A designer must concentrate on the intersection between the site's goals and the user's goals. A web site will succeed to the extent that its content and its audience's need overlap (Parker 102). If there is no such overlap, the web site is destined to fail regardless of how attractive it may be. (3.8, 3.9) For example, one of the goals for Moravian College's site is to stay current and advertise upcoming campus events. A large number of users who visit the college's site are students and many seek information about weekend activities. Thus the goal of the web site and the users' needs overlap--Moravian has the information that its audience seeks.



3.9 Overlap of Needs

If the goal of Volkswagon's site is to attract prospective buyers, then the site succeeds. Prospective buyers will find the information they seek--their goals will overlap with the site's.

However, the site does not meet the needs of a second audience--those interested in company information. The site does not contain corporate facts and history. The goals of this second audience will not overlap with the site's, and thus, the site will fail for them.

  
 



3.8 Overlap of Needs

A successful site focuses on the intersection between the site's goals and the user's goals. The larger the overlap, the more successful the site is. If there is no overlap then users will not be able to find the information they seek. The above overlap indicates that approximately one-third of the users' goals are addressed by the site--it is the percentage of the audience's needs met by the site.