This painting by Dora Clark has a wonderful color scheme that stays true to the Afrocentric feel my client is looking for in her redesign. The colors are very muted and elegant.

If you would like to learn more about this piece of art you can visit the site here!

I’m a 23 year old college student. I have school four days a week. I live in a house just outside the city limits with my boyfriend and two dogs. We both work from home and frequently travel out of town to visit both sets of parents. We have no demon spawn. I spend the majority of my free time on the internet. I use it for everything from news and weather to recipes and tutorials. Although I make more than what the average student makes, my money is spread thin between tuition, bills, groceries, etc. When I go to get my hair done I want someone who is personable and affordable.

Janette is a busy 32 year old woman in the working world. Her time is spread out thin between her job and home life. She has three kids, a husband, and two dogs. She spends so much time on the computer at work that the last thing she wants to do is mess with hers at home. She mainly uses the internet to look up locations, hours, and directions to businesses. She also checks the weather. She is upper middle class, and when she wants to have “her” time, the last thing she wants to do is go to a hair dresser, only to be rushed out the door with a speedy half done job. Because her time is precious she takes time to do things the right way the first time. For this reason, any web pages that are difficult to navigate are immediately closed out of.

1.) Right now the site doesn’t have a lot to offer. It lacks information because I’m doing it myself. It is easy to get location information though with the map.
2.) They should know that I’m African American and that they, regardless of their race, can come get their hair done here with the full range of services I provide.
3.) Bringing people to the site will increase my business. It allows the person to have a consultation     with me without actually coming in.
4.) Afro centric, Upscale, Informative, Live
5.) They need to see styles that reflect what they want to look like. That will keep the interested and looking for more. Whether those styles range from African American styles like braids or weaves to Caucasian styles like cut and color. They need to see what’s going to pertain to them.

1.)  Efficient, “Well, I’m the best, of course!” After they look at the site they shouldn’t have a reason to go anywhere else. After they read everything check out the pictures and blog.
2.) I want to give them offers but I have a special page to put those offers. I want to put things that they can read mostly on the front page, maybe some pictures that rotate out. I would like to give special offers for college students.
3.)  STAGES OF DEVELOPMENT ((Doing them right now!))
4.) Money increasing in the business and telephone calls initiated from people seeing the site. Also, hits to the site.

1.) They are less than desirable websites. They are hard to look at, with no information; and the ones in Austin that do I feel are only copying me.
2.) Skill.
3.)  I think what is most successful is the map page, because it tells people how to get to where I am because I move around so much.

GENERAL INFORMATION
1. What is the name of your company and your current or intended URL?
—-Nappy Edges. http://www.nappyedgesedu.com

2. Who are the primary contacts from your organization, and who has final approval on the project? Please list names, titles, email addresses and phone numbers.
—-DeNight, Owner

3. What is your intended launch date for the new site? Are there any outside considerations that might affect the schedule?
—-((When my class is over))

4. Do you have a specific budget range already established for this project? Can this project be divided into phases to accommodate budget and timing constraints?
—-TBD

CURRENT SITE
1. Do you feel your current site promotes a favorable user experience? Why or why not?
—-It’s easy to navigate. But to be honest I havent had a whole lot of time to look at the competition. I think I picked a halfway decent template. Color theme goes with what I am going for. Not enough interesting fonts or content. It looks elementary to what I had before. I want to update the words, pictures, and more windows.  When I start teaching the class I want to have another window where people will be able to see who I have taught a hair class or braid class too and what city they live in.

2. What specific areas of your current site do you feel are successful? Why are they successful?
—-The map of the site. It’s self explanatory and all they have to do is put their address in.

3. What shortcomings exist with the current site, and what three things would you change on the site today if you could?
—-1. I wasn’t impressed with what the company did but now what i did with myself was even worse. I dont like the wording on the front page. Dont like that it’s not completed and I dont have the time to work on it. You would have to get me started so all I would have to do is edit a word here or there down the line. Right now it’s so uncompleted that I would have to put the words “Sorry I’m still working on this” Like my price list information is still on spreadsheets.

4. Have you conducted usability tests or gathered visitor feedback for your current site? If so, how long ago? Please include any reports or findings.
—-I have in the past but once I show you the applications you might even want to use this company for yourself.

