Companies or organizations that want to develop a web site need first to define the reason for its site's existence. (3.1) All too often the only reason they create a web site is "because everyone else has one." For many there is a rush to get online without truly understanding the rationale. If following the majority is the only reason behind a web site, then it will lack a purpose and will fail to attract an audience.

A web site is a means of communication. However, to communicate properly, one must understand the audience and the audience's needs. Furthermore, one must understand how the audience will accept and use the presented information.

Defining the Site and its Goals

The design of a web site is often begun by sketching out ideas, developing the layout, and choosing a color scheme. Yet before the development process even begins, designers should first examine the purpose and develop a plan. Again, form follows function. The form of the web site will follow its function or its reason for existence. For instance, the purpose of the Moravian College web site is to increase the college's visibility online, to portray the college favorably so it can compete with other colleges' web sites, and to create a source of information accessible to various groups.
(3.2, 3.3)