@VampireX02 - Thanks for your kind response. You are right, we don´t need to use Web 2.0 standards to have the appropriate usability. Usability came first in the arena. Web 2.0 just uses it. In fact, this subject does not fit into a Web 2.0 design anyway and you did a good job balancing it.
But visual peace works for everyone! We all love it and people that are growing fast in this market are using it heavily.
I would like to recommend Steve Krug's "Don´t Make me Think" book on usability. There you will find precise information about usability problems. All that can i say is:
1- Avoid soft backgrounds behind information. This is usability crime. :-)
2- Create a focus on your template. All elements are too balanced. You did a tremendous job balancing them, but the template looks overcrowded.
3- .Gov websites, must be VERY useful. We must design them for 1st timers. It´s better to have a website where people say "Sr. Mc Master's site is so easy to navigate." than "SR. Mc Master website is so beautiful but it´s overcrowded and hard to navigate." You are the designer, that´s why you think your site is easy. But it´s SR. Mc Master's Staff that will be overwhelmed with emails asking for help.
4- It´s all about information. You put a lot of images to impress the client. 1/2 of the best images in the album are now in the home page. At first, this is good. When you enter the site for the 10th time, you would like to see other images. Unless you are a boring person. Did you think that the client must do that? How good would the right headers look with other images? They are blended... tough job.
5- Push down the right section and give space for the date, please. It´s unreasonable to cover the American Flag with a white block for an ordinary text. You are trying to deliver the idea that the date is so important in that place that we must cover the Flag!

I have some other thoughts that could improve your design, that in my vision is in the right direction, but distant from the final product.

All the best luck for you all,

Henry.

Unfortunately, I did not test all instances for color blindness. The ones I did test passed.

Vampire - you must have been typing at the same time as I was :-) I didn't have any concerns at all about you creating a semantic, well coded site. My only concern was with the text visibility and as you proved, some of it was below the set requirements. My above message says it all for me :)

Vampire - very well done about addressing the text visibility issues - glad you took the advice to heart and not ranted and raved like some others might have. :-) PS: Did you also test for colour blindness? that small application that is availabe at the link I shared does have that option. May be a little premature, but congrats anyway :-)

Thank you for your concern with my abilities to create a semantic, standards-driven site. Not to mention the silly notion that this would be an issue to code.

In all honesty, I don't find this design to have any usability issues. I think the layout clearly defines everything on the page and while it is not Web 2.0 clean and simple -- I really don't believe that's what's called for here.

In this case, I think the site calls for an authoritative and traditional approach. Especially if you consider the demographic of the user base on a government site. "Visual peace" works for Google, Apple and design blogs. It's not always practical otherwise.

I would love to hear some feedback (feel free to be harsh) about the areas where you guys are seeing usability problems. I'm especially interested in Unique's views on Deadbit's design having more "success with the public" and the reasoning behind that.

Yes, that's how it always is with contests. That happens on just about all of mine.

Looking forward to seeing what comes up in the next few hours.

@scattorneygeneral - Thanks for asking.

Yes Sir, but not my bank. In my city there are 3 banks. I live in a small Island called Ilhabela. People here are not living from international business. Just the good old tourism! :-) I wish i had a citi or bank boston account. They would surely clear the check. I was quite entering just to try and pick this one for my portfolio. Be prepared to have last minute designs. Some very good designers here want not to inspire anyone! ;-)

Thanks again,

Henry.

<em>unique a local bank won't cash a check from the State of South Carolina in the US?</em>
In south america that is very complicated cashing a check in a bank, the banks charge a huge commission if accepted the check, even if you have a account in the bank
I normally sale my checks to a money exchange office (google checks for example) but I dont if sale of a goverment check is legal or not
Its legal?

@errata - I can´t clear a check through Paypal.

I´m glad this ended with a healthy discussion.
Everyone will have it´s own opinion, for sure. I respect that very much. That´s why i had something to say too.
@Nadia, not just that. This is fixable. I´ll not point out what´s wrong, but surelly deadbit's design if implemented will have more success with the public. It´s clean, elegant and the information is very well put. It´s a bit flat, but it´s has a tremendous usability. Remember: Altavista had much more visual appeal when google started. A logo, a text box, five words and a button! That´s what people want. Visual peace.
Nothing against the vampirex2. Good luck. Unfortunately i can´t join you guys. I can clear a check through Paypal.
@kinkywizard - you are sweet.
All the best,
Henry.

unique: just commenting on his/her design :) ... well with that design i hope he/che can implement it to valid CSS without problems :) for once i thought that design is hard too to meet the WC3, but hey, i've done worse (more complexed design) and completely success with it. i hope he/she smart enuff to integrate the design into valid CSS. cheers :)

Unique said: "A LOT of usability problems."
--
Nothing wrong with complimenting a designer on his submission really :-) but I do agree with the line quoted - that's the main reason I posted the link to the accessibility/visibility website initially - plus I hoped it would help future submissions.... but seems no-one has paid any attention. It is still a lovely design and I am not bagging it at all ( so please no-one take offence !), but the brief did ask for WC3 and 508 standards to be implemented - especially as it is a govt website these factors should be at the forefront of everybodys' design concepts ...

No hard fillings, NuDreamer. Stay in peace.
You can compliment a designer privately. The compliment will have the same impact on your hero.
If you feel scared, it´s a good feeling. Go to the canvas and challenge yourself. How are you going to grow design wise?
It´s elegant to have a quiet contest and avoid lame noises like "hey dude gret job" "hey there, love your design"... Other designers put a lot of work on their ideas and they need respect. We don´t know each other and we don´t know what kind of relationships are being formed here. So seems strange to me to see an entrant upscaling it´s opponent's design. Very strange.
Thanks,
Henry.

@ Unique. Thanks for that, I was simply commenting on his design. I think he did a great job, but if I let him scare me off, I wouldn't have entered my piece! Nothing wrong with telling a designer he did a good job :)