3. D

ESIGN

3.1 Introduction 

This section is concerned primarily with the motivations behind the design. It describes 

the system from a user`s perspective, both in terms of what they might be looking for and 

how they would expect to interact with such a system 

3.2 Accessibility 

Regardless of what features are offered by this system, it is vitally important that it be as 

accessible to as many people as possible. A clear layout and variable font sizes for those 

with poor eyesight and comprehensively labeled page elements (particularly forms, tables 

and images) for those using screen readers will make sure that everyone gets the most out 

of the Golden Pages service. 

3.3 Search options 

3.3.1 Searching by area code 

Anywhere in Ireland outside of Dublin, area codes are an effective way to divide up an 

area.  For  example,  the  025  area  in  North  Cork  covers  two  towns,  Fermoy  and 

Mitchelstown,  and  numerous  villages  and  townlands  in  an  approximate  10 mile  radius 

spreading out from Fermoy. The total area is significantly more than just the Fermoy area 

  meaning we are more likely to find what we need   but not as large as the entire county. 

Someone in Fermoy, Co. Cork (025) is unlikely to hire a plumber based in Skibbereen, 

Co. Cork (028), any more than someone in Dingle, Co. Kerry (066) would be willing to 

drive to a dentist in Limerick (061). 

With  the  01  area,  the  divisions  are  less  clear  cut.  Some  1.5  million  people  live  in  the 

greater Dublin area, and all have the same area code, so something else is needed to split 

up this group and give its residents access to the same sort of localised searching afforded 

to  their  compatriots  outside  the  Pale.  The  first  three  digits  of  a  standard  seven digit 

Dublin  telephone  number  do,  in  fact,  serve  as  an  indication  of  location,  at  least  for 

standard  residences  and  smaller  businesses.  Within  each  3 digit  sub area,  Eircom  can 

generate 10,000 possible numbers, which should generally be enough to allow for further 

population growth within any of the sub areas. Accordingly, the design allows the user to 

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