Exercise: Plan & Organize a Website

• Choose a Web project
  • Identify an existing project or a common interest among group members.
    
• Identify the information owners/providers (1/2 of the exercise group to be owners/providers). Have them do the three things below.
  • Identify the project goal(s).
  • Sketch out an organizational structure for the Website content.
  • Sketch a potential homepage based on what you have learned so far.
    Consider navigation, help, feedback and maintenance.
    
• Identify the primary audience (1/2 of the exercise group to be primary site users). Have them do the four things below.
  • Brainstorm on how you might use the site
  • Outline some tasks you would expect to be able to complete
  • Discuss how the information should be organized from the user's perspective
  • Consider expected services, navigation, help, and feedback
    
• Information owners/providers interview the users (primary audience)
  • Compare owners/providers approach to users
  • Revise/reorganize incorporating user feedback
  • Prepare a 5-10 minute presentation
    • Present a site sketch
    • Discuss the differences between users and information providers
    • Identify at least one unexpected event in the process

LLLarsen, VLWarnick, First published December 1994. Last revision January 2002