The design philosophy below gives an overview of what LocalOrganics.net stands for. This should be kept in mind when doing any work on the site. It can be used to evaluate any contribution by reviewing it against these goals and concepts.
Goal
The goal of LocalOrganics.net is to promote ecological wisdom in agriculture. This is done by connecting local organic producers and related organisations with their community - anywhere in the world.
Method
The goal stated above will be achieved by providing geographic information about the locations of organically minded businesses on this website. The site will also provide communication tools such as a newsletter, blogs, visitor comments, sales forum, background information, photos, maps, and other modules that can enhance exchange between communities and local farmers.
Design Philosophy
We are not looking for a timeless design. Instead, the design should be a little trendy and hip. Visiting the site should feel like you are visiting something new and exciting, something different that has broken away from the past.
Look and feel
The site should be like a local farmers market: clean, simple, fresh, positive, inclusive, informal, fun, confident, and warm. It should also use the aesthetics and feel-good factor of fresh, healthy fruit and vegetables.
Target Market
The first target market can be summarised as conscious consumers. We are in all age brackets, not just young consumers, although most of us are between 15 and 55. We are educted, yet some of us have never been to school - we learn through research, experiments, and are often self-taught. Travel is part of our lifestyle. We tend to be critical in what we buy. We are proud about being different and standing out as consumers. We worry about the state of the environment. The people around us may feel uncomfortable as we like to try out new things - we are leaders rather than followers. We dont watch a lot of television and we mainly go to alternative art shows. Some of us don't eat meat and others do not consume animal products at all. Our careers are different as we are known to get off the beaten track. Yet, we are part of society. We take an interest in the community. Our children go to normal schools. We understand the value of money and we like to have fun. Altogether we are a mixed group. We primarily buy organics because we are environmentally conscious.
The second target market can be summarised as lazy trendies. These are people who are keen to be conscious consumers, but only if the costs do not outweigh the superficial benefits. They will buy organics, but only if it is noticed by others and it has a comparable price to the conventional option. We primarily buy organics because we think it is healthier.
Voice
LocalOrganics.net likes simple and succint language. The style is direct. You can call it post-modern in that it does not try to advance one idea over another, it simply acknowledges ideas and puts forward the qualities of each idea.
Difference
There are many sites that use parts of LocalOrganics.net. The big difference is that LocalOrganics.net is completely free and that it encourages direct contact between farmer and consumer. It is not about recipes, photos, moon calenders, or what have you. The core of LocalOrganics is about connecting farmers and their communities using a state-of-the-art website.