Before you design your new site, it may be wise to consider what your audience really care about. Think about yourself. When you visit a Web site, what's important to you? From our experience with medical Web site development, we have learned a few things about what is important to Web site users. Here's a few tips for your next Web site development project:
- Users want to accomplish their goal - quickly.
- Focus on your priorities. What are some of the things users are likely to want to accomplish by visiting your site? If you're not sure, ask your patients when they visit you.
- Make sure you speak to your audience - in their language.
- Web site users scan pages for information that is useful for them. Highlight important information and cut large chunks of text into smaller pieces.
- Users seldom focus on navigation first. They look at the main content area of each page. This is your chance to capture their attention and tell your story or guide users to specific tasks or important information.
These are five basic tips you can use to develop your next Web site or improve your current site. Later this month, we'll discuss Web information architecture and why it matters to your organization.
