3
Planning a
Successful Web
Site: Part 1
Web Design,
3rd Edition
Chapter Objectives
 Describe the Web site development planning process
 Complete Step 1: Define the site’s purpose
 Complete Step 2: Identify the site’s target audience
 Complete Step 3: Determine the site’s general
content
 Complete Step 4: Select the site’s structure
Chapter 3: Planning a Successful Web Site: Part 1
2
The Web Site Development
Planning Process
Chapter 3: Planning a Successful Web Site: Part 1
3
Step 1: Define the Site’s Purpose
Web site goals
Web site objectives
Web site purpose
Chapter 3: Planning a Successful Web Site: Part 1
4
Step 2: Identify the Site’s Target
Audience
Define the site’s target audience
– Develop a target audience profile
Chapter 3: Planning a Successful Web Site: Part 1
5
Step 3: Determine the Site’s
General Content
The home page is often the first page a visitor
sees
Should include:
– Who
– What
– Where
Search feature

Provide keyword search capability for site’s
pages
Chapter 3: Planning a Successful Web Site: Part 1
6
Step 3: Determine the Site’s
General Content
Web sites often include multiple subsidiary or
underlying pages—provide details to summary
Should include the same elements as its home
page:
– Name
– Logo
– Typeface
– Color scheme
Chapter 3: Planning a Successful Web Site: Part 1
7
Step 3: Determine the Site’s
General Content
Chapter 3: Planning a Successful Web Site: Part 1
8
Step 3: Determine the Site’s
General Content
A splash page uses images, animation, and
sound to capture visitors’ attention and draw
them into the site
Many visitors seriously dislike dealing with splash pages! (Include link to skip)
Chapter 3: Planning a Successful Web Site: Part 1
9
Step 3: Determine the Site’s
General Content
Should include value-added content:
– Relative
– Informative
– Timely
– Accurate
– High quality
– Usable
Chapter 3: Planning a Successful Web Site: Part 1
10
Step 3: Determine the Site’s
General Content
Text
– Primary component of a Web site
– Guidelines to consider
• Chunk text for scannability
– Place explanatory or detailed information on linked
underlying pages
– Use active voice and a friendly tone
– Remove transitional words and phrases like as
stated previously, similarly, and as a result, which
might not be relevant for the chunked text
Chapter 3: Planning a Successful Web Site: Part 1
11
Step 3: Determine the Site’s
General Content
Images
– Most commonly included content element on Web
sites
– Can personalize and familiarize the unknown
Chapter 3: Planning a Successful Web Site: Part 1
12
Step 3: Determine the Site’s
General Content
Audio
– Low-bandwidth alternative to video
– Audio can persuade, inspire, personalize,
motivate, or sooth
Chapter 3: Planning a Successful Web Site: Part 1
13
Step 3: Determine the Site’s
General Content
Video
– Video clips incorporate movement and sound
– Extremely large sizes of video
• Downloadable vs. Streaming Video
• Downloadable media must be downloaded in its entirety
to the user’s computer before it can be heard or seen.
• Streaming video begins to play as soon as the data
begins to stream (transfer) to the browser.
Chapter 3: Planning a Successful Web Site: Part 1
14
Step 3: Determine the Site’s
General Content
Animation
– Widely used to attract attention and liven Web
pages
– Adds interest and appeal to Web pages
– Overuse of animations can become distracting and
annoying
– Animated GIF
• Gives the appearance of moving pictures
– Flash animation—animated movie using Adobe
Flash CS3® software.
Chapter 3: Planning a Successful Web Site: Part 1
15
Step 3: Determine the Site’s
General Content
Multimedia
– Add action, excitement, and interactivity to your
Web site
– Viewers are intrigued and entertained by
multimedia presentations
– Multimedia presentations can be interactive
• Users can participate
• Helper Applications
• Plug-ins
Chapter 3: Planning a Successful Web Site: Part 1
16
Step 3: Determine the Site’s
General Content
Chapter 3: Planning a Successful Web Site: Part 1
17
Step 3: Determine the Site’s
General Content
Dynamically Generated Content
– Served up to your Web site visitor triggered by a
specific event
• Frequently called up from a database
• e.g. Course and schedule information for a college
Chapter 3: Planning a Successful Web Site: Part 1
18
Step 3: Determine the Site’s
General Content
Chapter 3: Planning a Successful Web Site: Part 1
19
Step 3: Determine the Site’s
General Content
Organizing Web Site Files
– Organize the resulting files in your Web site
– Create folders on your computer’s local drive
– Regularly create back ups
Chapter 3: Planning a Successful Web Site: Part 1
20
Step 4: Select the Site’s
Structure
Outline your Web Site
– Choose the method that you find most flexible and
comfortable (storyboard, flowchart)
• Linear / tutorial structure
• Random structure
• Hierarchical structure
Chapter 3: Planning a Successful Web Site: Part 1
21
Linear/Tutorial Structure
Presents information in a specific order
– Training website
Chapter 3: Planning a Successful Web Site: Part 1
22
Random Structure
Arranges information without a specific order
Use only for small Web sites
Chapter 3: Planning a Successful Web Site: Part 1
23
Hierarchical Structure
 Organizes information
into categories and
subcategories
 Best used in
organizational / topical
Web sites
Chapter 3: Planning a Successful Web Site: Part 1
24
Hierarchical Structure
Chapter 3: Planning a Successful Web Site: Part 1
25
Chapter Summary
 Describe the Web site development planning process
 Complete Step 1: Define the site’s purpose
 Complete Step 2: Identify the site’s target audience
 Complete Step 3: Determine the site’s general
content
 Complete Step 4: Select the site’s structure
Chapter 3: Planning a Successful Web Site: Part 1
26
3
Planning a
Successful Web
Site: Part 1
Web Design,
3rd Edition