IT 111 Chapter 5 Assignment
This assignment is based on Chapter 5, Web Design, and is in two parts. Part 1 is due by 11:59pm on Friday, October 30 and is worth 12 points. Part 2 is due by 11:59pm on Sunday, November 1 and is worth 8 points. Here is a short YouTube introduction (5:36 minutes) to the assignment.
Instructions
Grading Policy: You will receive full points if you post your web site critique plus two thoughtful comments to other students' critiques by the established deadlines. You must have at least 3 substantive messages posted to the Discussion Board in order to receive full credit for this assignment.
This assignment will be completed using our Discussion Board. For Part, I want you to select one of the web sites listed below to explore and then critique using the web design principles discussed in Chapter 5. Select one of the following web sites:
- The Woodland Park Zoo
- The National Geographic
- The National Design Museum
Your critique should consider the following design principles and suggestions from Chapter 5 in our textbook. I am also requiring that you give specific examples for the comments you offer in your critique.
Best Web Design Practices
- What is the purpose of the site?
- Who is the intended audience?
- Page Layout
- Appealing to target audience?
- Consistent site header/logo used?
- Consistent navigation area?
- Includes informative page title with company/organization / site name?
- Page footer area with copyright, last update, contact email address?
- Good use of basic design principles (repetition, contrast, proximity, and alignment)?
- Displays without horizontal scrolling at 800 X 600? (Tip: Watch this demo on using Screen-Resolution.com)
- Balance of text, images, and white space?
- Good contrast between text and background?
- Do pages load quickly? Tell us about how you connect to the Internet (dial-up, DSL, cable modem, etc.).
- Home page has compelling, interesting information "above the fold?" Give an example.
- Do pages display consistently in Internet Explorer, Safari, Firefox, or Crome? (Tip: Watch this demo on using Browsershots.org)
- Navigation
- Is navigation clearly and consistently labeled? Give an example or two.
- Is navigation easy to use for target audience?
- All navigation links work?
- List and briefly describe other navigation aids used (e.g., table of contents, site map, search feature, breadcrumbs, etc.).
- Colors and Graphics
- Color used consistently?
- Color has good contrast with associated text?
- Are graphics optimized (highest quality and lowest file size)?
- Does each graphic serve a purpose?
- Image tags use the alt attribute for accessibility. (Use Firefox and Web Developer extension to view alt attributes. Watch this demo.)
- Animated images used appropriately.
- Content Presentation
- Common fonts used?
- Techniques for writing for the Web used? Give an example or two.
- Fonts, font sizes, and font colors are consistently used.
- Content provides meaningful, useful information.
- Content organized in a consistent manner.
- Information is easy to find (minimal clicks).
- Content is free of typographical and grammatical errors.
- Date of last revision or copyright date is accurate.
- Content provides links to other useful sites?
- Avoids "Click here" when writing text for hyperlinks.
- If standard link colors not used, all links use a consistent set of colors to indicate visited/non-visited status.
- Functionality
- All internal hyperlinks work?
- All external hyperlinks work?
- All forms function as expected?
- No Javascript errors found.
- Accessibility
- Is site usable without images displayed? (Use Firefox and Web Developer extension to view without images)
- Color is not used alone to convey meaning?
- Is parallel text navigation provided in the footer section of the page?
Post your critique to our Discussion Board by 11:59pm on Friday, October 30. I've created a discussion topic for each web site and you should post your critique in the appropriate topic. You might want to type it up in Word first then copy and paste it into the message box. This part of the assignment is worth 12 points.
Instructions for Part 2
Review the critiques that have been written about the
same web site you selected. By
11:59pm on
Sunday, November 1 , add at least
two comments to specific observations made by other students. Please review the
Discussion Guidelines found below before you add your responses. This part of the assignment is
worth 8 points.
Discussion Guidelines
Please follow these guidelines in all your online responses and discussion groups.
Words can mean many things and what we intend to say is not always what others hear. This is especially true of "online communication" during which other students do not have the opportunity to see your "body language" and therefore have a greater possibility of misunderstanding what you truly mean.
- RESPECT. We would like to suggest respectful exchanges as a basic ground rule. We feel that informational errors should be pointed out respectfully (even if stated strongly.). Disagreements that honor the viewpoints of the various contributors are productive and can lead to new learning and understanding.
- PRIVACY. Keep in mind not only your own privacy rights but others as well. Do not reveal any information that you deem private.
- BE CONSIDERATE of grammatical/spelling errors.
- REMEMBER that humor and satire are often misinterpreted online. Communication is more than words. So, be prepared for some misunderstanding and requests for clarification.
- BE SUPPORTIVE. We are all still learning. Our job is not to judge or condemn or even praise, although genuine encouragement is a necessary ingredient. We are here to provide information, to address topics in a discussion forum, and to provide assistance in helping each participant use her/his own unique learning style. Reflection generally precedes growth. So, reflect upon what is said, provide sincere comments, and hopefully, we will al grow.
One good way to avoid problems is to reread your postings before sending them. Something written in haste may be misread.
Created by Val Donato, Sandra Looper, Diane Hostetler, and Tom Braziunas
