INMA_A01.QXD

Analysisinvolves using different marketing research techniques to find out the needs of

the site audience. These needs can then be used to drive the design and content of the

web site.

It is not a ‘one-off’ exercise, but is likely to be repeated for each iteration of the proto-

type. Although analysis and design are separate activities, there tends to be considerable

overlap between the two phases. In analysis we are seeking to answer the following types

of ‘who, what, why, how’ questions:

Who are the key audiences for the site?

Why should they use the site (what will appeal to them)?

What should the content of site be? Which services will be provided?

How will the content of the site be structured (information architecture)?

How will navigation around the site occur?

What are the main marketing outcomes we want the site to deliver (registrations,

leads, sales)?

To help answer these questions, web designers commonly use an approach known as

user-centred designwhich uses a range of techniques to ensure the site meets user

needs. Within this design process, usability and accessibility are goals which we will now

study further. It is now generally agreed that web site designers also need to add persua-

sion marketinginto the design mix; to create a design that is not only easy to use, but

also delivers results for the business. This approach is essential since usability which will

often lead to giving the user choice, may conflict with using a web site to meet business

objectives which will often need to persuade customers to register or buy a product.

Most web sites should not give total business choice in which sections they use, but, as

with any marketing communication, should influence the recipient of the communica-

tion to encourage them to take particular actions or follow particular paths. You can see

that this concept of user-centred design is similar to the concept of customer orientation

or customer-centricity which we have covered in preceding chapters.

Consultant Bryan Eisenberg of Future Now (www.futurenowinc.com) is an advocate of

persuasion marketing alongside other design principles such as usability and accessibility.

He says:

during the wireframe and storyboard phase we ask three critical questions of every page a

visitor will see:

1 What action needs to be taken?

2 Who needs to take that action?

3 How do we persuade that person to take the action we desire?

Usability

Usabilityis a concept that can be applied to the analysis and design for a range of prod-

ucts which defines how easy they are to use. The British Standard/ISO Standard: Human

Centred design processes for interactive systems defines usability as the:

extent to which a product can be used by specified users to achieve specified goals with

effectiveness, efficiency and satisfaction in a specified context of use.

(BSI,1999)

CHAPTER 7· DELIVERING THE ONLINE CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE

Researching site users’ requirements

Analysis phase

The identification of the

requirements of a web

site. Techniques to

achieve this may

include focus groups,

questionnaires sent to

existing customers or

interviews with key

accounts.

User-centred

design

A design approach

which is based on

research of user

characteristics and

needs.

Persuasion

marketing

Using design elements

such as layout, copy

and typography

together with

promotional messages

to encourage site users

to follow particular

paths and specific

actions rather than

giving them complete

choice in their

navigation

Usability

An approach to web site

design intended to

enable the completion

of user tasks.

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