How does done by dale create so many successful web sites? Answer: 'User-Centered Design' (UCD) focusses on site users through the planning, design and development of a web site.

Four activities form the main cycle of a UCD system:

1. Analysis Phase: Identify the people who will use the product/service, what they will use it for and what is needed on the web site to meet visitor needs.
   
   • Develop usability goals and objectives
   • Document user profiles and scenarios, performance requirements

   Estimated completion time: 1-2 weeks



2. Requirements: Identify any business requirements or user goals that must be met for the product/service to be successful.
   
   • Meet with key stakeholders to set vision
   • Look at competitive products
   • Assemble a multi-disciplinary team to ensure complete expertise if necessary

   Estimated completion time: 1-2 weeks



3. Design solutions: This part of the design process stages, building from a rough concept to a complete design.
   
   • Begin to brainstorm design concepts and metaphors
   • Develop screen flow and navigation model
   • Do walkthroughs of design concepts
   • Create low-fidelity prototypes
   • Conduct usability testing on low-fidelity prototypes
   • Create high-fidelity detailed design
   • Do usability testing again
   • Document standards and guidelines
   • Create a design specification

   Estimated completion time: 4 weeks (dependent on site size)



4. Design implementation and deployment:
   
   • Work closely with delivery team as design is implemented
   • Check objectives using usability testing
   • Ideally through usability testing with actual users but a complete analysis with results from original needs analysis (step 1 above) and expected results may suffice. Use of surveys for feedback could be considered.

   Estimated completion time: 4 weeks + (dependent on site size and needed usability studies)