1. RESEARCH FOR INSPIRATION: Research
award-winning web sites. Be sure to review trade publications
(Print, How, Communication Arts, Yahoo Internet Life), books,
annuals as well as the Internet Resources page. Look at navigation
as well as design. Look for well-designed forms and shopping
carts. How easy is it for a customer to make a purchase? Scan/bookmark
pages that have innovative artwork and/or navigation schemes.
Collect and publish your favorites on your projects page. At
our research critique, present your research in class (on screen).
Be prepared to explain why these examples are successful.
2. MARKETING RESEARCH: Research the business you
will be designing the site for. What kind of products do they
sell? Who is their target audience? Who is their competition?
What is their unique selling points? Do they have an existing
web site? Acquire a reproduction quality logo and copies of
printed promotions (if possible). Analyze your research and
write a written statement of objectives in the form of a memo
(see sample brief).
3. INCUBATION: Absorb the information you have gathered
and sleep on it. Allow your unconscious mind to make connections
for you.
4. DEVELOP THE CONCEPT: In your sketchbook begin to conceptualize
ideas for this project (see
sample thumbnails). Make at least 10 sketches of all possible
directions you might take this project. Draw exactly how you
intend to present both your front page as well as one sample
inside page. Edit your concepts down to your best three ideas
and redraw them inside a browser window (download
PDF file of a blank browser window) using a felt tip pen.
Rough out site maps (download
examples of site maps) as needed to explain your navigation
scheme. Test how successful your concepts are by presenting
them in class for critique. Be prepared to talk about your message
as well as how your message fulfills the objectives.
5. EXECUTION: Based on the critique of the above,
prepare a prototype "mock-up" of two sample screens in Adobe
Photoshop which will indicate the "look and feel" of the site
(one front page and one inside page). Place your art inside
a blank browser window (download
layered PSD file with various browser windows). Print out
your prototype screens in b&w and be prepared to talk about
how the design principles of unity, emphasis and balance are
utilized in your layout.
6. PORTFOLIO PREPARATION: Based on the critique
of the above, produce a fully functional site. Publish your
site and link to it from your projects page. Present your finished
site on screen for critique. Prepare a presentation to "sell"
your design to the client. If necessary, make refinements until
you are 100% satisfied with the project. Be sure to save all
your files for future editing.
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