Homework #7

Chapter 8 & 9:

1. Content map: This is a way to organize your content outline. In general, it looks like a spider web and it connects links together to direct you from page to page. Whether your content outline is small or large, take the time to create a content map to help the project team visualize the structure of the site.

2. Page description diagrams: Also known as the PPD, this is used to clearly communicate the strategic content priorities for a page, without stepping into the visual designer's territory of effective layout. A page description diagram:

1. Lists all content chunks that belong on a specific page
2. Prioritizes each chunk of content
3. Removes visual design (Color, font, layout) from this stage of the conversation. 

3. Wireframe: A wireframe is a bare-bones layout of a web page. It is a simple drawing of the chunks of information and functionality for key pages in the site. You will want to create a wireframe for the home page, each unique second level page, and any other significantly different pages on the site.  Wire frames include the containers for all the major elements  of the page. Elements include navigation, placeholders for images, content and functional elements (like search), and footer. Wireframes do not include any reference to color, typography, or visual imagery.

4. Storyboards for interactive design: A storyboard is a high-level illustation of a key user scenario. Creating a storyboard for key interactive elements in the site is useful in helping the project team understand what brought the user to the site, the situational context, and what they are trying to do. Questions to consider when constructing the storyboard include:

1. What are the thoughts that trigger the user to comet to your site?
2. How does the user get the site?
3. What is the user specifically wanting to accomplish?
4. What path does the user take to get what they need?
5. What is going on around the user while they are trying to accomplish their task? Are other people present? Is anyone helping them? Are they focused or distracted? 
6. What happens when the user finishes the task? Are they satisfies? Did you give them a helpful confirmation? Is this a good time to tempt them with similar services or information?

Guest Speaker: Brother Hodges

Brother Hodges is working on the new school website that is in beta mode. He started soon after school, working on the website. He at one time was the lead developer and manager of the site. He explained the importance of learning how to design and develop a site early on in school so you can have as much experience as you can. The site has taken years to build and its taken a team of multiple people, who have come and gone. They have conducted surveys for the website to make it better and have had people test run the site to find the bugs that might be occurring with the site. Brother Hodges also explained that if you do not gain the necessary knowledge to build a website while in school, it will be much harder in the long run when you need to have problem solving skills. With his knowledge and the opportunity to know how to build and manage a website, he is more confident with going out to the work force and being able to critically think problems and solve them fully and easily.