CEWQI — Cara's Extensive Web Quality Index
Most websites fail quietly. Visitors leave, conversions stall, and nobody knows exactly why. CEWQI finds out.
CEWQI is the evaluation framework I developed to assess websites as interconnected systems rather than isolated design elements.
It examines structure, hierarchy, accessibility, and usability together — identifying where alignment breaks down and where refinement strengthens the overall experience. Each project receives an indexed assessment to clarify priorities and guide intentional improvement.
The Framework
The 6 Dimensions of CEWQI
Every evaluation scores a site across six interconnected dimensions. No dimension stands alone — each influences the others.
Structural Integrity
Clarity of information architecture and navigational logic
Visual Hierarchy
Typography, spacing, contrast, and cognitive flow
Accessibility Alignment
Identifying contrast issues, interaction barriers, and inclusive design gaps across abilities and contexts
Usability Friction
Interaction clarity, task completion paths, and error tolerance
System Cohesion
Consistency between content, interface, and intent
Visual Design Cohesion
Aesthetic consistency, brand alignment, and the trustworthiness that holds everything together
CEWQI In Practice
Applied: Service-Based Website Evaluation
To demonstrate CEWQI in practice, I evaluated a local eco-cleaning service website to identify structural and experiential friction points that may affect visitor clarity and conversion flow.
Multiple messaging layers compete in hero, diluting the primary call to action
Service tiers rely heavily on text differentiation rather than visual weight
Color contrast and text density may create friction for users across abilities
Early CTA competes with brand storytelling, creating decision friction
I developed CEWQI to formalize the way I see websites — as interconnected systems rather than isolated pages. It helps surface structural gaps, hierarchy inconsistencies, and accessibility blind spots before they become business problems. It is both analytical and adaptable — and it continues to evolve alongside emerging standards and technologies.
— Cara Harpole · CEWQI Framework