Give Directions
As a busy web user, I need directions, so I can get where I want to.
Overview
When you arrive at a restaurant the waiter has a pretty good idea of who are and what you want. They will direct you to a table and give them a menu outlining what is on offer. They will direct deliveries to the kitchen and refer booking enquiries to the manager.
As a designer of a web site you are like a waiter. You know who your web site users are and what they are likely to want. So point them in the right direction.
Users, Information and Tasks
Some users see themselves as a category of visitor, e.g. 'staff', student, 'buyer', 'seller', 'visitor' or 'parent'.
Other users are looking for categories of information, e.g. 'product list', 'opening hours' or 'contact information'.
Finally, some users just want to complete tasks, e.g. 'apply for a permit', 'buy a book' or 'request information'.
By identifying key user groups, information and tasks, we provide direction.
Tips for identifying users
- Who are your 3 main user groups?
- Can you think of one or two people in each of those groups?
- How would they use your site?
Tips for grouping information
- What are the 3 most common tasks that users want to accomplish?
- What are the 3 most important areas of information?
Tips for identifying tasks
- What are the 3 most common things that users want to accomplish?
- How long should it take them?
- How do you know when a user has completed the task?