Know and understand analysing the needs of an audience when creating ICT solutions

Published by Patrick Mutisya · 14 days ago

ICT 0417 – Audience: Analysing Audience Needs

ICT 0417 – Audience

Objective

Know and understand how to analyse the needs of an audience when creating ICT solutions.

Why Audience Analysis Matters

  • Ensures the solution is relevant and useful.

  • Helps choose appropriate language, tone, and visual style.

  • Guides decisions about functionality, accessibility, and platform.

  • Improves user satisfaction and adoption rates.

Key Steps in Audience Analysis

  1. Identify the target audience(s).

  2. Gather demographic and psychographic data.

  3. Determine users’ existing knowledge and skills.

  4. Analyse users’ goals, tasks and problems.

  5. Consider the context of use (environment, devices, time).

  6. Identify any special requirements (accessibility, language, cultural).

  7. Summarise findings and create user profiles or personas.

Typical Audience Categories

CategoryCharacteristicsImplications for Design
StudentsVaried ages, learning styles, limited technical experience.Clear navigation, instructional support, interactive elements.
Business ProfessionalsGoal‑oriented, time‑pressed, familiar with standard office software.Efficient workflows, concise information, compatibility with corporate systems.
General PublicDiverse backgrounds, varying literacy and digital skills.Simple language, intuitive UI, responsive design for multiple devices.
People with DisabilitiesMay require screen readers, alternative input methods, high‑contrast visuals.Adhere to accessibility standards (WCAG), provide captions, keyboard navigation.

Methods for Collecting Audience Data

  • Surveys and questionnaires

  • Interviews and focus groups

  • Observation of current work practices

  • Analysis of existing documentation and reports

  • Usability testing with prototypes

Creating User Personas

A persona is a fictional but realistic representation of a typical user. It helps keep design decisions user‑centred.

  1. Give the persona a name and photo (optional).

  2. List demographic details (age, job, education).

  3. Describe goals, motivations and pain points.

  4. Note preferred devices and typical environment.

  5. Summarise how the ICT solution will meet this persona’s needs.

Applying Audience Analysis to ICT Solutions

When you have completed the analysis, use the findings to influence the following aspects of your solution:

  • Content: language level, terminology, amount of detail.

  • Interface design: layout, colour scheme, navigation structure.

  • Functionality: features required, level of automation, security controls.

  • Delivery platform: web, mobile app, desktop, or printed media.

  • Accessibility: font size, contrast, alternative text, captions.

Checklist for Audience Analysis

ItemCompleted?Notes
Target audience identified
Demographic & psychographic data collected
User goals and tasks documented
Context of use analysed
Accessibility requirements noted
Personas created
Design decisions linked to audience findings

Suggested diagram: Flowchart showing the audience analysis process from data collection to persona creation and design decisions.