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Below are some
questions and points to consider
when you are
deciding what you'd like to do with your website.
General
Information
1.
What is the timeframe for starting and completing this Web site
project?
2.
What is your long-range plan for administration and support of your
Web site?
3.
Do you have a budget item for administration of your Web site?
4.
Who will be the members of the planning team and what role will each
play?
5.
If you are using a consultant, who will be the liaison with the
consultant?
6. If you currently have a web site;
what do you like/dislike about it?
Web Site Review
1.
What to do to help decide
what you want on your site:
Look at lots of sites: similar business, national sites, sites from
organizations
in different industries. Make
lists of content, features, and design elements
you like and don't like. Look
at things like the location of the navigation bar,
color schemes, and the use of
animations. Involve the whole staff.
2.
Define your audience:
Who do you want to attract and
use your web site? Clients, potential clients, people seeking information
about your industry?
3.
Develop a wish list of Web
features:
Look at other Web sites to find
features that you would consider incorporating into your site. Don't worry
about cost at this point.
4.
Identify supporting
information for your site:
This includes program
descriptions, background information on your issue(s), recommendations,
papers, success stories, and especially best practices and lessons learned.
5.
Evaluate the administrative
implications of each feature:
Web sites can require significant
administration if their content is dynamic and kept up-to-date. Adding new
content, updating and revising old content, evaluating usage, responding to
information requests and feedback, managing the demands of a higher profile,
all take time and resources.
Think about the right balance between static information versus dynamic
information that you can change daily or weekly. Also the amount of pictures
or graphics you would like to include.
7.
Try and put some cost figures to your wish list items:
Always plan for future growth.
Even if you are not prepared to add advanced features at the outset, they
can be built over time. Identify special features, such as audio or video
streaming , webinars, slideshows, online databases, graphics or animations.
Here you will most likely need expert advice on the implications for cost
and management requirements.
8.
Design your Web site from
the perspective of your target group, not your company:
What information are they be
looking for? What will attract their attention and keep them interested.
Using shorthand such as "About Us" or "Feedback" is better than confusing
names. Make your site as interactive as possible without overdoing it. Give
visitors something to do: Ask them to respond to sign-up for a mailing list
or ask you a question.
9.
Understand the unique way
that people navigate the Web:
As you prepare text for your Web
site remember that people "read" the Web differently from the way they read
print media or a book. In fact most people scan web pages. Using highlighted
keywords, sub-headings, and bulleted lists can be helpful. Large
graphics can take a long time to load on older computers. When in doubt,
keep it simple. Plan for the uneducated person with a slow machine.
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