GD430 - Advanced Web Design - Syllabus
Week 1/2 - May 27/June 1: Needs Analysis, Project Planning, Basecamp - KGA Website for Client
- Lecture: Client Introduction, Basecamp Introduction, Design discovery phase (site purpose & audience)
- Reading Assignment: Site-Seeing: A Visual Approach to Web Usability, Introduction, Chapters 1&2 - Summary (group 1- Rebecca and Am)
- Project Assignment Week 1: What are your strengths and weaknesses in regards to Web Design?
- List three strengths. They can be in reference to your design skills as a whole. What are you good at? Concept development? Typography? Information architecture? Strong Dreamweaver skills? Professional work experience? Give us a few sentences on each strength.
- List three weaknesses. What areas and skills need improvment or refinment? Share your concerns with us, let us know where you might need help this term, and we can all work together to provide support.
- Find 1-2 other team members to work with during the project. Teams will be tasked with various aspects of the project, including gathering requirements, audience analysis, content gathering, information architecture, wireframes, design mockups, and creating the CSS templates.
- Project Assignment Week 2: Critique the client's site by viewing each page and listing the positive and negative features of the page and the site. Review the site from the user's persective. What is the purpose/goals of the site? Does the site make it easy for the audience to accomplish these goals? Please be specific. 2-3 pages.
- Client: Monte Moore, MavArts, 303-901-1870, monte@mavarts.com, www.mavarts.com
- Developer: Jack McDaniel, Impress Design, 720.495.1368, jack@impress-design.com, http://impress-design.com/
Week 3 - June 8: Front End Planning, Basecamp Set-up
- Reading Assignment: Site-Seeing: A Visual Approach to Web Usability, Chapters 3-4 Summary (group 2)
- Project Assignment: Competitive Analysis
- Select two or more sites in the client's industry for competitive analysis. Review the sites in terms of content, layout, colors, typography, design, graphics and animation. What do you like/dislike about the sites and why?
Week 4 - June 15: Web Site Architecture
- Reading Assignment: Site-Seeing: A Visual Approach to Web Usability, Chapters 7,8 & Conclusion - Summary (group 3)
- Lecture: Information Architecture, Wireframes
and Content Gathering
- Project Assignment: Create a site architecture and wireframes for the site. This will require understanding what pages/content the client will want to have on the site and the audience tasks. Decide (with client input) what content will be transferred to the new site and if new content is needed. How/when will this be provided?
Week 5 - June 22: Interface Design
- Reading Assignment: Site-Seeing: A Visual Approach to Web Usability, Chapters 5,6 - Summary (group 4)
- Project Assignment: Site Design Prototypes – JPG files:
- Create 2 digital website design prototypes - for the home page and an inside page. Explore varying the layout, including the colors used and placement of navigation, logo, header, sub-header, and body text.
- Present designs to class for feedback. Class will decide on two designs to show the client.
- Get feedback from the client. Be prepared to combine elements from the designs to create a final prototype.
Week 6 - June 29: Site Production - CSS prototypes, Testing site
- Project Assignment: See Basecamp for Milestones & To Do List
Week 7 - July 6: Site Development - Adding CMS, Blog, Shopping Cart and Interactive elements, SEO
- Project Assignment: See Basecamp for Milestones & To Do List
Week 8 - July 13: Presentation of site to client for pre-launch testing and feedback
- Project Assignment: See Basecamp for Milestones & To Do List
Week 9 - July 20: Update site based on testing, client feedback
- Project Assignment: See Basecamp for Milestones & To Do List
Week 10 - July 27: Presentation of final site, Launch site, Client training
- Project Assignment: See Basecamp for Milestones & To Do List
Site Planning Resources
Site Design Resources
Site Building Resources
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