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From: Jaan Pill
Date: 10/21/01
Time: 6:51:42 PM
Remote Name: 154.20.71.9
There are other people, such as Benny Ravid, who can provide much valuable information on website development.
I'd like to just say a few things about content. Some of the content that you can start to assemble now includes the following:
1. History of the association 2. Contacts (names and email addresses of people to contact for further information) 3. Information about stuttering (e.g., suggestions for non-stutterers about what to do and not do when speaking with someone who stutters; and factual information about what stuttering is, as compared to myths about stuttering) 3. Information about the self-help concept. 4. Information about any treatment programs that may be available (or that are being developed) 5. Links to other sites
This list might offer a starting point. Once you begin to work on the content, you'll likely think of other categories, and may want to change the order of the items in the list.
It's also a good idea to look at sites that are already out there. If you look at these sites, you can determine what works well, and what could be improved. Looking at other sites is a great way to start.
To find sites of other associations, there are links at the ISA site, the CAPS site, and elsewhere. These links will lead you to many other websites that deal with stuttering. You can also use a search engine such as the one at www.google.com to locate other sites to look at, by way of getting ideas.
Over all, I think it's important to have material that is simple, clear, and easy to read; to have a site that is easy to navigate; and to have photos in a file size that allows for easy loading, as website visitors do not want to wait a long time (more than a matter of some seconds) for a photo to appear on their screen.
With all of our work on behalf of people who stutter, the most important step is the first one -- that is, getting started.
With a website, it's also important to think, from the outset, about who will be responsible for maintaining and upgrading the site as the months and years go by.
It's also good to talk with other people when you are planning your website(which is what you are already doing), and to have a group of people involved in development of the site, rather than leaving it to just one or two people.
As well, it's important that the self-help association that sets up the site is closely involved with development and maintenance of the site.