Use our Website Planning Document as an Adult Literacy Lesson: Identifying Audience.

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Audience Analysis

Our site planning doc presented as a literacy lesson

Who are your most important readers? What are their personal characteristics, their attitudes toward the subject, and their motivations for reading? What do you need to convince them to keep reading?

Before creating this literacy website, I asked a simple question: Who will use it?

I am developing this site for two groups of people:

Understanding these two audiences helps shape the design of the site, the tone of the writing, and the types of learning tools that are provided.

New Readers New Coaches

I assume that most visitors will not currently be enrolled in an education program and are likely older than eighteen.

Many visitors may prefer to teach themselves to read rather than ask for help. The site therefore needs to support self-study.

Some new readers may have had negative experiences with school. Learning materials should feel positive, practical, and non-threatening.

Adult learners often balance many responsibilities such as work or family care. Learning must be flexible and efficient so that it fits into real life.

New readers come from many backgrounds. Materials should be broad, practical, encouraging, and free.

I cannot assume the new reader has:

  • an uninterrupted internet connection
  • unlimited bandwidth or data
  • a printer, computer, or strong computer skills
  • access to a library

Therefore the website must include contingency: lessons that work in low-tech situations and can be used in different ways.

If you can read, you can help someone learn to read. However, many coaches will also be new to the teaching process.

Coaches may be friends or family members of the learner. They are often motivated to help but may not know where to begin.

The site therefore needs to help coaches get off to a quick start.

Most volunteer coaches will not have prepared lesson plans or teaching materials. Providing ready-to-use tools saves time and reduces stress.

New coaches may worry that they lack experience or preparation time. The site should demonstrate that effective coaching can be done with a reasonable investment of time.

Like new readers, coaches come from many backgrounds. Materials should remain broad, practical, and free.

I cannot assume the new coach has:

  • an uninterrupted internet connection
  • unlimited bandwidth or data
  • a printer, computer, or strong computer skills
  • access to a library

Therefore the site must remain flexible and accessible in many environments.


Coach's Notes

Audience analysis is an important first step in planning any document. Before writing, the author asks: Who am I writing for?

In this example, the website designer identified two audiences: adult learners and volunteer coaches. Notice how the needs of both groups influence the design of the site.

Discussion questions:

Activity:

Ask the learner to imagine creating a website or document of their own. Who would their readers be? What would those readers need in order to keep reading?

Reflection

Who would be the main readers or users of your project?

Understanding the reader helps writers choose the right tone, examples, and level of explanation.



The steps for planning a document are summarized in the Researching and Gathering Information Chart and the Organizing Information Table from: Markel, Mike. Technical Communications. Bedford/St. Martin's, Boston, MA, 2010.