Planning a Web Site: Navigating the Maze of Opportunities

As the capability of the World Wide Web grows, so does the confusion for many nonprofits that are anxious to have a web presence but are uncertain how to proceed.

The entire process is somewhat of a mystery (five years ago hardly anyone had even heard of the web). The terminology is unfriendly (HTML, CGI, Java, and metatags are some of the easier jargon). But most of all, the choices are dizzying. Database driven? Audio streaming? Image mapping?

Where to start? The first step in all cases lies in understanding "Why the Web"?

In too many cases, groups develop a web site for the wrong reasons: their sister organization has one or a web design firm has offered to give them a special deal or their summer intern has decided they need one or they just don’t want to be left behind. The right reasons to take the web plunge are as different as nonprofit organizations themselves. In many cases, the initial idea is simply to provide an electronic version of the organization’s brochure (OK as a starting point; bad approach).

However, the menu of possible web applications for nonprofits is ever expanding and (be prepared, this is a long list) includes membership development, fundraising, advocacy campaigns, getting feedback on programs and services, publicizing an event, online registration for conferences, sharing best practices, updating mailing lists, freeform discussion and facilitated dialogue, managing collaborations, distributed publishing of calendars and new resources, highlighting successes, building awareness around an issue, displaying community assets through the use of online mapping, providing public access to searchable databases, cost effective distribution of newsletters and other publications, marketing fee-based services, creating organizational photo or art galleries, building support through multimedia storytelling, addressing the needs of niche constituencies, enhancing media relationships, archiving Frequently Asked Questions, and creating the control center for an integrated Internet strategy. As technology advances zoom forward, new possibilities are constantly emerging.

This less than comprehensive list offers the best reason why web development requires careful thought and deliberation in order to tap the power of the ‘Net to maximum effect. The opportunities are so vast that they usually stretch the imagination and require rethinking not only of the initial conception of a web site (often the electronic brochure) but in some cases a revisit of the organization’s whole strategic plan as well.

A good web plan will pose challenging questions about an organization, its administrative operations, the way it delivers services to its constituency, and even how it defines that constituency.

There can be no cookie cutter approach to web planning and we can not begin to touch on all the relevant issues here. However, the following 10 guidelines are designed to help a nonprofit organization create a web site that they truly "own" and that delivers real value to its constituency without straining its internal capacity.

Know what YOU want BEFORE designing the site
Ask around. Look at lots of sites: sister organizations, national sites, sites dealing with other issues. Make lists of content, features, and design elements you like and don’t like. Look at things like the location of the navigation bar, color schemes, and the use of animations. Involve the whole staff and colleagues. Bookmark a list of favorites as models. Make a commitment to control the web design process. Don’t delegate decisionmaking to outside consultants.

Define your audience. Think Expansively.
Who is included in your constituency? Board, members, potential members, supporters of your advocacy agenda, colleagues, funders, policymakers? Do they have computers? Are they online? Do they actively use the web? Might they -- if your website offered sufficient incentives for them to do so? Who are you not reaching now? The media? Future cross-sector and cross-issue partners? Potential donors? Competitors? The general public in your local community?

Develop a Wish List of Web Features
Review the above list of applications and continue to look at other web sites to find features that you would consider incorporating into your web site. Don’t worry about cost — yet. Treat this as a brainstorm session and make it an agenda item for a staff meeting or retreat. Involve Board members.

Identify synergies with existing or proposed content, Internet tools and communication strategies
Inventory the content you already have available in digital format or plan to develop in the future. This includes program descriptions, background information on your issue(s), recommendations, papers, success stories, -- and especially best practices and lessons learned. Does it cluster into categories? Note any obvious holes in your organization’s story. This is also a good time to consider your need for other Internet tools since you may want to integrate them into your web plan. For example, you may want to allow people to subscribe to your listserv through your web site. In addition, make sure that you coordinate your online and print media design strategies.

