The Webmaster Jam Session gives you candid, to-the-point information you can use from the industry’s top professionals and best talent.
The Web Planning Process
What happens (or should) before the visual design.
Call it UX, IA, IxD, Content Strategy, whatever — it's the process of getting from “we need a new Website” to a blueprint for the site that designers, writers, and coders can use to build it.
Most Web developers start by asking their clients, "What do you want on your Website?" Many even have a nice little survey of questions they ask at the start of each project. And most clients aren't exactly sure how to answer those questions — or they just write down what they think they need without knowing how to figure out what they really need. Sadly, not nearly enough time is spent thinking about who will be using a new site, what they are trying to accomplish, and how the content and functionality you are providing for them should be structured to make everything easy.
To be fair, some people work through this planning process instinctively and have the ideal site mapped out in their head before they get started building it. But unless you have this gift and you're working with a team of people who can read your mind, you need a process for mapping out the site you plan on building, or at least putting what's in your head on paper so others can follow along.
This "how to" session will take a look at a number of planning tools and processes that can be used when planning for a new Website. This is not a rigid, "you MUST follow this approach," kind of session — instead, this session will arm you with a set of tools to pick and choose from when working on your own projects. Among the topics for discussion will be competitive/comparative analysis, functionality brainstorming, audience needs analysis, content strategy and prioritization, data structure planning, wireframes, user flow diagrams, and a practical approach to use case scenarios.
The session is geared toward anyone — consultant and client alike — working on a team to launch or relaunch a Website.
