective? by Mr. Ruwan Amarasekara - Past Chairman of BCS and Treasurer of APICTA.
- First Impressions:
Look and feel should be eye-catching and reflect the company's purpose.
- Mobile Friendliness:
Most users access websites on mobile devices.
- Target Audience:
Understand what customers want from the website, not just what the company
wants to promote.
- Focus Groups:
Get feedback from external parties to identify improvement areas.
- Psychological Impact:
Design should consider user psychology and call to action elements.
- Accessibility:
Ensure the website is accessible to everyone, including people with
disabilities.
- Navigation:
Navigation should be clear and user-friendly.
- Content Updates:
Update content regularly in all languages (Sinhala, Tamil, English).
- Latest Technologies:
Utilize the latest technologies to enhance user experience.
- Competitive Comparison: Websites should be designed to stand out from competitors.
Winning Strategies - What Key areas should applicants focus on when applying for BestWeb.lk and how can a website effectively represent a business as its digital front by Mr. K.V. Kuganathan - Chairman BCS, CIO Janashakthi Group
- Simplicity:
Keep things simple and understandable for the target audience.
- Focus on User Needs:
Design the website around user needs and provide easy access to
information.
- Content Quality:
Create high-quality, valuable, and relevant content.
- Mobile Optimization:
Ensure the website is optimized for mobile devices.
- SEO Optimization:
Implement SEO best practices to improve search engine ranking.
- Data Analysis:
Analyze website data to understand user behavior and make improvements.
Conclusion - The Overall Winners to share strategies and best practices they employ to achieve success in the competition
- idb.gov.lk Overall Gold winner of BW 2024 –Represents Mr. Iresh Piyathilaka – Enterprise Promotion Officer of IDB, Industrial Development
- dfcc.lk – Overall Silver Winner of BW 2024 –Represents Mr. Denesh Gebamani – Vice President – Head of Digital Marketing
- 3cs.lk - 3cs –Overall Bronze Winner of BW 2024 –Mr. Sandaruwan Maduma Bandara – CEO 3Cs and Best Developer of BW2024
The BestWeb.LK competition offers valuable insights for website owners and developers in Sri Lanka. By following the judging criteria, focusing on user experience, and continuously improving their websites, participants can increase their chances of winning and achieving recognition for their online presence.
