I found a pretty good article that some people might find interesting. If you’re good at what you do you may already practice this already but if not then enjoy.
Design Decisions vs. Audience Considerations
Deep down below the layers of interface, CSS, HTML, and XML—down where only the geekiest among us roam—everything comes down to this: it’s all zeroes and ones. On or off. The digital switch.
It goes without saying that clean, CSS-based, standards-compliant code is called for here so users on slow connections, with old browsers, or using screen readers will be able to access your content. Feel free to use Flash and video, as long as you consider alternate means of content delivery. Then test and test and test again.
Though interaction and conversion becomes a bit more complicated at the point the interface meets the visitor, though there are a few more shades of gray, in the end it comes down to the same thing: yes or no.
You will succeed in attracting and engaging your audience…or you won’t. Your audience will visit your site looking for information they want to find or a product they are interested in. If they don’t find it, or if you don’t otherwise engage them, they’ll leave.
We know this, and yet the attraction of designing for ourselves, because we know best, or simply giving the client what he or she wants, after all they are paying, tempt us regularly.
As web designers, we have a unique and thorny task. How do we present the information we most want a visitor to see while simultaneously serving the visitor the content they came for? The two may not be the same, so an awareness of who our audience is as well as why our audience is there should be considered before a single design decision is made.
If you know who your target audience is, you can tailor your site’s look and feel, content, and action areas to appeal to your audience and draw them in. If you know what your site visitors want, you can use that information to mutual benefit. Site visitors will leave having found what they came for, and—if you have done your homework—you will have gotten the response you wanted from them. This may be their contact information. It may be a product purchase. If you are really lucky, the site visitor will sign up to receive email and you will have a chance to forge an ongoing relationship.
We all know that site visitors prefer a site that is easier to use. An optimized site will have more traffic. A site that is cross-browser compatible will carry the same message and branding to everyone who looks at it, without unpleasant and unexpected behavior. Usability, Standards and Content Optimization are, at the end of the day, also audience considerations.
In this article, I’ll discuss the process of deciding or determining who your audience is, the basics of understanding audience motivation and response, the process of making design decisions based on audience considerations, and how to use what you know about your audience to influence behavior.
READ MORE AT DIGITAL WEB MAGAZINE
We know this, and yet the attraction of designing for ourselves, because we know best, or simply giving the client what he or she wants, after all they are paying, tempt us regularly.
The thing is this. If you’re a good designer you should know that Design shouldn’t be all about you. It should be about the the “Audience”. Unless I am the target audience what I like shouldn’t matter. If my objective is to direct a user on a web site where they should be clicking and what important information they should be reading first and to funnel them through certain CTA’s the U.I design and visual design should work together to make that happen. I’ve seen some really nice visual designed sites that fail. Hey but at least they might of received a fancy shiny award. 
Another thing to keep in mind is after you have all the right visual and U.I. that you think will work best for your audience, you will still need strong content. It’s not so much about having fresh and up-to-date content its about the “RIGHT” content. Working with Marketing to nail down the correct content path is a must. Example. If you’re selling a product the key would be to show the user “WHY” it’s a good product and then show the “BENEFIT” of using the product. Then have a clear CTA (Call to Action) with the correct wording that will encourage a user to click. You don’t know how many product sites I’ve been to that I just scratch my head trying to figure out what they are selling and then I just leave. You almost have to treat your HP as your elevator pitch. You only have a few seconds to grab someone’s attention so do your best.
What ever you do just use Fireworks. HAHA It’s the best for Wireframes and Visual design. Trust me you’ll thank me later.
Enjoy!
