Design for a target group

Web site design is very similar to product design. Without a clear target group in mind it is difficult to make the right coices.

A fun car for a single person for example will involve a very different design than a fun car for a family of five. It is hard to make a sporty car with room for five people and twelve bags of shopping and a pram! This same type of thinking must go into planning and designing a website.

It is of course possible to design a successful website without a specific target group, but it means taking chances rather than developing a strategy. Some people have a very clear target audience in mind when designing their websites even without any formal documentation. Usually one man start up companies that are designing their site according to their own enthusiasms or knowledge of a special interest group.

If someone transfers a bricks and mortar business to the internet they usually have a pretty good idea who the target audience is - basically the same people as in the established business.

The more you know your target audience the more you can target your design. You will have to make a choice between design and practicality, but targeting both form and function to your target audience will ensure web success.

Last Words.

Don't get hung up on design. You can always change it later. Remember content is king!