Evaluate the administrative implications of each feature. Look for opportunities as well as added workload.
Whatever you do, don’t wait until your site is launched to start thinking about how you will manage it. Websites require significant tending: adding new content, updating and revising old content, evaluating usage, responding to information requests and feedback, managing the demands of a higher profile — both good and bad. Think about the right balance between static information (easier to maintain but doesn’t generate repeat traffic) vs. dynamic information (serves as a "carrot" but adds an administrative burden).

Building in-house Capacity vs. Hiring a Web Designer
Building in-house capacity to do your own web design is a definite option for some organizations depending on staff know-how and interest. But be prepared for turnover — especially among your more technically savvy employees. Make sure that your web design and management is not dependent on a single individual. Most organizations will choose to out-source their web development — whether to a web design firm or in some cases a volunteer. Check with your local volunteer center or seek the Tech Supports for Nonprofits database at www.ncexchange.org/techsupports for groups offering "virtual volunteer" services. If you have the funds to hire a web designer, look for experience working with nonprofits. Ask for recommendations from colleagues whose web pages impress you. Ask lots of questions. Specific issues to address in advance include design capability; web hosting arrangements; license or monthly maintenance fees; ownership of the site, design, and content; usage analysis; and ease of migration in the event the site needs to move to a different host.

Get a handle on the technology challenges and cost factors
Now is the time to turn a critical eye to your Wish List. Identify special features such as audio or video streaming (think RealAudio), web-based conferencing, "splash" pages, electronic slideshows, online searchable databases, Geographic Information Services (GIS) mapping, heavy graphics or animations. Here you will need expert advice on the implications for cost, user capacity to handle advanced applications, loading times, and management requirements. An innovation in web creation now provides for the entire site to be designed as a database. This approach simplifies site administration enormously (it’s all done through "fill in the blank" templates) but the trade-off is higher development costs and less flexibility in design. Always plan for future growth. Even if you are not prepared to add advanced features at the outset, they can be phased in over time.

Design your web site from the perspective of your Audience; not your Organization
The single biggest error groups make is to try to mirror their organizational chart on their web site. Boring! "Capturing eyeballs" on the web requires a drastic reorientation to the point of view of a typical overburdened web user (think of yourself, for example). What information will they be looking for? What resources will attract their eye and motivate them to click through different sections of your site? Make sure the "gems" are easily accessible from your home page and not buried three clicks deep. Label the various sections (especially your main navigation bar) clearly and accurately. Using shorthand such as "About Us" or "Feedback" is better than cutesy names that may confuse. Make your site as interactive as possible. Give folks something to do: respond to a poll, take a quiz, sign-up for a mailing list, send a letter to their legislator, or even pledge money or check your organization’s Wishlist for equipment or service needs. And this exercise is not only useful for your web site; it can provide you with a whole new perspective on marketing your organization as well.

Understand the unique way that people navigate the web.
As you prepare text for your web site remember that people "read" the web in a way that is completely different from the way they read print media. In fact, according to Jacob Nielson, the guru of web usability, most people don’t read web pages at all; they scan them. According to a recent study, 79% of web users scan any new page for individual words and sentences; only 16% read it word-for-word. The implications? Neilson suggests using highlighted keywords, sub-headings, bulleted lists, one idea per paragraph and half the word count (yes, half!) of conventional writing., As for graphics, be creative but be careful of using too many "bells and whistles". They can take a long time to load on older computers. When in doubt, keep it simple.

Keep focused on your vision The last guideline mirrors the first but bears repeating. Throughout the process, make sure that your organization is in the driver’s seat. If you work with consultants, ask lots of questions. If things don’t make sense, get second opinions. Don’t be sold on flashy features you don’t need. Above all, see this as a strategic initiative, not just an add-on activity that can be easily delegated to one person — either inside or outside the organization. A thoughtful web planning process is a unique opportunity to gain a fresh perspective on your nonprofit. Once you "own" the vision, the site will truly be your own.          

Terry Grunwald