Getting Started
Staring at a blank page (or a blank screen) can be daunting. So before you start typing, try asking yourself the following questions:
- Who do I think will be using my site?
- What kinds of information will they be looking for?
- What kinds of information do I have available?
- What tasks are my users doing now that I can make easier with my Web site?
- How often will the site need to be updated?
Know Your Audience
The most important question you must ask yourself is "Who will be using this Web site?" Who is your intended audience? Your coworkers? Other administrators, staff and/or faculty? Students? Prospective students and their families? Other external parties? You must design and organize your site with your intended audience in mind.
Think in terms of what your intended audience would want to DO on your site. What would they want to accomplish online? For example, will your users want to:
- Download common forms?
- Locate contact information for faculty or staff members?
- Check a schedule of upcoming events?
- Look for job openings or volunteering opportunities?
- Review course materials and syllabi?
- Register for a training session or workshop?
- Find updated policy statements or memos?
- Donate to university giving campaigns?
- Troubleshoot common technical problems?
- Read reports on ongoing research projects?
- Subscribe to a listserv or mailing list?
- Access online versions of printed materials, such as manuals or handbooks?
- Find answers to frequently asked questions?
Know Your Content
Sometimes the desire to create a Web site can precede an understanding of just what content and information should be placed on that Web site. Don't put the cart before the horse. A Web site is not an end unto itself; it is simply a vehicle or medium for distributing your information to your audience.
Think about the kind of information you can make available on your Web site, and how often it needs to be updated. A calendar of events may need to be updated once a month to stay fresh. If you post meeting agendas and minutes, remember that you'll need to do this for every meeting on the schedule in order for them to be useful. If you want to feature a "Weekly Research Highlight" on your homepage, know that someone will need to update it every week or you site will quickly begin to look old and unreliable.
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