Where do I start?
Overview | 1. Define Your Goals | 2. Define Your Audience | 3. Content and Functionality | 4. Site Architecture | 5. Storyboarding | Conclusion

Step 2 - Define your Audience
Who are the people that are going to look at your web site, and what will they want to see? There will probably be several audiences. Make a list of everyone you think may possibly look at your web site and sort them into audience groups (current customers, potential customers, employees, investors, competitors, etc.) Think about the top five or ten reasons these audience groups will visit the site (find contact information, find hours of operation, find location, browse the products you sell, etc.) Now look back at your goals and filter your audience list based on the goals of the site. Ask members of the different audiences to look at the list and comment on it or add to it. Look at the web sites of your competitors and write down what you think is good and bad about each of them. Note how their sites are addressing the needs of their audiences and compare this to your list. What you've essentially defined here is a list of content and functional needs for your site. Rank the list of needs in order of importance to each of the audiences. Now look back at your goals and rank the needs in order of importance to meeting the goals of the site. These are your site requirements.

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