The Case of Web Sites by Gina Woodall New technology services can offer customers highly efficient and convenient ways of gaining information and conducting transactions. But if developed without users' needs in mind, these services can end up being frustrating and virtually useless to their audience. Technology-based information services differ from traditional services in several important ways.
Technology services mean intense, complex experiences for consumers.
Technology services are often targeted to consumers with widely varying levels of technical confidence and aptitude, which can make offering service to a broad audience difficult. Finally, technology services can be created haphazardly, resulting in a cumbersome and frustrating user experience. Both qualitative and quantitative research are conducted in the first two stages of the model. In the case of a Web site, the concept development stage is conducted before the site is designed. This stage is used to identify and flesh out customer needs, test the site concept by having consumers review a written description or view a prototype Web site, and assess the competition by measuring awareness, usage, and reactions to competing Web sites.