Some insist that award programs should
have a separate "mission" and "purpose." Others think that
the two terms basically mean the same thing. Here, we will
simply discuss "purpose" in a general sense, and let you decide if
you need to conceive a separate "mission."
The purpose of your award program is important to consider as you
begin. It is an explanation for the existence of your awards
program, as well as an illustration of your program's aims and your
expectations. Besides being helpful to award seekers (if you
choose to explain this on your site), it helps to clarify and focus
your thinking as you begin to build your program.
To be effective, your purpose must be crystal-clear, easily
understandable, ethical, and written in simple language. Each
and every visitor should be able to clearly understand your
purpose. If your program does not contain a formal Mission
Statement (and not all of them do), your may spell out your purpose
in a less-formal introduction.
Some things that you might consider regarding your awards
program's purpose:
What kind of sites do you wish to
review?
What do you expect from the sites you review?
What are the reasons for your expectations?
How do current Internet design standards and web practices compare
with your expectations?
Can you practically and fairly review sites to see if they meet
your expectations? What (if any) tools will you use to
evaluate sites?