Target Audience and Target Platforms

This chapter looks at defining who the users are. In understanding the target audience, the need is not only to understand specific personal attributes, but also to understand what types of computers and software they are using, that is, the target platform. Specific discussions are offered on the ways people vary. Market segment, disabilities, education, and experience are examples of individual differences that can have an effect on user needs. There are differences in user preference settings and international differences. Beyond differences in people, there are hardware and software differences in the areas of operating systems, monitors, browsers, and networks. A scenario is an approach for clarifying exactly who these people are. The goal of a scenario is to make sure that the site is not merely theoretically usable, but that it actually serves the needs of specific people in real life. A scenario brings out additional functional requirements and ideas for the user interface that are driven by user profiles and context. This audience specification can be used for recruiting potential users for surveys and user testing, so the demographics should be clear enough to reproduce accurately.