Understanding an Organization and Developing the Web Site

by Petersen, Robert C.

Web site developers frequently become captivated with technology and ignore the needs of the users while developing web sites. This can result in confusing user interfaces, unstructured information, and improper content. Once a web site is in place it can be very costly to redesign and time consuming to redesign it. This paper analyzes the principles of web site design and the design of public sector web sites. Research shows that as citizens use the web with increasing frequency, redesigning a web site can make it more accessible, usable, and engaging. Other studies on web site design demonstrate that the proper use of navigational tools can also improve the user experience. To show the practical application of the principles discussed the information needs of the Orange County Recreation and Parks Department are studied. The study consists of a stakeholder analysis, user analysis, information analysis, prototype design, and prototype redesign.