The Importance of Customer-Centered Design LESSON 2 Module 6: The Design Process The Importance of Customer-Centered Design

Lesson Overview In this lesson, you will: Explore the various design styles used to develop Web sites. Differentiate between client and customer in regards to their role in Web site development. List components of a customer-centered Web site design. Lesson 2 Overview

Guiding Questions: What are the distinguishing characteristics of each of the design styles listed below: Company-centered Technology-centered Designer-centered Customer-centered Of these design styles, which is recommended? Why? What elements are included in customer-centered designs? Post one or more of these questions in an area where students can read them and allow time for students to respond to the questions in their journals. Discuss the students’ answers to these questions. Possible focus points for each question appear in parentheses after the question. What is most noticeable in each of the design styles listed below: Company-centered (The interest of the company is the focus of these sites, and companies decide on the content.) Technology-centered (These Web sites often look like they were created by geeks, or at least high school students. Every new special technology feature was incorporated in the site with little regard to actual content. Little research and planning went into the development and very little valuable information is available for the customer.) Designer-centered (These Web sites are showcases for their designers' work but often lack any meaningful content.) Customer-centered (Customer-based Web sites are designed to meet the needs of the intended audience.) Of these design styles, which is recommended? Why? (The customer-centered design style is recommended. Researching customer desires and implementing these ideas into the design of the site will increase the satisfaction and often increase profits for commercial Web sites.) What elements are included in customer-centered designs? (Site is designed to target specific audience, focus on content rather than technology. Splash page when the site opens, user-friendly navigation system, use of columns, forms, and CSS [cascading style sheets].)

Client Project Teams will create a Web site that is client-based and customer-centered. Teams must consider these questions as they begin work: Who is the client for the Web site project? Who is the audience? Who is the customer? Begin formulating an idea for the Web site. This lesson will involve a long-term assignment that students will develop with and for a client. Care must be taken that students understand that commitment and time need to be allocated to develop the topic for the project. Instructors need to have a lot of control on the final projects. No one project will fit all students and schools. Instructors decide if they want to narrowly focus student work by giving a list of choices or to let them have free reign. The important consideration for the project is that it is defined in such a way to allow adequate assessment criteria to evaluate the quality of products and high-quality teamwork.

Site Elements Designed to target specific audience Focus on content rather than technology Opens with a splash page Show graphics for various types of audiences…teen, travel, e-commerce, music, etc. Discuss the characteristics of a customer-based site. Sites designed to target a specific audience and focus on content rather than technology. Customer-based sites have a splash page when the site opens. Explain that a splash page is the first page that a viewer sees and tries to catch the user’s attention. There are two types of splash pages. One that is on the screen for a set amount of time (ex. 10 seconds) and some Web sites use the homepage as a splash page.

Site Elements Provides a user-friendly navigation system Organizes content with columns or other dividers Gathers information with easy-to-use forms Employs cascading style sheets (CSS) A customer-based site also uses a user-friendly navigation system which has been tested by a typical customer, columns to organize information on the screen, forms to gather information from the customer, and cascading style sheets (CSS) to set the style of the pages.

More on Customer-Centered Design “Users” should be thought of as the ultimate “customers.” After all, they are the ones that often actually pay for the site through the traffic and business they create for the company or organization. Research customer desires and implement these ideas into the design of the Web site. A Web designer should think of “users” as the ultimate “customers.” After all, they are the ones that often actually pay for the site through the traffic and business they create for the company or organization. The designer needs to research customer desires and implement these ideas into the design of the Web site.

Other Design Types Company-centered The interest of the company is the focus of these sites. Companies decide on the content. Technology-centered These sites often look like they were created by technology wizards, or very inexperienced designers. Design-centered These sites are showcases for their designers’ work, but often lack any meaningful content. Keep in mind that the job of the designer of a Web site is to facilitate communication between the client and the customer. It would be good to have links to a couple of Web sites that are like this…. While customer-based site development is considered to be the most effective design, other types of Web site design do exist. Company-centered design has the interest of the company as its focus. The company decides on the content based on its needs. Technology-centered sites often look like they were created by geeks, or at least high school students focusing more on the technology used than the content. Design-centered Web sites are showcases for their designers work, but often lack any meaningful content. Keep in mind that the job of the designer of a Web site is to communicate the desires of the client and the customer.

Lesson Review Designed to target specific audience Focuses on content rather than technology Opens with a splash page Provides a user-friendly navigation system Organizes content with columns or other dividers Gathers information with easy-to-use forms Employs CSS (cascading style sheets)

Customer-Centered Design Define Audience Overview of Content Customer-Centered Design Content of “Splash” Page Navigation System Use the student worksheet (S.6.2.WS_Customer_Centered_Design) to review the idea of the seven characteristics of the design. Explain to the students that they should use this worksheet to guide their development of the project. List the Styles for the Page CSS Columns – (sketch) List Any Forms that Will Be Used

Project Overview: Teacher Web Site Each group will identify a teacher who is interested in creating a Web site. The “client” would be the teacher. The audience would be their students, parents, and the community. Discuss the four types of customer-centered projects available for the students to choose from. Modify these last slides to fit the projects students can select from.

Project Overview: School or Community Political Campaign Each group will identify a student who is running for an office in the student government. The “client” would be the candidate. The audience would be the student body or community – local or extended.

Project Overview: School or Community Issue Each group will identify an issue that might be aided by political action (such as a bigger student parking lot, changes in lunch menus, or greenhouse gas emissions). The “client” would be interested citizens. The audience would be the student body or community – local or extended.

Project Overview: Club/School/Community Organization Each group will create a Web site for a club or organization in their school (such as DECA, the football team, or the Chess Club) or community. The “client” would be the head of the organization (teacher, coach, student, or citizen). The audience would be parents, students, and faculty or community members. This is the last slide in the presentation.