Design
Printer-friendly versionYour goal in this section is to build a map of your Portal that describes the requirements. In the Features and Functions section you will explore scenarios from different user perspectives [a]. This exercise is best conducted in a facilitated face-to-face session, but can be augmented in an online focused conversation (see Parent 2.0 Interactive for an example). You will also consider the information-providing parts of your Portal in the Content section. And finally you will consider any policy or legislative issues that need to be addressed relating to the requirements you have mapped.
The Purpose, Features and Functions, and Content collectively describe the requirements of your Parent Portal. This information is critical to choosing and deploying the right Parent Portal solution for you.
Documenting these requirements for use in selecting which technologies to use and for planning the order of deployment could be done in a variety of ways. Some might prefer a mind map that shows the linkages between the features, and others might prefer a table format. Check out this Wikipedia entry for a list of mind-mapping software (some free) you could use to map your requirements. Here is a template you could use to document your requirements.
| Feature/Function/Content | Description | Who will use it? | Relevant Policy/Legislation | Importance/Impact | What needs to be done first? |
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Click here to download the template.
[a]For additional information about user-centred design, see ISO 18529:2000 for User-Centred Design and the User-Centred Design resources on the Extras Page.
