Chapter 8

Designing Web Sites

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OBJECTIVES

• Introduce Site Design – part of a life cycle

• Recall Steps in Application Development Life Cycle

• Remember the Life Cycle of Site Building

• Remember design criteria

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Introduce Site Design

• What is Site Design?

Plan and design to build a Web site

• Site design belongs to the life cycle of developing a Web site.

• Why? What is the big picture?

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LIFE CYCLE OF APP DEV

• Web Site is a Computer Application• Developing Computer Apps Has a Cycle

– Requirements

– Functional/technical Design

– Building/Execution

– Testing

– Release

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LIFE CYCLE OF SITE BUILDING

• Plan the Site (requirements, define audience)

• Design (functional/technical)

• Execution (building and testing internally)

• Release (make available to public)

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PLAN THE SITE

• Why – Specifically, Define the Site’s Goals– Determine Who Will Be Involved– Understand the Time and Need Constraints

• What - Ask Questions Deciding on Site’s Mission and Purpose for the Organization

• Who - Resource allocation • How - Process and detailed planning

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DEFINE AUDIENCE

• Output: Customized peer review form for your presentation

• Need Analysis – customer expectations• Generate a List of Intended Audience• Identify What Prospective Customers

Want

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COMPETITVE ANALYSIS

• The winner is …• How to make a better site? Better as

opposed to competitors• Make a List of Competitors• Evaluate Criteria:

– Personalization– Consistency– Ease of Navigation

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DESIGN TIPS

• Keep the Site Simple

• Enhance Response Time

• Focus on Content

• Ensure Company’s Name Visible

• Emphasize on Appearance

• Allow Easy Return to Homepage

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SITE DESIGN AND EVALUATION CRITERIA (ACSS)

• Appearance

• Consistency

• Scalability

• Security

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APPEARANCE

• Is the Site Aesthetically Pleasing?• Obtain Help from Professional Tools:

– Dreamweaver - FrontPage

– Photoshop - image

– Flash - animation

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CONSISTENCY

• Branding principle – build one image• Use a Style Guide

– Ensure consistency within the site

• Will the Web site and Contents Appear the Same on Visitors’ Screens?

• Usage of HTML• Provide Handling for the Choice of

Browsers

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SCALABILITY

• Can you handle more?• Simultaneous Scalable Access • Does the Site Provide a Seamless

Growth Path?• Capable of Being Expanded

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SECURITY

• Threats: ID Theft, Privacy

• Protect from Hackers

• Critical – Web site Access

• Depend on the Knowledge of Developers

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Summary and Exercises

• What is site design?

• What is the life cycle of application development

• What is the life cycle of site building?

• What are the design criteria?

• How to define the audience of a site?