01.22.08
Week 3 – Web Site Genres
Agenda – Web Site Genres
- Lecture/Discussion
- Group project — scoping document
- This week’s assignment: web genre examples
Housekeeping:
- Picking a week to lead discussion
- Assignment due dates to Fridays
- Communicating Design supplemental website
“Each pattern describes a problem which occurs over and over again in our environment, and then describes the core of the solution to that problem, in such a way that you can use this solution a million times over, without ever doing it the same way twice”
Patterns: micro and macro
- A process for moving from a collection of “bits” to a “whole” (webpage)
- Yahoo Patterns (micro)
- Interaction Design Library (micro and macro)
Other Thoughts:
- A Constitution for a New Website
- Design as Practiced (Norman)
- Dimensions of Web Genre
- Eight Things I Wish I’d Known When I Started
- Graphics & Web Design Based On Edward Tufte’s Principles
- Improving Web Information Systems With Navigational Patterns
- Thinking In The Right Terms: 7 Components for Successful Redesign
- Understand Visual Organization
- Web Design References
Student reading reflections & questions for discussion:
- Nate
1- How have website design and technologies changed since the Ivory and Megraw study was undertaken? (ex – Number and types of links, use of non-HTML technology?)2- What are some specific examples where it is important to design for experts? - Rebekah
1- What is your response to the Ivory and Megraw finding that “Most links pointed to pages that were within the site, as opposed to pages that were external to the site.” Do internal links seem like a good practice for web design? How should readers be directed to further information that is not on the site?2- What was your response to the statement in the Ivory Megraw study that advertisements by reputable companies [may have] improved the users view of the website?3- What functions can be included in web pages that would be strictly for the expert or daring intermediate? To take Cooper’s example in chapter 3, what are the black-diamond expert functionalities that an intermediate user can aspire to? - Sarah
#1 – -> What are some basic interface designs that might cater to the lowest common denominator user?
#2 – -> What can we do as designers to prevent beginners from abandoning usage?
#3 – -> How do you create a design that is accessible to beginners and lower intermediates, without alienating experts?
Student analyses – post-week 2:
- Nate -
- Rebekah – al dente blog
- Sarah – al dente blog
Handouts
