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Accrue
Software
Apple Computer
Avid Technology
Berkeley Systems
GAP
Hewlett-Packard
Monterey Bay Aquarium
Strategy
Branding
Website Design
Netscape
Packet Video
SEGA of America
Symantec
Zadu
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The initial phase of the multi-year project involved creating a strategic
plan that would guide the team through the development of the site. We began
by conducting internal research at the aquarium. Through ongoing
conversations with the aquarium's Internet Producer and an extensive review
of aquarium publications and documents, we became immersed in the aquarium's
structure and culture. We then began a series of in-depth interviews with
aquarium staff and volunteers to identify the desires, concerns and
perceived opportunities of key departments and workgroups. This resulted in
the aquarium goals and objectives for the E-Quarium website.
A period of visitor research followed, by defining five main target
audiences: kids in grades K-12, their parents, K-12 teachers, adults (age
25-55 without children) and aquarium members. We created an online
demographic survey to determine who was using the existing website, how they
were using it, what features or content they would like or expect to find on
the site and what strategic opportunities this presented. Concurrently, we
conducted in-depth interviews with members of each audience group. We also
reviewed two-years' worth of unsolicited visitor ideas, comments and
suggestions from the existing website, to find commonalties in what our
existing online audience was asking for.
Based on the results of our internal staff and audience research, we
identified key aquarium goals and visitor needs. We created a needs-benefits
analysis which positioned the website at the intersection of the aquarium's
goals and our visitors' needs.
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