Starting with a Plan
In This Chapter
Determining the site’s purpose
Building a site image
Determining site content
Diagnosing the site’s dynamic requirements
Defining ways to attract visitors
At the start of any Web site project, you — and your client, if you’re designing for someone else — should probably sit down and mull over or discuss your ideas about the final product. If those ideas are vague, you need to flesh them out, and if they’re specific, you need to keep themorganized and understand the purpose behind them. In other words, you need a plan.
To get the project off to a good start and ensure that each of your ideas and issues get the consideration they deserve, begin by pinpointing the purpose for building the Web site. The purpose is like an arrow that points you in the right direction. Some people build Web sites to sell a product or service. Others create sites to share ideas and information. One might also create a site to promote a good cause, educate the public, or simply have a place for family and friends across the country — or across the planet — to visit and catch up with one another. Because the answer to “Why build a site?” is largely determined by the specific needs of the Web site, this chapter includes a handful of brainstorming exercises that you can use as a guide to discovering why you are building any particular site. By defining the site’s purpose, you develop a foundation for the rest of the site-planning process. By the end of this chapter, you should have all the tools you need to establish a plan for building almost any Web site.
Understanding the Different Phases of a Web Project
Before you begin any Web site, you must first have a good understanding of
the project as a whole, as well as all the different steps or phases that you
will move through during the Web-development process.
Most Web site projects have a logical flow of development, a type of evolution
with distinct phases that, when followed, can streamline the entire
design process. Here’s the general order in which most Web site projects
evolve:
1. Planning phase: Define the goals and purpose of the site, construct a
site identity, determine what content should go on the site, diagnose
dynamic site requirements, if any, and figure out ways to attract visitors
to the site after it gets published on the Web.
2. Contract phase: Draft and submit a proposal to the client for the project
that outlines the scope of the work in written form so that both the
designer and client have a clear understanding of the expectations and
outcome of the project, as well as financial agreements, time frame, and
deliverables. Upon approval, the proposal gets converted into an official
contract that both parties sign, and a deposit is paid to the
designer to begin work.
3. Design phase: Characterize a target audience; construct an identity for
the ideal site visitor; gather information about the target audience’s
computer usage; determine the benefits to visitors; make decisions
about layout, color, organization, and content; and finally mock up a
design and present it to the client for approval.
4. Building phase: Convert a mock-up into HTML, CSS, and JavaScript in a
WYSIWYG Web editor such as Adobe Dreamweaver; organize content in
visually pleasing ways; create and optimize Web graphics; add dynamic
capabilities to the pages with JavaScript and other programming languages
when warranted; and ensure that all the pages on the site look
good and function well in a variety of browsers on both the Mac and PC
as the pages are being built.
5. Testing phase: Test the design on a testing server in the most popular
browsers and browser versions on Mac, PC, and Linux platforms in the
most popular operating systems (Windows XP, Vista, Mac OS X, and so
on) at a variety of monitor resolutions; validate the code; check for
spelling errors; fix coding errors; and otherwise ensure that each visitor
can navigate through the site with no technical problems.
6. Site launch: Secure a domain and hosting plan, upload the site’s files
to a host server, retest the site, and be ready to maintain the site
post launch.
7. Postlaunch site maintenance: Ensure that the site’s content stays relevant
and up to date by adding new and editing existing content, as well
as making improvements and other enhancements to the site.
Determining the Site’s Purpose
Before you begin any new Web project, it would greatly behoove you to first
develop a plan. With a plan, you will know in advance what you’re going to
do and the order in which everything needs to be done. Furthermore, when
designing sites for others, a plan can help keep both you and your client on
the right track.
If you’ve never created a Web site plan before and aren’t sure where to
begin, the very first thing you should do — before you even start to think of
designing the site — is to determine the ultimate purpose of the site. To do
that, start by asking yourself a few simple questions and jotting down the
answers:
Why are you building this site?
Will the site be professional, fun, silly, or informative?
Will the site sell products, services, information, ideas, or some combination
of these things?
If you think of any other questions that can help you determine the site’s
purpose, add those to the list. When finished, continue reading.
Checking out the competition
In the boom of the Internet revolution in the late 1990s, every big company
with a brick-and-mortar store learned that having a Web site would instantly
make its products and services available to millions of site visitors each day.
New Web sites sprouted up daily as more and more people purchased computers,
learned how to use them, and began searching, finding, and buying
the products and services they needed online.
