Australian Web Awards Judging Process Explained

We are committed to ensuring the judging is fair, thorough, and robust.

Last year, we had a team of over 50 (!) volunteer judges, each specialising in one of the six core disciplines: Accessibility, Content, Design, Development, SEO, and User Experience. Together, they helped us navigate the judging process.

The Process

Every entry undergoes a comprehensive review by the Judging Committee to ensure it’s placed in the appropriate category (e.g., Not For Profit, Small Business, etc.), and that all submission details are accurate and complete.

Once verified, entries are assigned to the judges. Whilst judges can’t see each other’s scores, they are typically “paired” within the same categories to minimise any bias in cases where one judge may tend to score higher or lower than another.

Then, the real work begins! Each entry is evaluated by at least two judges in each discipline, who assign a score between 1 and 5 based on specific judging criteria. This results in a minimum of 12 data points per entry.

Even if judges disagree slightly, with scores differing by 1-2 points, the final average typically smooths out, and the best entries naturally rise to the top.

Finalist selection is determined by the best ranking sites for that category. Where there are more finalists, it is a category with close competition at the higher end of the scoring.

After scoring is complete, the Judging Chair and committee review the results to ensure everything is in order. Finalists are carefully assessed to ensure they align with their received scores.

The Stats

One of AWIA’s primary goals is to continually elevate industry standards in Australia. By sharing some insights into the scoring of the Australian Web Awards, we aim to help Australian agencies identify areas for improvement.

Across the board, Accessibility had the lowest average score, followed by SEO and Content. In contrast, Design, Development, and UX consistently perform well.

We’ll be sharing a follow-up blog post with tips on how teams and agencies can make improvements in these areas.

Pro Tips

A common question we receive is, “How can we improve?”. The answer is simple, understand the six disciplines and ensure each one receives proper attention.

Generally, if you neglect one discipline and score only 1-2, it becomes nearly impossible to reach finalist status. Entries that average 3-4 across all disciplines are typically finalists, while category winners average 4-5 in each discipline.

Interested in Judging?

If you’d like to join our panel of judges, please get in touch!

Looking Ahead

Each year, we refine the judging process, and this year will be no different. Expect the process to become more statistically driven, and stay tuned for our detailed explanation in next year’s post!

To find out more about the Australian Web Awards, or to enter, visit webawards.com.au