This week we learned about designing web interfaces. We learned about the different design issues which are color, visuals and text. For example, we learned that by combining visual elements with text you can enhance information clarity. It is also important to highlight important components. When it comes to text, one shouldn’t use all caps, or too many different fonts. Also, contrast and spacing is very important to ensure readability. Color is another important aspect. When we think about what colors to use on our page we have to consider the functionality of the color scheme. Colors should be used to provide emphasis and increase interest. We also learned about different graphic file formats. GIF, or Graphic Interchange Format, is the preferred file format for images with large areas of the same color. It supports 8 bit images. GIF files can also be used to create brief animations. JPEG, or Joint Photographic Experts Group, files are the preferred file format for photographic images and supports 24 bit images. PNG, or Portable Network Graphics, files can be 8 or 24 bits and uses a lossless compression scheme.
We also learned the four principles of design, sometimes referred to as the acronym C.R.A.P. which stands for contrast, repetition, alignment, and proximity. Contrast helps to organize your information. You can add contrast with typefaces, rules, colors, spacing between elements, textures, shapes, etc. Repetition unifies all parts of a design. Strong, repetitive elements help to organize the page into visual units. Alignment helps create unity on the page. And when it comes to proximity, group related items together and try to avoid too many separate elements on a page.
Sunday, November 23, 2008
Sunday, November 16, 2008
Usability
Over the past week our group has been focusing on analyzing the usability of the Neighborhood Health Services web site. Appropriately, we are studying usability in lecture as well.
On Thursday we learned to define usability as both a quality and a process. When testing for usability we want to know what impact the product has on the end-users. The process by which is to design the web site with the users' needs as the central focus. This is important because when a user is unable to navigate effectively through a web site to find the information they are looking for there will leave the site and look elsewhere. If a web site cannot provide the user with the information they need then that web site is not preforming its primary function.
We also learned about usability engineering, which is an approach to system
design in which levels of usability are specified quantitatively in advance, and the system is engineered toward these measures, and user-centered design, which is a design philosophy and a process in which the needs, wants and limitations of the end user of an interface or document are given extensive attention at each stage of the design process.
On Thursday we learned to define usability as both a quality and a process. When testing for usability we want to know what impact the product has on the end-users. The process by which is to design the web site with the users' needs as the central focus. This is important because when a user is unable to navigate effectively through a web site to find the information they are looking for there will leave the site and look elsewhere. If a web site cannot provide the user with the information they need then that web site is not preforming its primary function.
We also learned about usability engineering, which is an approach to system
design in which levels of usability are specified quantitatively in advance, and the system is engineered toward these measures, and user-centered design, which is a design philosophy and a process in which the needs, wants and limitations of the end user of an interface or document are given extensive attention at each stage of the design process.
Monday, November 3, 2008
Search Engines and Metadata
This week was review week. In addition to reviewing for the midterm, we learned this week about search engine optimization. This is the process of refining website content, developing inbound links, and improving overall site structure and content in order to increase the web site’s ranking in search engine results and directories. This is very important because web searches are one of the most popular methods for finding information on the web. A web site’s rank on a search results page is crucial to whether or not the site gets a hit from the user. Most users will only hit sites on the first results page. And more often than not, they will click on only the first few results.
We also learned that search engines calculate a site’s popularity based off of a combination of data about how much traffic the site receives, the age of the site, the number of links to the site, and the site’s file structure and naming scheme.
Another important term from this weeks lesson was metadata, which is data about data, more specifically in web site design, metadata is used to describe the information contained in the web site so that when users search for it on the web the search engine will associate the web site with that particular metadata being searched for (if applicable).
We also learned that search engines calculate a site’s popularity based off of a combination of data about how much traffic the site receives, the age of the site, the number of links to the site, and the site’s file structure and naming scheme.
Another important term from this weeks lesson was metadata, which is data about data, more specifically in web site design, metadata is used to describe the information contained in the web site so that when users search for it on the web the search engine will associate the web site with that particular metadata being searched for (if applicable).
Saturday, October 25, 2008
Wireframes
This week in class we have been focusing on wireframes. Wireframes are grayscale block diagram showing overall navigation and blocks of elements. They demonstrate elements a web page or application screen will contain. A wireframe does not need to link to anything and does not include any visual design. Also, wireframes must include; key page elements such as the header, footer, navigation, content objects, and branding elements, and their locations, grouping, labeling and place holders. In addition, we learned about different types of wireframes, which are high-fidelity, low-fidelity, and annotated wireframes. The low-fidelity wireframe is a rough, non-graphical wireframe which focuses on navigation elements, whereas the high-fidelity wireframe contains some color and content, and simulates the actual page.
