Brief Guide to the Website Building Process

Develop processes & methodology

• Create a plan
• Outline the process
• Determine a timeline

Define Target Audiences

• Identify what kind of audiences you want to attract (Audience descriptions should be extremely detailed)
• Identify what products or services you will offer them
• Identify what makes your site unique and relevant to your audience
• Identify what makes your site valuable enough to keep them coming back
• Identify how you will handle the demand for instantaneous information and/or services that a successful site might generate

Design site architecture

• Develop site-branching diagram to illustrate what pages will exist within the site
• Create information maps for each page (rough layouts that indicate page content and elements including text, graphics, navigation buttons, and hyperlinks)

Develop content

• Develop list of written information & visual elements
• Identify what information already exists and what information needs to be developed
• Develop timeline for completion of each area of content

Design user interface

• Create an intuitive, easily understandable interface that allows users to move freely throughout the site
• Establish visual consistency and enforce them throughout the site )this includes logos, graphic style, and fonts)