The design goal and design frame of the homepage of the tool class website

Article Description: Design Thinking of the homepage of the tool-type website.

What is a tool-type web site

Let's start with Wikipedia on three sets of concepts:

Tools: Refers to the equipment that can facilitate people to complete their work.

Application: Computer software used to help a user complete a separate or a set of related work.

Web application: An application that accomplishes one or more tasks across a network by using Web and Web browser technology, typically using a Web browser.

This shows that the application is the Computer field tool, the tool-type site can be defined as a hosting one or more Web Applications Web site. It focuses on allowing users to complete a range of tasks, such as registration, payment, and so on.

User needs of home page

The user of the homepage basically can divide into three kinds: the new user who does not understand, the new user who is interested, the old user.

For new users, they are bound to ask these questions:

What am I supposed to do here?

What does this website offer that is important to me?

There are other questions for users who are already interested:

How should I start?

Do I have to register? If yes, how should I register?

On the whole, the home page should answer the questions of the new users and help them find the entrance to the function, while for the old users, they need a more obvious and quick login.

The goal of the home page

The book Designing for the Social web uses a number of steps for user use: not knowing--interest--first use--general use--emotional. and the front page for the first three steps is vital!

In this view, the home page has two goals:

1. Let the users do not understand the site and generate interest, and ultimately promote user use.

2. Let interested users start to use as soon as possible.

The design of home page

In the actual work we will encounter several different types of tool-oriented web site, for its content of the site, its home page manifestation of the different forms.

Centralized Application Type

This type of Web site is essentially a group or groups of Web apps that are more functional and relatively simple and do not produce large amounts of user data.

1. Core structure

The most used features will be displayed on the home page for the user is the fastest entrance. The user through the logo, banner, website statement and so on to understand the nature of the site, and then is to find their own functions.

2. Registration/Login Module

Because users do not want to distract themselves from remembering usernames and passwords, or because they are too focused on what they are doing, they are in principle allowed to log on only when necessary. But if most functions need to be logged in first, then it is necessary to display the login form directly on the home page.

3. Case studies

58 the same city

There are two levels of directory: City directory, functional directory. Users can easily find the desired functionality through these two levels of catalogs. However, most of these functions do not need to register, so the home page does not have an obvious login module.

Tencent Recharge Center

The core module of the homepage is still in the directory structure, so the user understands the main business of the website and how to start his own task.

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