"to do" list - Designer
lessons:
1 :: 2 :: 3 :: 4 :: 5 :: 6 :: 7 :: 8 :: 9 :: 10 :: 11 - 14 :: 15 :: 16 :: 17 :: 18 :: 19
Week 1 - Introduction
Team roles have not been assigned so you need to refer to the "to do" list included in the introduction lesson.
Check the homework page an assignment may be due this week
Week 2 - holiday
Check the homework page an assignment may be due this week
Although we have no formal class meeting, teams will be assigned at the beginning of the week.
Designer Sampler
The most challenging task for the next 2-3 weeks is to create a designer sampler. You may want to begin thinking about this sampler now.
This is a web page which links to various design features you will offer to your client. For example, link to a page with a very graphical opening screen that leads to a site with fewer graphics and more content. Contrast that with a site which has a very simple opening screen with few graphical elements. Ask the client what approach they like best.
Create links to other sites that have options for navigation, random images, slideshow, gallery, a splash page, second level page headers that change on each page and second level headers that remain the same. Remember, do not show the client something you cannot do.
I have created a designer sampler page you can use as a starting point.
Next find organizations which are similar to the one you are designing for and select features of the site you feel are useful or distracting. Pointing out the good and the bad can be helpful to the client.
When you meet with the client they may already be very Web savvy, or they may have their own ideas on what the design should be. Even if it seems your preparation was a waste of time, it is a good thing. If you don't use this designer sampler page on this client you will use it on another one, later in your career.
If you have any questions which you feel the client needs to answer during the initial meeting (color scheme, logo, look and feel) make sure they are included in the Website Planning Questionnaire.
One final note - there may not be time for the designer sampler to be discussed during the first client meeting. Some initial meeting move quickly while others have lots of chit chat. If you do not get to the design sampler, the designer can set up another meeting in a few days. Only the designer needs to attend this meeting.
Team Responsibilities
Please coordinate the ice breaker activity assigned to you by your Project Manager.
Week 3 - Teams Assigned
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Team Responsibilities
Get to know each other. Remember everyone is confused, excited, nervous and busy. It takes a while for a group to feel comfortable with each other, so give everyone the benefit of the doubt.
Contribute your ideas to the development of a communication plan. I advise you to err on the side of communicating too much instead of to little. If you have work, family, or school time constraints that make it impossible to meet face to face or check email at certain times, LET YOUR TEAM KNOW. Review the communication plan page for more information on this subject.
Client Responsibilities
The more you know about your client and their needs, the easier it is to design an effective web site. This week we will concentrate on asking the right questions so that you can begin to formulate a strategy for the project.
Your team will need to develop a Web Planning Questionionairre, I recommend you send an email to the PM with your suggested design questions. Also let the PM know what portion of the meeting you would like to lead.
Website Planning Questionnaire - TLT: PM Jeri Hastava
another resources is
Estimate Request Form - Word File from Professional Business of Web Forms
Please note that one example shown above is displayed as a web page. Your questionnaire will probably be sent to the client as a Word documents or email message, which the client can send back to you with their answers. i recommend you send the questions to the client 3-5 days before the face to face meeting, if your team has the answers during the meeting it will make things go smoother.
As the Designer you need to continue to work on the Designer Sampler described in week 2.
week 4 - roles defined
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Attend the meeting for Designers which will be held from 6-7 pm on the third floor of Maggini Lab. Before attending the meeting review this web page
Roles Defined - Designers
Designer Pitfalls
What to do with a client who has poor design judgment
Watch the video:
At the meeting you will be asked to give an overview of what the team has done so far, and ask any questions that have come up after your reviewed the Web pages and movie.
Class Milestones
The deadline for the designer sampler is today. Please send me an email with the URL of your sampler.
week 5 - guest speakers
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This week we will be joined by two guest speakers:
Michael Slater from Webvanta who will share his development software which makes it easy to incorporate database driven content into Web site development.
Cameron Huff - Security issues in Web Programming, problems and solutions.
Your attendance in class is optional however I recommend that you attend if possible.
Web Proposal / Site Design
As soon as you have met with your client and have an idea of what their goals are and what their design needs will be, begin designing a "Comp" or "Mock Up". You can do this in either Photoshop or Dreamweaver. You may start with a blank slate and create a totally original design, or you may want to use a template from the CS 50.21A/B or some other template source.
week 6 - Holiday / Dreamweaver Q and A
Check the homework page an assignment may be due this week
This week the campus will be closed for the President's Day holiday. I have material and videos which explain how the Content Developers take the template (XHTML, CSS and images) provided by the Designers and use Dreamweaver to insert the content from the shell site into the template.