As far as our group work is concerned, this week we began working on the new navigation system for the Neighborhood Health Services web site. We also met with our new client on Thursday at 3:00pm. Our assignment for the week is to create wireframes for certain pages of the Neighborhood Health Services web site. The lecture ties into this assignment in an obvious way. This is, the lectures were all about wireframes this week, and we are each making a wireframe, individually.
As far as our group work is concerned, this week we began working on the new navigation system for the Neighborhood Health Services web site. We also met with our new client on Thursday at 3:00pm. Our assignment for the week is to create wireframes for certain pages of the Neighborhood Health Services web site. The lecture ties into this assignment in an obvious way. This is, the lectures were all about wireframes this week, and we are each making a wireframe, individually.
Friday, October 17, 2008
Site Map
This week we focused primarily on the functionality of site maps. I unfortunately was unable to attend class on Tuesday on account of my being sick, but in class on Tuesday my group members participated in the in class activity, which was a tutorial on how to create a site map and maintain a site map. The subject of the lecture on Tuesday was labeling, which is exactly what the activity entailed. Labeling can be done with either text or icons, and are used to name contextual links, headings, navigation systems, and index items. On Thursday we learned more about site maps. A site map is a hierarchical visual model of the pages of a web site, and is used to promote usability, accessibility, and searchability. There are two types of site maps: textual and visual. In class we also learned how to build a site map using various site map building tools.
These two lectures can be applied to our current work with our client, Neighborhood Health Services, Inc. in that this week we are actually creating a site map for their web site. We are meeting as a group on Sunday in Strozier at six to create our formal site map.
These two lectures can be applied to our current work with our client, Neighborhood Health Services, Inc. in that this week we are actually creating a site map for their web site. We are meeting as a group on Sunday in Strozier at six to create our formal site map.
Saturday, October 11, 2008
More on Personas and Scenarios
Over this past week we have been working on our Personas and Scenarios for the Neighborhood Health Services web site. The purpose of this assignment is to better understand the target audience of the Neighborhood Health Services web site, so that we may take provisions to best accommodate them during their visit to the Neighborhood Health Services web site. My persona was a patient named Jamaal Williams. Putting me in Jamaal’s hypothetical situation and attempting to use the web site proved to be quite insightful, as this made specific flaws in the architecture of the web site much more apparent to me. For example, as Jamaal I found it impossible to find a phone number for Neighborhood Health Services, Inc. There was also little about the site to hold such a user’s attention for more than a minute.
In lecture this week we have been discussing organizing information. More specifically, we discussed why we organize information, and different methods for doing so. For example, organization schemes, which are best for browsing, and organization structures, which are best for hierarchical structures, i.e. top down approach.
As a group we also completed the in-class activity, which was a content inventory for our client’s site.
In lecture this week we have been discussing organizing information. More specifically, we discussed why we organize information, and different methods for doing so. For example, organization schemes, which are best for browsing, and organization structures, which are best for hierarchical structures, i.e. top down approach.
As a group we also completed the in-class activity, which was a content inventory for our client’s site.
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
Personas and Scenarios
The focus over the past week has been on how people interoperate information. For example, we discussed ways in which users access any given web site. This can be done randomly, where the user can jump in at any random point on the site. Or there is linear access, where users follow a path to their destination on the web. The third is nonlinear access, which allows for many different paths through the information space. Knowing this is useful because it helps us better understand the different ways information can be structured. It should be considered which method of access would best suit the target audience of the Neighborhood Health Services web site. We also learned how to create effective personas and scenarios, which is our next assignment.
As far as our group work is concerned, we have been working on our Client and Audience Analysis. We broke the assignment down into five sections and then compiled them together. I completed the section on research methods, interview questions, and materials gathered. We have spoken to our new client and the project is still a go. Also, we are sticking with our initial plans as closely as possible to avoid discrepancies in previous vs. upcoming assignments.
