Target Audience:This course is intended for users who are planning a website.

Requirements:None

Description: Participants will learn to understand and create a purpose for their website and develop a diagram of the pages, links and content.

Prerequisites:Visual Identity or equivalent and basic computer knowledge is helpful.

GoalsDepending on the goals of your site, your site’s design and planning will be different. Think of your website as a building. You need to set up the framework for your building before you can fill its rooms. Also, the purpose of each room will affect how you plan the overall structure. Example: A swimming pool and a fire station serve different purposes, so their structure and design will differ.

Identify your site’s goals. • Areyouinterestedinsellingonline? • Doyouwanttoshow-casemultimedialikemusicorvideo? • Willyourequireablogforfrequentupdates? • Isthissiteawaytostayintouchwithfriendsandfamily? • Isthisasitetoeducateusersonaspecifictopic?

Target AudienceYour target audience is the selection of users that will find your site useful and informative. It is so helpful to keep your audience in mind while you plan your site so that you can cater to their needs as users. • Whoisyourtargetaudience? • Howdotheyusetheinternet? • Whatinformationwilltheybelookingfor? • Howcanyourwebsitecatertotheirneeds?

Website Planning

Computer Internet Explorer™8

What you’ll need:

You’ll also need an Internet connection.

Yes No___ ______ ______ ______ ___

Focus on ContentYour content is the meat and potatoes of your site. Think of it as the furnishing in each room of your website’s house. • Keepinmindthatyoursite’scontentisthe most important aspect of your site. • Visualscanimpairtheflowofyoursiteiftheyareirrelevantormisplaced. • Organizethemostimportantinformationprominently,soyouraudiencecanfinditeasily. • Keepyourtargetaudienceinmind.Ifitwereturnedaroundandyouweresearching

for the information found on the site you’re planning to build, how would you like it organized?Whatwouldyouliketoseefirst?Howwouldyouliketoseeinformationdisplayed?

ResearchSearch for sites that offer similar services/information to what you are planning for your own website. Whatkindofinformationdotheydisplay?Howisitorganized?Canyouorganizeyourcontentinasimilarfashion,orcanyoumakeimprovementsontheirnavigation?

Navigation BarYouhavemanyoptionsonhowtoorganizeyourpages,butanavigationbaristhemostcommonandtheeasiesttouse.Whilemostsitesutilizethehorizontalnavigationbaratthetopofthesite,youalsohavethe option to use a vertical navigation bar.

Site ArchitectureSitearchitecturerefersonlytothehierarchyandorganizationofcontentinyourwebsite.Itisseparatefrom your site’s aesthetic design, graphics, or text. The architecture is the skeleton of your website.

Site Architecture Tips • Givepagesclearnames. • Alwayskeepusersinmind.Imaginethemnavigatingyourwebsite. • Ifyoucan’tconciselyexplainwhyapagewouldbeusefultosomeone,excludeit. • Plan the site’s architecture around your content. Don’t write content to fit the site’s

architecture. • Noteverythinghastotakeupaseparatepage.Someinformationcanbegroupedtofiton

similar pages.Site TypesThegoalofyourwebsitewillaffectthestylethatyouchoosetoimplement.Photo-heavysiteswillneedplenty of room to show images, where blogging sites typically dedicate the majority of their online space to text.

1. Showcase • Excellentformusicians/photographers/artistsusuallyadoptashow-casestylesite • Typicallyincorporatesagraphicalorartisticlayout

2. Blog (contraction of “web log”) • Fastestwaytoestablishanonlinepresence • Excellentforupdatingfreshinformationquickly • Typicallyusedforpersonal/journalentries/quickupdates/images • Youcanincorporateaninformalwritingstyleordesign

3. E-Commerce • Enablesyoutosellproducts/servicesonline • YoucaneitherincorporateastoreintoyourwebsiteoruseeBay/Paypaltoengagein

online commerce. • Incorporatesastraight-forward,moreformalapproach

E-Commerce Considerations • Doyouwantastorethatisconnectedtoyoursiteorseparate? • AreyouinterestedinusingeBay?Paypal? • Howwillyoukeepusers’paymentinformationsecure?

Planning the Structure of Your WebsitePlanningthestructureofyourwebsiteishugelyimportant.Withoutaclearplanabouthowyourwebsitewillbeorganizedandfunction,itwilltakeyoulongertopostitonline,makeitharderforthesitetoaccomplish its goals, and will make it difficult for users to find the information they need.

Categorize your content • Breakyourcontentupintogroupsthatcanbeeasilyseparated,sothatuserscanfind

whattheyarelookingforwithouttoomuchtrouble.(eg.Contactinformation,Services,Pictures,Blog,News,Shop,About,Support,etc)

• Orderyourcontentfrommostimportanttoleastimportant.Thisishowitwillappearonyour site.

You don’t have to be a web developer or a designer to create a site map! Most people sketch out their site map on a piece of paper to get an idea of how their site will appear, but if you decide to add or deletepages,thiscanmeanalotoferasingandstartingover.Oneofthebestmethodsistowritedownthe name of each desired webpage on a small piece of paper and shuffle the pieces around until you’ve createdafinalsite-mapthatwillallowuserstonavigatesmoothlythroughyourwebsite’sstructure.

Site Map Sample for Photography Website

Use this space to create your own site map!