Developing customer-oriented content
Nigel Bevan (1999a) says:Unless a web site meets the needs of the intended users it will not meet the needs of the
organization providing the web site. Web site development should be user-centred, evalu-
ating the evolving design against user requirements.
How can this customer-oriented or user-centred content be achieved?
User-centred designstarts with understanding the nature and variation within the
user groups. According to Bevan (1999a), issues to consider include:
Who are the important users?
What is their purpose for accessing the site?
How frequently will they visit the site?
What experience and expertise do they have?
What nationality are they? Can they read your language?
What type of information are they looking for?
How will they want to use the information: read it on the screen, print it or download it?
What type of browsers will they use? How fast will their communication links be?
How large a screen or window will they use, with how many colours?Rosenfeld and Morville (2002) suggest four stages of site design that also have a user-
centred basis:1 Identify different audiences.
2 Rank importance of each to business.
3 List the three most important information needs of audience.
4 Ask representatives of each audience type to develop their own wish lists.
We noted in Chapter 2 that customer persona and scenario analysis is a powerful
technique of understanding different audiences which can be used to inform and test
web site design.Evaluating designs
A test of effective design for usability is dependent on three areas according to Bevan
(1999b):DESIGNING THE USER EXPERIENCEFigure 7.8 Different aspects of high-quality information content of a web sitePersonalisedAccurateDetailed TimelyClear Up to dateRelevant Easy to findInformationUser-centred
design
Design based on
optimising the user
experience according to
all factors, including
the user interface,
which affect this.INMA_C07.QXD 17/5/06 4:23 pm Page 323