5. How important is it to maintain your current look and feel, logo, branding?
—-Very important because it says who I am, and if I’m going to use the words Nappy Edges for a business I have to be confident about the theme of this name. This theme talks about my hair and it tells people who I am,m so regardless of what type of service I do, it tells me who I am. The colors and name are Afrocentric. So if the client is not ok with an Afrocentric person doing their hair then you went to the wrong website. But if they are objective enough to say “Oh, this lady will do my hair to and I’m not even african american” then that’s the type of person I’m looking for. I shouldn’t have to be appealing in a caucasian way.

REASONS FOR REDESIGN
1.  What are the main reasons you are redesigning your site (new business model, outdated site, expanded services, different audience?)
—-I had changed my name to ATX extensions for a while and I felt like that was selling out. I dont want to sell out. I’ve been all over the country. regardless of the name nappy edges and whether my hair was straight or curly, all types of people come to see me. I feel like I want to be myself and the people who will come and see me as myself are the people who I want to keep long-term and the people I want to keep coming to me too. I want them to see by the words that I say that

2. What are your primary online business objectives with the site redesign? What are your secondary objectives? (Examples include increased sales, marketing/branding awareness, and fewer customer service calls.) Please discuss both long-term and short-term goals.
—-Short term- to get the look of the website more professional. To become an e-store. Eventually selling hair videos for long-term.

3. What is the main business problem you hope to solve with the site redesign? How will you measure the success of the solution?
—-Right now I dont have a whole lot of business. I need people to be able to get to the site and be confident that they have picked the right person. I dont feel like the site looks all that great yet. Doesnt look all that professional because of the email.

4. What existing strategy (both on and offline) is in place to meet the new business objectives?
—-Online: Meta Tags is what I want to use. Offline: Other forms of advertising. Newspapers, radio, Chronicle, KAVI, Target neighborhood papers.

AUDIENCE/DESIRED ACTION
1. Describe a typical site visitor. How often are they online, and what do they generally use the web for? Give basic demographics: Age, Occupation, Income level, Purchasing habits.
—- I’m assuming it’s going to be early 20′s – 40′s women majority african american because of the name but at least 25% and up caucasian because of the services.

2. What is the primary “action” the site visitor should take when coming to your site (make a purchase become a member, search for information?)
—-Contact for services.

3. What are the key reasons why the target audience chooses your company’s products and/or services (cost, service, value?)
—-I specialize

4. How many people (as far as you can tell) access your site daily, week, or monthly basis? How did you measure usage? Do you forecast usage? Do you forecast usage to increase after the site launch and by how much?
—-Lately this is a different situation but in the past I would think at least one a day or one every other day would call me. But I advertised so much putting the website address on every publication and on the internet, and a lot of people have gone ot my website. So now I’m just starting all over and telling people come to this website. So it’s a little slow and moving so it’s not as many people going to this website ad they used to go to the other website because I want to make this one much better than the other one with more pictures and choices for what they see.

PERCEPTION
1. Use a few adjectives to describe how you site visitor should perceive the new site. (Examples: Prestigious, friendly, corporate, fun) Is this different than the current image perception?
—-Warm, Patriotic (but not the american flag colors), Afrocentric, Confident.

2. How is your company currently perceived offline? Do you want to carry the same kind of message through our website?
—-I want the website to be the leader and I follow their website. I need to be doing more offline. I need to be living up to my life offline. I do a good job in the hair services but I want to present myself better.

3. How does your company differentiate itself from competitors? Do you think your current audience differentiates you from your competition? Please list competitor URLS
—-I’m not in a rush toi do sloppy work and I want to be the best and I dont want people to feel like I’m just like everyone else. I want to put the best quality out there that I can so people have a reason to come back.

4. List URLS of any sites you find compelling. What specifically do you like about these sites?
—-

CONTENT
1. Will this site use existing content from the current site? If so, what is the source, who is responsible for approval, and has the content been audited? If not, will you be creating content in-house or using an outside provider?
—-Using all the same content from this site. I want something that’s more appealing to the eye.

2. What is the basic structure of the content and how is it organized? Is it a complete overhaul of the current site or an expansion?
—-It’s a template and very simple. Keep the same easy navigation and easy way to contact.

3. Describe visual elements of content that should be utilized from your current site or marketing materials. (Logo, color scheme, navigation, naming conventions, etc.)
—-Color scheme the same for now.

4. How will the content of the site expand or differ from the current site? Do you have an existing sitemap for the outgoing site structure? Do you already have a sitemap or outline for the proposed redesign?
—-More detail. When they get finished reading they will be ready to call.

TECHNOLOGY
1. What is your target platform and browser? Whom can we talk to in your organization to help respond to technical issues?
—-All of them. Register.com

2. Are there specific technologies (Flash, Java, DHTML, etc) that you would like to use on the site? If so, how will they enhance the user experience? Please describe in detail.
—-I feel that you should pick what you know best.

