Too many websites start with a list of functionality, and get straight into building out wireframes and prototypes without a solid sense of who their users are and what experience they're looking to have with your site. The result? A website that isn't effective at reaching the audience that you need to reach, or extra work re-doing things during development once you realize that users don't actually need it, or need something different. This presentation outlines a simple, practical approach to user experience that you can use to start a site plan on the right foot. Slides from a session presented at Design for Drupal Camp Boston, June 2010.

4. Content preferences

5. Key content “landing areas”

7. Use wireframes to determine site workflow: modules, views, blocks, etc.

9. Use mindmaps, sketchbooks and whiteboards to quickly sketch out ideas

10. Iterate

11. Refine through research

13. Makes it easier to lose functionality that doesn't fit the ultimate goal

16. The types of clients you work for (client list, home page)

17. Insight on how you think (process, blog)

18. How to get in touch with you (contact information) AND REALLY NOTHING ELSE.

20. Give the option of reading, but don't require it

21. Don't make him work to find important information (especially contact info)

23. Project node page

24. Clients page

25. Process page

26. Contact page