As far as our group work is concerned, we have been working on our Client and Audience Analysis. We broke the assignment down into five sections and then compiled them together. I completed the section on research methods, interview questions, and materials gathered. We have spoken to our new client and the project is still a go. Also, we are sticking with our initial plans as closely as possible to avoid discrepancies in previous vs. upcoming assignments.
Client and Audience Analysis
This week our group had a meeting on Monday, September 22, 2008 at 5pm. At our meeting we worked on and discussed the upcoming client and audience analysis of the Neighborhood Health Services web site. We created personas that encompass the scope of expected users for the site. We also each conducted a heuristic evaluation and benchmarking exercise regarding the site. This ties in with the current lectures in that we have been focusing this week on user needs and behaviors. But in order for us to be able to effectively assess the needs and behaviors of our users we must first determine who they are. More specifically, we learned about information seeking behaviors, as well as about different types of information needs. This can be applied to help us understand the users better and to ensure that all the users’ needs are met by the new implementation of the Neighborhood Health Services web site by first figuring out where the current site is lacking. We learned how to create personas as well, which proved to be quite helpful when we sat down to determine the user groups for the Neighborhood Health Services web site. The user groups we came up with were patients, doctors, volunteers, and donors.
User Analysis
On Monday, September 15, our group sat down the Mrs. McGlockton to discuss the Neighborhood Health Services web site. During our meeting we established goals for the site, as well as a "wish list" of ideas we'd like to implement for her so long as time is on our side.
The in class activities have also proved helpful in our planning process. On Thursday we did an activity to help us determine specific user groups who use the Neighborhood Health Services site most often, as well as the target user groups that the web site wishes to attract. As a non-for-profit organization NHS, Inc. relays heavily on donations. If people do no donate, then they cannot afford to see patients for free. Therefore, we have decided that donors are one user group we must accommodate better.
In class we have been discussing users a lot this week. We have learned many research methods to help us better identify the users of our site. For example, we learned about web usage statistics, which give a lot of data about user activity on the site. This is very helpful because we can use it to determine what aspects of the site are working well, and which one need more work. If a critical section of the site is not being visited as often as it should be, then we need to address that. Also we should determine what causes users to get frustrated and leave the site altogether.
The in class activities have also proved helpful in our planning process. On Thursday we did an activity to help us determine specific user groups who use the Neighborhood Health Services site most often, as well as the target user groups that the web site wishes to attract. As a non-for-profit organization NHS, Inc. relays heavily on donations. If people do no donate, then they cannot afford to see patients for free. Therefore, we have decided that donors are one user group we must accommodate better.
In class we have been discussing users a lot this week. We have learned many research methods to help us better identify the users of our site. For example, we learned about web usage statistics, which give a lot of data about user activity on the site. This is very helpful because we can use it to determine what aspects of the site are working well, and which one need more work. If a critical section of the site is not being visited as often as it should be, then we need to address that. Also we should determine what causes users to get frustrated and leave the site altogether.
Planning
Over this past week my team has been discussing ideas about what needs to be done to improve the web site for Neighborhood Health Services, Inc. We have a meeting scheduled with their executive director, Inzlea McGlockton, for Monday, September 15 at 5:00p.m., so that we may discuss the wants and needs of the corporation as well as the capabilities of our team. As a team we feel that we have what it takes to tackle the issues that their web site is facing. As team leader I have been corresponding and coordinating with my team and Mrs.McGlockton. Also I have participated in as well as helped to facilitate discussion on the improvement of the Neighborhood Health Services web site.
In class we have been learning a lot that can by applied to the project. For example we learned that we need to plan our project out in steps. It is important that we keep an eye in the scope of our project so that we stay on track as far as our progress is concerned. We also learned about research methods and discussed many important questions to ask ourselves and our clients. One key concept that I feel is useful to our project is the client and audience analysis. It is important to know what the wants and needs of the client and audience are when developing a web site. We need to be sure that the design and functions we implement will best serve those who interact most with the web site. That’s our goal as a team for this project.
In class we have been learning a lot that can by applied to the project. For example we learned that we need to plan our project out in steps. It is important that we keep an eye in the scope of our project so that we stay on track as far as our progress is concerned. We also learned about research methods and discussed many important questions to ask ourselves and our clients. One key concept that I feel is useful to our project is the client and audience analysis. It is important to know what the wants and needs of the client and audience are when developing a web site. We need to be sure that the design and functions we implement will best serve those who interact most with the web site. That’s our goal as a team for this project.
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