Final Project

For my final project I will be designing a website for a company in NJ called Simmons Tranport. It will be a simple 4-5 page website serving it's customers in the NY, NJ, & PA area. The pages will list the services that the company offers as well as pictures of their equipment so that there customers can get an idea for its work. I have been and will continue to be in constant contact with the client to meet his company's needs.

Major Project 2


http://mywebspace.quinnipiac.edu/mrhazelton/campus_compact/index.html

Site Seeing: Beyond the Static Web: Dynamic Content & Web Applications

- Updating a web site constantly can be a hassle. It requires both time and skill that the designer must have. It is very important because this is what brings users back to your site. If you don’t update content, then why would someone want to see what they already have seen?

- Effective dynamic content publishing is extremely important. It allows you to get the updated content to each separate visitor via his/her browser.

- Web advertising costs have gone down in the past five years, mainly because of the internet’s reputation of being a “free” resource database. As a result, many web surfers ignore these annoying advertisements.

- Applications have been created that allow the user’s to interact more. For example, Quinnipiac University has its registrar office online with Web Advisor. Students can register and search for classes. Applications like this make the internet more exciting.

- There are many different browsers, which display web page content differently. In some browser’s, certain types of java script will not work. This is discouraging because designers want users to see what their page as a whole looks like.

- Content scripts retrieve content for users. In fact, user’s don’t even see the script running, they just click on something and their content is right in front of them. By using content scripts, a webmaster can make his/her page more efficient.

- Templates provide a basic structure to web sites. Instead of building one page with a bunch of code (HTML, XML), the page can now call upon parts of the template instead of displaying large chunks of code.

- Server Side Include calls upon different elements of a web site to be displayed. For example, if you want to display a navigation element consistently throughout you’re website, it would be smart to type one line of code to call it, instead of paragraphs.

- Web applications allow the user to go beyond the traditional information base that the web has provided. Users can now book vacations online, or bid on an online auction instead of reading information about these.

- Many web applications have been influenced by client applications (Microsoft Word, Excel, etc). These web applications are provided to the user anywhere in the world, while client applications are not.

Site Seeing: “Home is a cluttered place indeed!”

- The author talks about the basics that make up a home page: the introduction, entrance, and announcement. Each of these properties allow the home page to set itself apart from other pages in the web site. For major project 2, the CT Campus Compact home page will act as a point of return for the visitors and allow them to get up to date information.

- Generally when you are putting items on the home page, you want them to be useful as well as it be frequently used. If the item is frequently used, then the visitors can easily navigate to your home page instead of going to a different page.

- The author talks about the rules to abide by for home pages. This is “if it doesn’t help your audience understand your site, then it is probably hurting their ability to understand your site.” Unnecessary flash intro movies or large images can slow the page load time down drastically.

- A home page provides visitors with a first impression of what you do and what the purpose of the web site is. This is the first page that the audience sees so it is important to make a mark.

- The right amount of contrast can direct a viewer to a certain area of your page. Color and typographic contrast are good example of this. The CT Campus Compact site has a white and grey background but with a red navigation system. The red, attracts the eye, allowing the user to see his/her options clearly.

Site Seeing: Fundamental Particles: the elements of web

- The author talks about having the footer look the same from page to page. This is very important because it allows a sense of consistency to flow through the website. The user looks at the footer and knows what it is just because they have seen it in the exact same spot on every other page.

- Navigation systems. I author stresses how important this is throughout the entire book. I have a basic navigation system that I will be using for major project two.

- You can add visual pertinence to a navigation system by adding a design style to it. This is a good element in attracting the users attention while at the same time visually appealing.

- Placement of a navigation system is extremely important. It normally fits to the side or top of the page. For major project two, my navigation will be on the top of the page, where content can easily be recognized.

- Body text can sometimes be an overlooked element of a web site. It needs to be readable because if it’s not then the user has no idea what you are talking about. So, making the text a standard readable font style and size, allows the user to read it.

- Different issues of typography can be brought up in making web sites. Leading allows for a clean space between paragraph lines of text. It can also be an added visual element.

- Images on a web site tend to attract attention. It can be a good way to get your point across to your audience. In major project two I will be using a coupe different pictures to express what the Campus Compact organization is about.

- Images included in a heading, for example, can be very appealing to a viewer. Its as if the image is involved in what is actually going on the page.

- It is important to keep images small so that the web page doesn’t take long to load. You want your users to experience the fastest load time possible so that they can experience all your web site has to offer.

- Forms can be a good way to generate some feedback from your audience. By putting a simple questionnaire or survey on your website, you can get feedback from users and what they like vs what they don’t like.

Revised Mission Statement

For the second major project I will be pursuing the Connecticut Campus Compact web site. The goal for the web site is to attract and recruit students and faculty interested in reaching out to the community. The site will be visually upgraded to provide the audience with more color and detail.

Site Seeing: Who are you? Get a personality!

- I find it interesting how the author talks about personality and how non-living things can have personalities. I never really thought about it like that, but now that it has been brought up I can see where the author’s point.

- A designer needs to have a certain personality be portrayed by their website. They can achieve this by establishing a certain look and feel that would separate their website from other websites.

- Even a unique element can add personality to a website, like a differently placed navigation side bar, or different image placement styles.

- If you have no intention of having a personality for your website, then people will automatically assign it one. This is why it is very important to establish a personality. You don’t want people disliking your site because they have labeled it as bad.

- A brand can often be a personality. A brand is consistent and lets the audience know that your website is established and more personable than those without. The audience will more likely go to the company that has better branding.

- Choosing the right personality is important because it connects you to the audience. The audience judges your website based on the personality of it. So it is important to have say a shopping website convey a comfortable and convenient personality instead of a unsafe and cluttered one.

- It is important for a web site to be unique because this distinguishes it from the slew of other sites out there. It also allows the site to stick into the audiences mind and generate a buzz, which results in more traffic.

- You want your web site to be inviting because you want your audience to feel comfortable at your web site. This allows them to have a full and engaging experience on your site instead of them not even entering in the first place.

- Color is very important in establishing a personality. Black is more of a dark theme, when light colors are more inviting and welcoming.

- Contrasting colors draw the user’s attention to your web site. The contrast stands out and acts as a visual guide to the audience. For example, if you have a red box on a black and white photo background, the eye will be drawn to the red box.

- I like the author’s ideas of mixing a monochromatic and polychromatic color scheme. The monochromatic can be used to highlight the site in general while the polychromatic can be used for content.

Mission Statement: Connecticut Campus Compact

The goal for the Connecticut Campus Compact web site is to attract student and faculty alike to participate in the program. The site will be upgraded to provide the user with a more visual experience. I plan on using the same colors as the regular campus compact, but I will not make the web site identical.

Site Seeing: Birds of a Feather, Flock Together: Visual Organization Principles

- I like the point the author makes about pictures being a vital piece in visual communication. A picture really does say a thousand words. All you need is one glance of a photo and a story is told.
- The author talks about how seeing information is important. A designer needs to be able to show similarities and differences between shapes and objects so that the user can distinguish it’s function and easily recognizable.
- A hierarchy is very important to the visual display of something. It is arranged in ways that will grab the viewer’s attention and then direct it to the next piece of information. For example, a poster for a band. The band’s name would be the largest text on the composition because you want the viewer to recognize the band’s name first.
- It is important to explain to the users where they are on your web site. You have no idea how they got there, so it is important to identify your site to them, as well as where they are on your site, so that they can easily navigate your website and not be frustrated.
- If there is related information on your web site, it is important to keep the attributes fairly similar. For example, same font or same colors just so that the user can easily recognize relative information that they are interested in.