Why should your school have a web site? This seems a redundant question as many schools in Singapore already have a web site. Nevertheless, it is an important question because your purpose will help you make content choices as to what to include on your web site. Is your purpose to teach students something? Is it to “sell” your school so as to increase the enrolment or to share teaching resources?

A related question is “Who is your target audience?” Visitors to your school web site are likely to be parents of your existing (and prospective) students, teachers and pupils. The next question to ask is “What do these people want or need?”

Parents want ...
- to have information about the school, the education system and school activities
- their children to succeed in school and in life
- to communicate with teachers
- to save time and money

Teachers want to ...
- gain more knowledge to teach students
- nurture and teach their students
- develop professionally
- save time

and they need ...
- to communicate with parents
- motivation and recognition

Students want to ...
- have fun
- learn

and they need ...
- to search for information related to their interdisciplinary projects
- to have friends and develop friendships
- confidence in themselves

A web site is mainly about your audience and only about you when the information is relevant to their needs. With the above target audience in mind, what kind of information will help meet their needs?

Design for Parents