News
WA results!
The rowdy, talented, well-dressed web elite of Western Australia were at Bankwest Place on October 8th to ring in the new Web Award winners. Exciting, friendly and yes, inspiring. Here are the winners:
| eCommerce | Just In Time Gourmet by Clever Starfish |
| Personal | Tim Oliver |
| Commercial | Skydive Jurien Bay by Humaan AND |
| The Herdsman by Humaan | |
| Government | The Western Australian Museum |
| Education | ECU Life Lessons by Longtail Communications AND |
| THRIVE by Humaan | |
| Culture and Events | STYLEAID by Bam Creative AND |
| Strut Dance by JuiceBox Creative | |
| Not for Profit | West Australian Music (WAM) by Humaan |
| Mobile | The Western Australian Museum |
| Social Media | Fleur McDonald by Hancock Creative AND |
| Hippo Creek by Hancock Creative AND | |
| Buy West Eat Best by Department of Agriculture and Food & Clarity Communications | |
| Innovation | Ready Steady Gov! by Jesse Yuen & Vincent Manera AND |
| Vine Collective by JuiceBox Creative |
Thanks to sponsors PayPal+Braintree and Bankwest!!
Results timing and events update
State and territory winners will be announced on Thursday 9th October at 8PM ADST, though we may sneak a few results out on Twitter from about 7.30 :p
West Australian winners, however, will be announced on Wednesday 8th at the WA event, which is a sell-out. In New South Wales though, numbers are insufficient for us to proceed with the state final which was planned for Friday October 10th. Instead, those results will be announced online Thursday, as outlined above. We will of course refund those who've already bought tickets.
There's obviously a big difference between WA, where the event is well understood, and other states, which haven't had the same exposure. Here's one area that seems to have been misunderstood: there are no finalists at state level; everyone who enters the awards is eligible to win a state award and is invited to attend the state ceremony. It's a low cost, formal-wear event with added adrenalin.
All state and territory winners qualify for the national final in Sydney on November 1st. If you do not win a state award you can still attend the national final. It's a smart thing to do. You hear direct from the judges, learn what changes are afoot and give your people something to aim for as a team.
Judges speak
In the lead-up to the Awards nights, judges have lauded improvements in Australian web sites but gave developers and clients a 'black mark' for accessibility compliance. Those who judged design, user experience, content and development praised wide-spread implementation of responsive websites, better quality content and smoother user experiences.
Accessibility judges said that there remains a lack of awareness among developers about the fundamentals. The persistent failure of most developers and clients to enter text that describes images (“alt text”) makes many web sites unusable for the visually impaired and sites that only work with a mouse can't be used by many with mobility issues. It's clear from the judges comments that very few developers know what's required to deliver a satisfactory user experience for a disabled person.
Event dates!
Get your dinner suit or party frock out: the Australian Web Awards are on Saturday, November 1st in Sydney at The Menzies. Tickets include a two-course dinner and cost $75 + the very reasonable fee that Eventbrite charge :p
State award presentations will be held in two states; here's the NSW booking link and here's the West Australian one. Those events cost $35 + fee and are also formal dress.
In other states, winners will be announced on October 9th at 8PM AEDT via the Awards EDM and this very website. Some entrants in those states are organising dinners or events to coincide with the announcement. Send us your safe-for-work photos!
All states & territories
I KNOW, RIGHT! Where's Tasmania?
In previous years, Northern Territory, ACT and Tasmania have been 'bundled' in with other larger states. This year, awards will be given in all states and mainland territories. Naturally, awards are only given where an entry meets the standard; being the only entrant in a category does not guarantee an award. All regional winners qualify to attend the national final in Sydney.
Get your judge on
No more bets ladies and gentlemen; the awards are closed and the judging is open.
We'll be in touch soon with details of the award night events.
May the best sites win and may you all receive the kudos you deserve.
Follow our gossip on twitter and our factual information on the award-winning newsletter. Okay, we made it up about the award.
24 hour extension
Okay, you've got an extra 24 hours. Don't mess it up 
Closes end Tuesday September 2nd.
Video: What happens at a Web Awards night?
FIRST: Enter your site.
SECOND: Join us at the 2014 Web Awards:
OPEN
The 2014 Australian Web Awards are OPEN.
And we’re open until midnight AEST, Monday September 1st.
You’ve done great work; now use it to impress your clients, acknowledge your people and dress up in a tux/frock.
These are the web industry’s own awards - judged by people who really know their onions. Rewarding sites that meet web standards and best practice.
The entry process is straight-forward and allows you to upload screenshots and screen captures of your behind-the-scenes mastery. Even those who don’t win awards benefit from the discipline of entering a site. There are state awards in each category as well as a national final in Sydney.
Go to town. Make it part of what you do. And come along to the party.
National Winners
Congratulations all: a great collegial atmosphere and really a lot of fun.
The McFarlane Prize for excellence went to the Get on Track Challenge by Equilibrium. That site also won the Not for Profit category.
The personal category was won by John Cinquina.
The eCommerce category was won by Humaan for Main Peak.
Humaan also won the award for the Commercial category with Bonfire.
Revium won the Government category with Energy Made Easy.
Clever Starfish were a winner in Culture & Events for the Perth Theatre Trust.
In the Innovation category, the award went to 12Scan, a batch scanning application that automates the scanning, naming, indexing and storing of documents direct into a database or document management system. One judge described it as a great example of the web reaching into everyday objects.
Social Media was won by 303 Lowe and Clarity Communications for Celebrate WA.
And the Mobile category went to Razorfish, for Simply Send It; the Australia Post parcel despatch service.
Thanks to all judges, sponsors, entrants and helpers for your interest and selflessness. You are the right stuff.
