Defining the requirements

Stakeholder Research

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Satisfying the Known & Unknown Requirements

An effective website is a product that results from a journey of deep inquiry. OWDT designs with the intent of satisfying the known and unknown requirements of various stakeholders. To lay the foundation for a successful website, we must ask: what are the needs of stakeholders and the needs of users and how can we design for both?

Defining the requirements from each stakeholder group is the very first step in the process of creating the strategy behind the content, features, and visual design for the website. From there we assess the potential strengths and weaknesses of each feature, their relevance, and whether their adoption will serve the end goal: calling the user to action.

Research Process

Having access to business and marketing materials can enrich the stakeholder interviewing process. We study internally and externally purposed materials to give us the opportunity to shape sharper questions that can extract pain points, viewpoints, and actionable feedback.

  • Vision, Mission, and Values
    Value Proposition
    Organizational and Marketing Strategies
    Documented Marketing Research
    Business Objectives
    Process Metrics
  • Organizational Pillars
    Cultural Insights
    External Image
    Subject Surveys
    Supporting Financial Reports
    HR Assessments
  • Marketing Publications
    Press Releases
    News Articles
    Organizational History
    Blogs
    Social Media Strategy
    Brand Guidelines

One-on-One With Key Stakeholders

There is no substitute for going to the source. The most effective discussion happens in person, giving stakeholders an opportunity to openly express their needs, expectations, and vision for how the requirements within their domain are conveyed through a website.

The residual benefit of interviewing stakeholders is the newfound trust that is established. To learn more about a business, its staff, and its culture, we express our vested interest in the organization and the viability that is attached to the development of a new website.

  • What is the business?
  • What is the mission?
  • Which industry and markets do you operate in?
  • Who is your customer?
  • What are your customer’s pain points?
  • Explain your products and services.
  • What is your competitive advantage?
  • What is unique to your offering?
  • How do you communicate your value proposition to your customers?
  • What is your marketing strategy?
  • If you could order your stakeholders’ requirements by importance, what would that look like?
  • What emerging trends are changing the dynamics of your industry?
  • What changes do you foresee must take place to create the next stage of growth?
  • If you could summarize your organization in a few words, how would you describe it?