As the Internet continued growing in popularity, so did the idea that selling
products and services exclusively online was a viable form of running a
business, mainly because it entirely negates the need for costly store overhead,
which in turn can increase profits.
Today, most businesses have their own Web site, or are in the process of
creating one, or are in desperate need (but may not know it!) of having their
current site redesigned and improved upon. People create Web sites to promote
business services; sell products; share information; provide free
resources; offer contests, coupons, tips, and advice; and more.
The bottom line here is that in this age of the Internet, anyone who owns a
business, wants to stay competitive, and wants to be taken seriously by
Web-savvy consumers needs to have a Web site. If you agree with this premise,
you have to know what the competition is doing right now, both online
and off.
Take a look at your competitors and make notes about what they’re doing.
What are they doing that works, and what are they doing that doesn’t? Pay
attention to color, graphics, format, layout, content, and the tone of the
writing. This information can help you determine the type of content to go
on your site and understand how to deliver it.
Gathering information
In your career as a Web designer, oftentimes your client will rely on you to
assist with determining the site’s purpose. If you or your Web client hasn’t
discussed this issue yet, read through the following questions and take
careful note of your client’s answers:
Will the site showcase biographies, histories, and other informational
data? Some Web sites like to show a listing of employees and board
members, biographies, historical timelines, and general information
about the company and its key players.
Will the site market services? A company, group, or sole proprietor
(such as a nonprofit arts organization, a law firm, or a marketing consultant)
might want an informational or brochureware Web site to help
spread the word about its services. How many services will be offered?
Will pricing information be made available online too?
Will this site provide in-depth information about a particular topic?
The function of a political news blog or nonprofit organization is to
share ideas and information with the public. For example, a lawn mower
company might want to offer lawn-care advice in addition to selling
mowers.
Will the site be someone’s personal Web site? Personal Web sites are
just for family, friends, and schoolmates. It could be a digital family
photo album, a blog, or an outlet for personal expression.
Will the site be someone’s professional portfolio? Professionals use
portfolios to generate new business and showcase their talents. People
who use portfolios include artists, illustrators, designers, writers,
singers, photographers, musicians, poets, and academics.
Will the site sell any products, and if so, what kinds? If the site will
sell lots of products, find out how many product categories are needed
and whether the products will be sold wholesale, retail, or both. Will
the products be sold online or through an outside distributor?
In This Chapter
Determining the site’s purpose
Building a site image
Determining site content
Diagnosing the site’s dynamic requirements
Defining ways to attract visitors
At the start of any Web site project, you — and your client, if you’re designing for someone else — should probably sit down and mull over or discuss your ideas about the final product. If those ideas are vague, you need to flesh them out, and if they’re specific, you need to keep themorganized and understand the purpose behind them. In other words, you need a plan.
To get the project off to a good start and ensure that each of your ideas and issues get the consideration they deserve, begin by pinpointing the purpose for building the Web site. The purpose is like an arrow that points you in the right direction. Some people build Web sites to sell a product or service. Others create sites to share ideas and information. One might also create a site to promote a good cause, educate the public, or simply have a place for family and friends across the country — or across the planet — to visit and catch up with one another. Because the answer to “Why build a site?” is largely determined by the specific needs of the Web site, this chapter includes a handful of brainstorming exercises that you can use as a guide to discovering why you are building any particular site. By defining the site’s purpose, you develop a foundation for the rest of the site-planning process. By the end of this chapter, you should have all the tools you need to establish a plan for building almost any Web site.
Understanding the Different Phases of a Web Project
Before you begin any Web site, you must first have a good understanding of
the project as a whole, as well as all the different steps or phases that you
will move through during the Web-development process.
Most Web site projects have a logical flow of development, a type of evolution
with distinct phases that, when followed, can streamline the entire
design process. Here’s the general order in which most Web site projects
evolve:
1. Planning phase: Define the goals and purpose of the site, construct a
site identity, determine what content should go on the site, diagnose
dynamic site requirements, if any, and figure out ways to attract visitors
to the site after it gets published on the Web.
2. Contract phase: Draft and submit a proposal to the client for the project
that outlines the scope of the work in written form so that both the
designer and client have a clear understanding of the expectations and
outcome of the project, as well as financial agreements, time frame, and
deliverables. Upon approval, the proposal gets converted into an official
contract that both parties sign, and a deposit is paid to the
designer to begin work.
3. Design phase: Characterize a target audience; construct an identity for
the ideal site visitor; gather information about the target audience’s
computer usage; determine the benefits to visitors; make decisions
about layout, color, organization, and content; and finally mock up a
design and present it to the client for approval.
