Spud: A Structured Methodology For The Design Of Web Sites

Abstract

The World Wide Web (web) grows apace, yet many web sites possess a confusing design, frustrating would-be users.  We offer a structured approach, called SPUD (Site - Purpose – Users – Design) to the task of designing, not implementing, web sites.  Our methodology focuses upon a structured walkthrough of a web site and consists of three phases (and 15 substeps), with possible iteration between the stages.  (1) Define the audience characteristics of users of the web site, including their motives for visiting, their demographics, and their likely technological capabilities.  (2) Plan accordingly the structure of the web site, the page layouts, and the navigation procedures between pages.  (3) Develop and test functions useful to the users of the web site, such as a search function (for a complex web site) or an order function (for a retail web site).