Building a successful marriage…  •  The ‘Web Development Life Cycle’ explained

•  Why invest in your users?

•  Marriage Preparation (a user centred approach)

•  Making your marriage last (the key to on-going relationships)

“A great marriage isn’t something that just happens; it’s something that must be

created.” - Fawn Weaver

 

Ultimately, your goals should match those of

your users.  

Marriage requires planning…  

•  Applicable to any web project

•  You are forced to create a purposeful output

•  Provides valuable insight into your users

•  Focus your team and direction

•  Minimise uncertainty on launch

*Additional testing can take place before and after the design phase.

Why use the lifecycle?

It’s not just about you…  Consider this…

•  If you communicate in a way that doesn’t interest your users, will they listen?

•  If you don’t know who your users are, how can you be sure of what they want?

•  Are you building a great idea or a solution to a problem?

“Always put your users first and in return they will put you first.”  

Your users are the key to your success…

 

Research & Strategy, a perfect match  

1.  Define your values, aims and objectives?

2.  What problem am I solving?

3.  Has this been done, what can I learn?

4.  Create a detailed specification

5.  Who are my users?

6.  Do my users all have the same requirements?

Engage your users; match your ‘why’ to who they are…

Get to know your users…  

•  Try www.personapp.io

•  Create your own

Create a user profile (persona)…

1.  Online survey’s (Survey Monkey)

2.  Try www.UsabilityHub.com

3.  Breakout groups

Test your ideas and concepts

Design meets Development…   1.  Use your knowledge of your users to communicate with them

2.  Engage your users with meaningful imagery

3.  Typography is powerful

4.  Tell your users what you want them to do

5.  Create clear ‘Calls to action’ to facilitate action

6.  Consider where the user will end up after clicking

7.  Use real content

Engage and lead your users

It’s all about priorities…  

1.  Your homepage is just a signpost – make it count

2.  What content is most important?

3.  Should I appeal to new or returning users first?

4.  Plan your functionality (what happens when…)

Anyone can wireframe…it’s just a sketch!

“Practice safe design use a concept”  

- Petrula Vrontikis

 

Test & Launch…  Test it once, test it twice, get your users involved…

 •  Are you confident of what your users are going to say?

•  Have you uncovered all of the bugs in your system?

You’re ready to make a commitment to your users and launch…

Making it last…  1.  Start from a central point (e.g. your blog)

2.  Encourage sharing through social buttons

3.  Provide content which makes your users look good

4.  Find a platform that suits you

5.  Always respond to your users

6.  Be yourself and remain consistent

7.  Continue to build, develop and refine your solution

Communicate and keep things fresh: