Goals
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The goals of your site may seem obvious at first, but it is important to make them explicit. No site can be all things to all people. You have to choose. Here are some possible goals for different types of websites:
  •  A personal website might
    • present the owner to prospective employers.
    • show off accomplishments to family and friends.
    • ???
  • A course website might
    • provide almost all the information, instructions, and interactions needed to succeed in the course.
    • provide only basic information found on the syllabus.
    • provide the means for students to interact with one another.
    • ???
  • A commercial website might
    • give users information about products and a way to order them.
    • inform investors of the state of the company.
    • ???
  • A school website might
    • provide basic information to parents about how the school runs.
    • link to sites for specific teachers and courses.
    • ???

Clearly, even at a very general level, there can be many different goals for a site. When we get more specific, the goals will get more numerous. It is important to keep them specific and limited. That will make it more likely that the site can actually fulfill them.