scoutphp.com

I've recently created a website offering PHP and MySQL primer tutorials. With Scout PHP I am aiming for not only a beginner audience, but an experienced audience that will contribute articles of their own and participate in the discussion board.

My goal in design is mostly in functionality and ease of navigation. I'm also trying to push for a more interactive website, with links to comment on articles and tutorials, and each tutorial has a place where you can post a question for the forums.

What are your suggestions to make the forums stand out more, without taking the focus away from the tutorials too much? I'd like the main centerpiece to be the tutorials, but the forums seem to not see much action, despite there being traffic to the site.

First off, I think the colour scheme is excellent.
But something that I find annoying (but I'm weird) is how those headers on the menu hang out from the rest of the menu. It's like colouring outside the lines.
If you want traffic directed to the forum I would suggest bringing the "Newest Forum Topics" up to the top, where the ad is. If you still want ads visible without scrolling, you have space for a single ad up on the right of the header. That is, at least on my 1024x768 resolution. If you're really worried about our 800x600 friends, you could shorten the header picture too. Another option is putting the ad as it is below the menu on the left. Also, your header above the ad says "Highlights". I'm pretty sure the Google terms of use only allows you to label their ads as "Sponsored Links" or simply "Advertisements", though I'm not sure if they get strict at all about that.
I would also suggest making the "Post a question" form a link, rather than a form. It adds a lot of empty space, and people will probably never see your news below it. You may consider making the "Welcome" section a little smaller so more news is visible without scrolling.
Something possibly a little more picky is consistency with terminology. You use the word "Forum" in your content, but in the menu you call it a "Discussion Board". If I saw the word "Forum" all over and want to get into the root of the forums, I would look for that same word in the menu. Not finding it I may go back to my Google results and click on the next site.

I know I can get picky, so don't take this too seriously. The layout (header, menu, two columns) and the colour scheme are excellent though.

The site is ok, but I would change the submenu headers,, they are sticking out and making chaos where it should be peace.

+ Obvious as to what your sites about..
+ Font is plent big enough
+ obvious navigation

- some funky color choices
- submenus.. (already mentioned)
- Some of your header text in your page are
squished up against the edge of the container.
as if you had set the margin/padding to zero.
I don't know if the effect was intentional but...
- mouseover your links, you ge a funky color that
doesn't stand out very well...

Maybe change the background color. I dont think it goes with the rest of the site. Other than that a good site, layout is excellent.

Aphonik