Two websites I visit frequently: 

The US Patent and Trademark Office:  http://www.uspto.gov/index.jsp 

Starbucks:  http://www.starbucks.com/

 

 

I am on the USPTO site most times due to work.  But besides electronic filing of applications, responses, check fees, get updated forms and such, I go to the Home page to see what news the patent office is putting out and also to see what other news there is in this field.  They have a great section for inventors and a fun kids' page (but I don't get to play much).   Besides the US Patent Office site, I also am on the European site, the World Intellectual Property Office site and other countries' sites.  

 

I go to the Starbucks' site primarily to reload the Starbucks cards.  All members of my family have cards and they are all regisstered under one name, thus, we are able to earn the rewards faster that way.  This works out really well with our college kids - they text me and I reload their cards (especially during finals week).  I can reload the cards when we are overseas too.

 

Why are they effective?   -  The USPTO site is effective because I can find the information I need - there are individual pages for patents, trademarks, etc.  

The Starbucks site is easy to manuever around. and find what you want.    

What specific principles of good design do they include and why?  - The USPTO site is very concise and uses point and click to get to other information.   It has 3 columns (after the header), one is useful informational links, another lists popular links and government sources and the third is patent office news.  The Patent Office site is visually appealing in its set up and the colors used. The left column resembles tabs, with the information data and a corresponding icon, the middle column is just typed links and the third column is the standard news blurb identification.    

The Starbucks site, after you log in, shows all the cards registered to my account which I can update as necessary and reload from that page.  Along the top there are drop-down menus for other information you might be interested in (e.g. music) and information about the company including corporate responsibility.  Starbucks limits it colors to green and black on a white background.  They may also include photographs that relate to the specific information you are looking at.  

            What makes you come back again?   -  The USPTO site I go back to all the time due to my job and to keep up with any new laws and information.  I need to keep up with the information for inventors, as I end up speaking with them fairly often and they want to know why they are required to do certain things and how do they protect their ideas.  
             For Starbucks I normally go on to the site to reload someone's card, but sometimes I check to see if we have any rewards, to find out the nutritional information on various drinks and food and to check out new offerings. 
 
            What could be improved?  -  The USPTO site can sometimes be confusing due to too much information on the page.  They change and update their site fairly often so that sometimes when you get there, the information you are looking for isn't in the same place anymore.  For a government site, I actually find it rather easy to manuever through. 
              On the Starbuck's site the drop downs are white lettering on black background - the font is a little small for me to read sometimes even with my glasses!