Page 263 - DMGT550_RETAIL_MANAGEMENT

Retail Management

Notes 14.8.3 Factors to be Considered in Developing Website

An evaluation of the following is importants while considering developing a website.

Goals and Objectives

It is absolutely necessary to identify your goals to be able to create a website that will rightfully
and successfully serve its purpose. Make a list of items that you aim to accomplish through the
website. Short term and long term goals must be taken into account; both will be useful for
further development and adaptation of the website design. Having clear and outlined goals at
the start will be useful in identifying if you have achieved your goals, the rate of which you have
progressed, and what is in need of further advancement.

Target Audience

Just like every business needs to identify their target market, you need to identify your target
audience. They are the people whom you expect to bring traffic and revenue to your website.
Your goals will have an effect on who would most likely visit your website. You also need to
know what common characteristics your target audience would have in order to specify what
they need that you can give satisfaction to. Would your website be aiming to connect to an
adolescent, to an adult, or to both?

The Content

After specifying your goals and identifying the targeted audience, the next step is to assess what
content your web site should have. Create a list of contents that would appeal to your target
audience then gather the data. Sort out the contents according to your audience’s wants and
needs. It is advisable to experiment or do a survey to find out if your content satisfies the needs
of a focus group that matches the characteristics and needs of your targeted audience. Each
content should be categorized under what need it will fulfil and what page of the website it shall
be included. Content planning and organization is where you should put ample time and effort
into conceptualizing and creating.

Browser platform

Different browsers have numerous compatibilities and restrictions. A web site that is primarily
designed for internet surfers will dictate the use of XHTML 1.0 format, a display resolution of
1024 x 768, and CCS Level 1. The Internet Explorer (IE) is not compliant to W3C standards hence
unlike Mozilla Firefox or Opera. A W3C compliant browser will most likely increase the
possibility of more site visitors and broaden your options in what scripts or programs to use in
for design. The browser can also restrict what image file formats you may be able to use for your
website.
After carefully considering the previously mentioned points, you can now begin to document
the actual design and structure of your website. Considering what extent of end user interaction
is also important. Do a second survey with the control group and gather data on how the website
faired in satisfying their needs and wants and what points or areas should be improved. Apply
the necessary pages then publish your website. If you follow these guidelines, you will have
more chances of having a successful web site.

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