For over two millennia an important aspect of rhetoric, for many writers audience analysis is the most important consideration in planning, writing, and reviewing a document. One adapts one's writing to meet the needs, interests, and background of the readers who will be reading your writing. Related to user-centered design.
#32988
Are You Using the Wrong Web Metrics?
Do you base success on measuring the volume of visitors and page impressions? Such measures may in fact reflect the failure--rather than the success--of your website.
McGovern, Gerry. New Thinking (2006). Articles>Web Design>Audience Analysis>Log Analysis
#32989
Measuring User Motivation from Server Log Files
Estimating user interest and motivation by just counting page requests from a World Wide Web server log (or "hits") provides a distorted metric of user activity. Some of the reasons why this metric is unreliable are that the path dependent nature of hyperlink usability treats index and navigational aid pages as equal to the goal, because differenes in web browsers can determine how effectively users can percieve content and navigational alternatives, and because the poorly designed structure and content of the documents themselves can inhibit users from finding what they are looking for. This paper proposes that measures of how much time users spend looking at a page are better estimates of user interest than page hits, providing simple human factors principles have been applied. An extended example of how this method might be used to collect and analyze data is also included. The types of decisions that can be made by authors and system administrators based on a time-based metric of user interest is summarized.
Fuller, Rodney and Johannes J. de Graaff. Microsoft (1996). Articles>Web Design>Audience Analysis>Log Analysis
#32990
Why Web Usage Statistics are (Worse Than) Meaningless
Web usage statistics, such as those produced by programs such as analog cannot be used to make strong inferences about the number of people who have read a website or webpage. Although those who compile these statistics usually try to make this clear, people still insist on misusing them to make overly strong inferences. Attaching meaning to meaningless numbers is worse than not having the numbers at all. When you lack information, it is best to know that you lack the information. Web statistics may give the user a false sense of knowledge which can be worse than being knowingly ignorant.
Goldberg, Jeffrey. Goldmark (1995). Articles>Web Design>Audience Analysis>Log Analysis
#33003
Customer Focus: First Rule of Scientific Content Management
The science of content management begins with a deep understanding of your customer. The Web is more likely to push your customer away than to bring them closer.
McGovern, Gerry. New Thinking (2006). Articles>Content Management>Audience Analysis
#33113
Thirteen Common Objections Against User Requirements Analysis
Outlines some common objections to doing user research and provides some defense against them.
D'Hertefelt, Sim. InformationArchitect.com (2000). Articles>User Centered Design>Methods>Audience Analysis
#33177
This paper will discuss the issues associated with the creation of useful, appropriate, and entertaining Web space for teenagers, in the context of the formation of the Internet Public Library (IPL) Teen Division during the fall and winter of 1995.
Bailey, Samantha and Sara Ryan. Internet Society (1996). Articles>Web Design>Audience Analysis>Case Studies
#33647
Who are your users? How do they work? How do your products fit into their routines? Filippo discusses audience analysis and developing user profiles to create effective user assistance.
Filippo, Elizabeth G. Intercom (2009). Articles>User Centered Design>Personas>Audience Analysis
#33652
Things I Learned the Hard Way: Ignore the Content
The next time someone complains to you, try to ignore the content of the complaint and address the emotion behind it instead. You’ll be amazed how quickly you can convert the haters to lovers and make your site better at the same time.
Powazek, Derek. Powazek.com (2009). Articles>Collaboration>Audience Analysis
#33659
Self-Education in UX and Working with User Research Data
What are some good ways to educate myself in User Experience?
Six, Janet M. UXmatters (2008). Articles>Education>User Experience>Audience Analysis
#33665
A good starting point for planning the future of your website is to analyze what you already have. To some extent we are doing this all the time. That is how new projects happen. However, a more formal approach helps to better inform your decision-making throughout the web project. There are two ways to better understand your current website: qualitative and quantitative.
Boag, Paul. Digital Web Magazine (2008). Articles>Web Design>User Centered Design>Audience Analysis
#33873
Your Target Audience and Your Users
There is a difference between your target audience (who you want to reach) and your user-base (who actually uses your website). At least that’s the mental model I’ve always used when approaching web design.
Kennedy, Patrick. Pat's Point of View (2009). Articles>Web Design>Audience Analysis
#33939
Twitter, Tweetdeck and Simplicity
The usability of a website is relative to the audience that it was designed for. A website that is designed well for its primary audience will not necessarily provide a great user experience for everyone that tries to use it. It’s important to identify your target user if you’re going to make a site that works well for the right people.
Hamill, David. Good Usability (2009). Articles>Web Design>Audience Analysis>Usability
#34325
User Research for Personas and Other Audience Models
This is not going to be an article about personas or even what distinguishes a good persona from a bad one. Instead, this article is about the ingredients we can draw on when creating audience models and some alternative ways of communicating the results of an audience analysis. First, however, let me briefly discuss what we generally mean when we talk about personas and the role they play in the design and development process.
Baty, Steve. UXmatters (2009). Articles>User Centered Design>Audience Analysis>Personas
#34416
Why You Need to Understand Your Readers Before You Start Writing
Knowing your document’s intended reading audience before you begin writing will always help you write more effective documentation. There are three simple questions you should always ask before you start writing.
Yee, Samantha. Technical Communication Center (2009). Articles>Writing>Audience Analysis>Technical Writing
#34638
Changing the Rules of the Game for the Benefit of the User
In this presentation, Joe Sokohl talks about gathering user research prior to designing and implementing your help deliverables.
Sokohl, Joe. I'd Rather Be Writing (2008). Articles>Documentation>Audience Analysis>User Centered Design
#35280
Audience Analysis: Power Tools for Technical Writing
Documents fail for many reasons. One common mistake is to adopt a ‘one size fits all’ approach to your audience. This works only when generic material, usually of a non-technical nature.
Walsh, Ivan. I Heart Tech Docs (2009). Articles>Writing>Technical Writing>Audience Analysis
#35378
A Few Thoughts on Documentation for the Power User
Power user. It’s a term that I don’t like. But there definitely are people out there who are working with the software and hardware that we document who want more than just basic information. Getting them that information can be tricky.
Nesbitt, Scott. DMN Communications (2009). Articles>Documentation>Audience Analysis>SMEs
#35517
Putting Ourselves in Someone Else’s Shoes 
“Know your audience” is a standard rule of writing, and Henning shows how that applies to technical communicators. By looking at your project from the point of view of the end user, Henning illustrates, you can provide a better document and improve your company’s bottom line as well.
Henning, Julie. Intercom (2009). Articles>Writing>Audience Analysis
