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No.22 Efficient Web Creation (Part 1) (June 16, 2003)
When you create a web site, what steps do you follow?
There are several possibilities, including creating the site map first or sketching out the rough HTML programming to get the site as close as possible to how it will actually be, and then filling out the ideas.
Although there is no one right answer about which steps to follow when creating a website, in this column we will discuss a method we recommend which will directly lead to improved efficiency and quality in web creation.
 Write out your specifications on paper
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Once you've determined the concept of your site (including its purpose and target users) and sketched out the rough requirements, you can finally start creating it. This is when it is important not to jump right into the HTML programming and design. You also shouldn't spend too much time here thinking about what information users want.
Instead, on paper or even using PowerPoint, draw up some specifications about what kind of information you intend to provide. Don't worry too much here about writing down specific details. First, start by considering what kind of information will go in which area.
Once you've created the main specifications for your pages, print them out and walk around with them asking co-workers, friends, and family "If you visited this site under such and such a circumstance, which area would you look at?" This is a method called "paper prototyping" (also called "early prototyping") and is a good way to uncover areas that need to be corrected.
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Repeat user testing
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Revise your specifications based on this feedback, and go out again to get more opinions. By repeating this process three to five times, your specifications will become increasingly detailed. Once the specifications have really taken shape, then you can start the actual construction of your site.
In short, rather than agonizing by yourself (or in a group) about the content and rushing into the HTML programming, repeating the process of creating a rough draft and getting feedback is an efficient method that will take less time and reflect your user needs.
So, why write it down on paper? And why is this method efficient? In our next column, we will be taking a closer look at these questions.
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