UWSAG talks to Brian Garnett
of G.N.A.E Awards

Owner: Authorized Graham Nash Site
Winner: UWSAG Top Ten! March, 2003

1. What got you started in website design?
   
   "Whilst studying for my B.A (Community Development) part of the course involved the use computer technology, specifically S.P.S.S which was a difficult program to learn. For some reason the lecturer was constantly absent, we were informed, due to the illness of his wife. My wife and I studied the workings of the program and eventually ended up teaching S.P.S.S to the rest of the class. Incidentally ALL the students taught by my wife and I passed this mandatory requirement, sadly some actually taught by the lecturer failed and had to repeat the subject. It was this overall course, including the preceding which commenced my interest in Web Page Design using Quark Express."
   
   
2. What do you hope to accomplish with your award program?
   
   To make high quality awards available to applicants who are prepared to put the time and effort into designing their web pages, most importantly however, reading, comprehending and following the guidelines and strict Criteria."
   
   
3. What advice would you give other program owners?
   
   "NEVER EVER GIVE UP!!! Never be afraid to experiment, ask questions and don’t make your award a “Give Away”. We all like to see our awards displayed on web page “Awards Won Pages”, however isn’t it more satisfying knowing your award is ‘prized’ and hard to get and therefore only displayed on those sites which leap out at the visitor as a site of quality."
   
   
4. What was the biggest problem you faced with your award program?
   
   "Balancing my desire for my web site to win awards whilst at the same time ensuring I could meet the Criteria for my own highest award."
   
   
5. If you had to do it all over again, what would you do differently?
   
   "Yes. I would ask questions first, look closely at the ‘top’ award programs and attempt to emulate the quality which attracted me to the particular program in the first place."
   
   
6. What plans do you have for the future?
   
   "To continue to manage and improve the GNAE Award Program, invite ‘new’ and ‘guest’ evaluators to serve a “learning period” evaluating for the GNAE hoping that the knowledge gained through training and advice benefit the individuals concerned and their respective programs."
   
   
7. What else do you like to do?
   
   "Get over my recent massive heart attack and by-pass surgery, and give my wife and family a little more of myself, eventually handing over the running of the GNAE to a dedicated team which will ensure that the program continues to improve, offer training and remain a highly rated Award Program."