Users and clients go to a website for a specific reason - they are there to find something specific or do something specific. These find's and do's are tasks and for this we create task journeys to help them get the information and complete the task online right within the website.
To determine what are the "top tasks" I look at all the available research: web metrics, search logs, e-surveys, consultations and interviewing help desk and call centre staff. This has to be done for each audience so that you can determine the top 5 tasks for each audience. There will be more tasks - but if you cover the top 5 you've covered the main reasons why users visit your site.
From there it is a matter of developing "linking journeys" for each of the tasks. This is to guide users step-by-step through each of the directions or points of information needed to successfully complete the task.
Sometimes that task is to complete a form and submit something, and sometimes that task is simply to find specific information like a specific contact to address a specific problem.
On your homepage, or a relevant Level 1 audience page or subject page you want to make it easy for your users to get to the task. Create a section called "I want to..." and then list the 5 tasks with task journey links.
Your clients will thank you. My next posts will be feedback from clients validating the importance of task-based websites.