It is not a class requirement that anyone on your team use Dreamweaver, however I am often asked questions about the process and wanted to provide some instruction in the basics of using Dreamweaver. The Dreamweaver Q and A lesson may prove useful
If you have experience in Dreamweaver, please post your comments at the class forum > "Dreamweaver Support" posting.
Web Proposal / Site Design
Continue to refine the design of the home page, second level page and if necessary third level pages. You may want to show the client and team your design ideas as you develop them, or you may prefer to wait until I have seen them. Although we have a class meeting devoted to a discussion of the "comps" you can send me your design ideas at any time.
You will also be asked to create the list of deliverables, this
week 7 - comps reviewed
Check the homework page an assignment may be due this week
This week I will be meeting with the Designers to look over their ideas for the look of the home page, second level pages, and any third level pages. You need to sigh up to a meeting. Please visit the class forum > "Show Comps to Instructor" post, and then reserve the time slot that works for you.
During the class meeting time I will review how to take a Photoshop image of a Web page and convert it to XHTML, CSS and web images. Before you attend the class please review the Comps. to Templates Lesson.
week 8 - site standards
Check the homework page an assignment may be due this week
This week we will be discussing how to use the Firefox Web Developers toolbar to test for XHTML and CSS2 standards, as well as 508 accessibility standards. We will also discuss the use of color, screen size, and consistency of the design across browsers and platforms.
Your attendance in class is required either face to face or using CCC Confer. I recommend that you review the class materials which are a part of the Standards Lesson before coming to class.
Web Proposal Responsibilities
Provide feedback regarding your schedule, to your PM so they can sign up for the Web Proposal meeting which will be held next week.
Begin writing the Creative Brief which describes why you created the design you have developed.
Creative
Brief - This document serves
as a written explanation
and justification for the
design you created. Often
a large client will receive
more than just graphical
mock ups, they will have
a multi page proposal which
explains how this design
ties in to the existing
corporate look and satisfies
the company goals for the
web site.
Guidelines for the Creative Brief || HCA || SRJC Culinary Academy || Art Quest
Review the Web Proposal Lesson. If you have any questions, send me a note. If you want me to review your portion of the proposal before the actual meeting, send it to me at least 3 days before the proposal meeting.
week 9 - Web Proposal
The PM will bring a copy of the proposal for me and one for the team. Remote members will also need to have a digital or printed copy of the proposal.
Attend the team meeting either face to face or remotely using skype. As soon as possible ask the client to sign off on the "comps". I am hoping the client has seen the "comps" before they are presented with the final proposal so the sign off is smooth.
The client needs to sign the contract and initial the comps, storyboard, and list of deliverables. The team needs to sign the contract (remote members can send email signatures)
Leave the client a complete copy of the proposal. Bring back a copy of the signed proposal, and print out the email verifying the shell site. (if you want a copy for yourself Xerox these document) The designer or content developer can give those documents to me on 3/22 when we meet, or you can leave them in my box and send me an email.
week 10 - template is created
As soon as the client approves the design, begin creating the template. This can be done using hand coding, Dreamweaver, Webvanta, etc. If you need help let me know, I am happy to work with you.
Contact your CD and sign up for a template meeting slot. Refer to the forum > Template Handoff posting
week 11 - 14 - web site production
On 3/22 we will meet in the 3rd floor lab with the CD and go over the template code, the template explanation, and the images. During the next few weeks the CDs will be making pages, sending you the URL for each page as it is produced, and you will approve each page.
The CD may become confused by the template, don't take this personally it is to be expected. Patiently work with them to explain what they need to do. If you need my help send me a note or give me a call.
Team and client productions are due 4/2
SEO forum discussion is due 4/11
Visit the homework page for online forms.
week 15 - testing begins
You will be responsible for "client" testing. The team will develop test questions which will be used by your CDs for classmate testing, the Designers for client testing and the Project managers for "typical user" testing. The test report is due 5/10
We will also have a "post mortem meeting" this week where we explore what worked and what didn't work for the project.
week 16 - freelance options
Gather testing results and begin to create the testing report, assist team in interpreting test results. Explore freelance resources found in lesson 16.
week 17 - handoff
Begin planning the handoff process. Begin compiling the client manual by giving the PM the PSD files you used to create the "comps".
week 18 - make final CD
Attend the Designer / Interactive Multimedia Developer Critique. This will be held in the classroom 5-8 pm.
week 19 - final exam
Come to class, your team will present the site and then we will have guest speakers who will answer questions.