Sitemaps, Storyboards, and Specifications: A Sketch of Web Site Design Practice as Manifested Through Artifacts

Through a study of web site design practice, we observed that web site designers employ multiple representations of web sites as they progress through the design process, and that these representations allow them to focus on different aspects of the design. Designers also employ multiple tools during the course of a design project, including graphic design, web development, presentation, and word processing software, as well as pen and paper. Sketching on paper is especially important during the design exploration phase of a design project, when designers wish to explore many design possibilities quickly without focusing on lowlevel details. Web site design tools intended to support the early phases of the design process should employ informal interaction techniques and should integrate well with other applications that designers use regularly.