Web Authoring and Design
Web Authoring and Design
In the Strategy Plane we define both the Product Objectives (goals of the organization) and the User Needs (goals that come from outside). In this phase we consider Brand Identity and Success Metrics. It is also important to define the various segments of our Users and think about the needs of the various segments. Stakeholders (people within the organization who will be affected by the strategy) must be consulted so that nothing is overlooked. A Strategy Document will be created to record all these various objectives and their relationships.
Here is an interesting article on strategic web design that I think supplements our class readings well: Strategic Design
In the Scope Plane we define what features will be, and just as importantly what features will not be, included in the design. So we are taking the strategy and creating specific requirements. This plane is concerned with Functional Specifications and Content Requirements. The Functional Requirements are the actual features that the website will provide. The Content Requirements refer to the information that will be presented in the website. Defining the scope is a very important part of the process so the site will deliver what it is intended to deliver, and also to prevent ‘scope creep’ in which additional requirements keep creeping in while the site is being developed. Requirements will come from users and stakeholders.
Functional Requirements should be positive, specific and unambiguous. Content Requirements define the text, images, audio and video that will appear on the site. Once all the requirements are identified, they need to be prioritized and then evaluated to determine which requirements are feasible to include in the initial design.