3. Will you have database functionality? Do  you already have a database in place? Please describe it in detail, including specific information regarding existing programs and software.
—-

4. Will you have a need for secured transactions (e-commerce)? Do you already offer transactions online? Please describe in detail.
—-In the future. I already have an e-store on there it’s just not active.

5. Will you require other specific programming needs (such as personalization or search capability? Please describe in detail.)
—-Not sure but I know that I would like them to see my videos. Not the most important part of the video. I want a video of me talking to them. Like in a commercial.

MARKETING/UPDATING
1. How do most people find out about your current website? What kind of triggers prompt a visit? (referral links, incentives, search engine terms)? What methods of distributing the URL already exist within the company on and offline.
—-Other forms of advertising leading up to that. Such as radio and ads.

2. Briefly, what are your short-term marketing plans? (Specifically for the site redesign and the 6 – 12 months following launch?)
—-Just getting into other publications.

3. Do you have an existing or planned marketing strategy in mind to promote this site redesign?
—-I plan to pay an extra amount of money to use meta tags.

4. Do you intend to keep the site updated? Iif so, how often? Who is responsible for updating the and providing content?
—-I would like to update monthly, and eventually would like to have someone else taking care of that side of things.

I thought this article was a good one. I do believe that it’s better to go in depth with every part of the planning process than to jump in and just start designing the site. For instance, let’s say you jump to the design process immediately. Your client wanted an extremely artistic layout with non-traditional navigation that was divided up into different bubbles on the top of the page. You design it, start plugging in content, then halfway through the client decides a new page needs to be added. Now you have to redo your entire nav bar because the design will not accommodate you simply adding a new button or drop down.

Going through these steps will help you plan your website better and all in all be more efficient. (I’m sure there are some clients out there who may have it all figured out in their head and want a speedy website thrown up for them, but that just seems like it would be rare. Especially if someone is paying… they’re going to want to be sure in their minds that they are getting exactly what they want/need, and that their business will benefit from the site.

MESSAGE AND COMMUNICATION THEORY
Characteristics of Communication in General

• a.)The writers are conveying a clear message with everything they have put on the site. (.. And when it’s not clear, it’s meant to be confusing. )
• b.)Audience is able to clearly translate and navigate through content.
• c.)It’s obvious the medium is a website, though papers are available as well.

Guidelines for Effective Communication specific to websites

• a.) Their message might not be completely clear, since its described as “Americas Finest News Source” and it’s all gag articles. It might confuse some people.
• b.) Site elements are all used well and flow with one another.
• c.) Content is easy to find and sort through.

Navigation and site organization principals for better usability

• a.) Navigation is right at the top, easy to find and easy to use.
• b.) User should know where they are going before the click.
• c.) Not too much around the navigation to distract the user.

Characteristics of good content and content presentation

• a.) Page is easy to visually navigate through.
• b.) Text is useful and helps the user instead of distracting them.
• c.) Pictures and all other multimedia relate to the message.

VISUAL DESIGN THEORY
Design principles that promote viisuial clariity and simplicity.

• a.) Pages isi well balanced and visually pleasing to the eye.
• b.) The major articles are more dominate while they smaller articles or editorials are smaller.
• c.) Each individual part of the page relates to the next and helps it flow well.

Page layout principles that help users visually negotiate the page and site organization.

• a.) Users know it is a news site and it’s easy to find the articles.
• b.) Contents help them to navigate around the site quickly and efficiently.
• c.) Contact button is placed at the bottom of all pages making it easy to contact the website.

Design Fundamentals most critical to good web design.

• a.) The content itself is engaging, and the simple design doesn’t distract from it. The design itself is too simple to be engaging but I think it helps by not detracting from the articles.
• b.) Site is well organized.
• c.) Pages are consistent in layout.

COLOR DESIGN THEORY
Guidelines for how/why to select a color palette

• a.) The colors themselves don’t evoke much emotion.
• b.) Nice color scheme; No color clashes that distract the viewer.
• c.) Navigation stands out in the green shade, but the titles of the articles are the same color as the links and that makes it a little difficult for me to navigate through the text.

Principles of color use specifically helpful for effective web page design

• a.)  Good contrast against the white background. Everything is easy to read.
• b.)  Uses color effectively to tell the viewer what is important on the page.
• c.)   Seems to be simple enough that if someone were color blind it would be easy for them to navigate through.