Web Site Design Building a Web site that gives users what they need

Planning is the key to success No one plans to fail. Many simply fail to plan!

Major steps w Determine Goals w Analyze needs w Design content w Design navigation w Implement Design

Determine Site Goals What is the purpose of your site? Customer support Marketing & Promotion Content based advertising delivery Information dissemination On-line sales

Know the audience w Who will use your site? w Why will they use your site? w What do they want to find?

Identify user groups w Make a list of expected users w Categorize users into general groups

Choose the content w What information do I want to present? Schedules Product Info & support Information (Annual report, etc.) w Where do I get it? Pirated (recycled) Purchased Self developed

Sort your content w Group your content by user w Group your content into major areas find general categories w If more than 7-10 consolidate

Design your content Message Audience Approach Media

Remember You, have to maintain it! Don’t promise what you won’t deliver

Consider user access Home 28.8 Kb - 56 Kb per second LAN 10 Mb Mb per second Why does it matter?

Storyboard your pages w Draw a picture of each page showing its layout w Specify the page goals w Identify the resources needed video, pictures, graphics, audio, text

Gather your resources w Get existing schedules & calendars w Sketch out planned events w Get clip art w Scan photos, charts, illustrations w Take digital photos w OCR documents

Borrow Save time & money

Navigation If they can’t fine it, it isn’t there!

Build a hierarchy

Do a structured walk through w Assume you are a user from each of your groups w Walk through your Web to find information w Is what you need most often easiest to get

Implement your design Have some fun!