4. Building phase: Convert a mock-up into HTML, CSS, and JavaScript in a
WYSIWYG Web editor such as Adobe Dreamweaver; organize content in
visually pleasing ways; create and optimize Web graphics; add dynamic
capabilities to the pages with JavaScript and other programming languages
when warranted; and ensure that all the pages on the site look
good and function well in a variety of browsers on both the Mac and PC
as the pages are being built.
5. Testing phase: Test the design on a testing server in the most popular
browsers and browser versions on Mac, PC, and Linux platforms in the
most popular operating systems (Windows XP, Vista, Mac OS X, and so
on) at a variety of monitor resolutions; validate the code; check for
spelling errors; fix coding errors; and otherwise ensure that each visitor
can navigate through the site with no technical problems.
6. Site launch: Secure a domain and hosting plan, upload the site’s files
to a host server, retest the site, and be ready to maintain the site
post launch.
7. Postlaunch site maintenance: Ensure that the site’s content stays relevant
and up to date by adding new and editing existing content, as well
as making improvements and other enhancements to the site.
Determining the Site’s Purpose
Before you begin any new Web project, it would greatly behoove you to first
develop a plan. With a plan, you will know in advance what you’re going to
do and the order in which everything needs to be done. Furthermore, when
designing sites for others, a plan can help keep both you and your client on
the right track.
If you’ve never created a Web site plan before and aren’t sure where to
begin, the very first thing you should do — before you even start to think of
designing the site — is to determine the ultimate purpose of the site. To do
that, start by asking yourself a few simple questions and jotting down the
answers:
Why are you building this site?
Will the site be professional, fun, silly, or informative?
Will the site sell products, services, information, ideas, or some combination
of these things?
If you think of any other questions that can help you determine the site’s
purpose, add those to the list. When finished, continue reading.
Checking out the competition
In the boom of the Internet revolution in the late 1990s, every big company
with a brick-and-mortar store learned that having a Web site would instantly
make its products and services available to millions of site visitors each day.
New Web sites sprouted up daily as more and more people purchased computers,
learned how to use them, and began searching, finding, and buying
the products and services they needed online.
As the Internet continued growing in popularity, so did the idea that selling
products and services exclusively online was a viable form of running a
business, mainly because it entirely negates the need for costly store overhead,
which in turn can increase profits.
Today, most businesses have their own Web site, or are in the process of
creating one, or are in desperate need (but may not know it!) of having their
current site redesigned and improved upon. People create Web sites to promote
business services; sell products; share information; provide free
resources; offer contests, coupons, tips, and advice; and more.
The bottom line here is that in this age of the Internet, anyone who owns a
business, wants to stay competitive, and wants to be taken seriously by
Web-savvy consumers needs to have a Web site. If you agree with this premise,
you have to know what the competition is doing right now, both online
and off.
Take a look at your competitors and make notes about what they’re doing.
What are they doing that works, and what are they doing that doesn’t? Pay
attention to color, graphics, format, layout, content, and the tone of the
writing. This information can help you determine the type of content to go
on your site and understand how to deliver it.
Gathering information
In your career as a Web designer, oftentimes your client will rely on you to
assist with determining the site’s purpose. If you or your Web client hasn’t
discussed this issue yet, read through the following questions and take
careful note of your client’s answers:
Will the site showcase biographies, histories, and other informational
data? Some Web sites like to show a listing of employees and board
members, biographies, historical timelines, and general information
about the company and its key players.
Will the site market services? A company, group, or sole proprietor
(such as a nonprofit arts organization, a law firm, or a marketing consultant)
might want an informational or brochureware Web site to help
spread the word about its services. How many services will be offered?
Will pricing information be made available online too?
Will this site provide in-depth information about a particular topic?
The function of a political news blog or nonprofit organization is to
share ideas and information with the public. For example, a lawn mower
company might want to offer lawn-care advice in addition to selling
mowers.
Will the site be someone’s personal Web site? Personal Web sites are
just for family, friends, and schoolmates. It could be a digital family
photo album, a blog, or an outlet for personal expression.
Will the site be someone’s professional portfolio? Professionals use
portfolios to generate new business and showcase their talents. People
who use portfolios include artists, illustrators, designers, writers,
singers, photographers, musicians, poets, and academics.
Will the site sell any products, and if so, what kinds? If the site will
sell lots of products, find out how many product categories are needed
and whether the products will be sold wholesale, retail, or both. Will
the products be sold online or through an outside distributor?
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