"to do" list - Interactive Media Developer

lessons: 1 :: 2 :: 3 :: 4 :: 5 :: 6 :: 7 :: 8 :: 9 :: 10 :: 11 :: 12 :: 13 :: 14 :: 15 :: 16 :: 17 :: 18

 

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.

Interactive Media Sampler
The most challenging task for the next 2-3 weeks is to create an interactive media 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 flahs animation on the opening screen or video clips that are incorporated into the site. This is the first year we have had a team role of Interactive Media Developer, so I have no examples to share with you. You will find exmples of flash animations on the designer sampler page. Last year American Philharmonic of Sonoma County and Sonoma County Folk Society both had video clips at their site. You will want to either make a joint sampler that deals with design and interactive media examples (my recommendation) or you can make a seperate interactive media sampler. This is an opportunity for you and the designer to work toghether, and get to know each other. If you decide that you will make 1 sampler, you can each keep a copy of this file to use if you do freelance work later on.

When you meet with the client they may already be very Web savvy, or they may have their own ideas on what the flash or video should be. Even if it seems your preparation was a waste of time, it is a good thing. If you don't use this 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 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 interactive media developer can set up another meeting in a few days and meet privately with the client, send your team a meeting summary so they understand what was accomplished.

Team Responsibilities
Please coordinate the ice breaker activity assigned to you by your Project Manager.

Week 3 - Teams Assigned

Check the homework page an assignment may be due this week

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 Interactive Media Developer you need to continue to work on the Sampler described in week 2.

 

week 4 - roles defined

Check the homework page an assignment may be due this week

Attend the meeting for Interactive Media Developers 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 - Interactive Media Developer

Watch the video:
What does an Interactive Media Developer do?

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/interactive media sampler is today. Please send me an email with the URL of your teams sampler.

 

week 5 - guest speakers

Check the homework page an assignment may be due this week

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 storyboard for the flash animation or video you will be using. You can do this in either Photoshop, Word, or any other tool you have used in your flash or video classes. You may start with a blank slate and create a totally original design, or you may want to use a n existing flash animation as inspiration.

 

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. You may want to review this lesson or ignore it.

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 flash design and if you have existing video edit it as needed. 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.

If you have agreed to shot video for the client, you will want to do that asap.

 

week 7 - comps reviewed

Check the homework page an assignment may be due this week

This week I will be meeting with the Interactive Media Developers to look over their ideas for the look of the flash animation and the placement of the video. You need to sign up for a meeting. Please visit the class forum > "Show Comps to Instructor" post, and then reserve the time slot that works for you. If possible I would like to meet with the deisgner and interactive media designer in back to back time slots.

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. If you would like to attend this class you are welcome to do so, however it is not a class requirement. The lesson can be reviewed at 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. This year we will also discuss how to make Flash accessible. I do not have many resources on this subject, if you do please send me a note.

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 Interactive Media Brief which describes how your flash animation and video clips contributed to the clients goals for their site. This will be the first year I have required an Interactive Media Brief so I have no examples. Please refer to the links below which link to a creative brief and may prove useful.

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)

 

week 10 - template is created

As soon as the client approves the multimedia "comps", begin creating the multimedia elements.

 

week 11 - 14 - web site production

During the remaining 4 weeks continue to work on the multimedia elements.

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

If you r team does not have a programmer, you will be responsible for "hardware/software" testing. For more information review the testing page.

You are also expected to make the Flash elements accessible if possible.

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.