Syllabus

Readings and other assignments may be added and changed as the quarter proceeds.

Week 1

April 2 (Class 1)

Introduction to course

The Web as a Communications Medium

April 4 (Class 2)

Web Genres

The Professional Portfolio Genre

Design Basics

Read Hodge, “Creating a successful online portfolio.”

Read Knight, “Essential tips for designing an effective home page.”

Examine professional portfolio websites as assigned.

Week 2

April 9 (Class 3)

Web Technology Overview

Responsive Design

Read Wroblewski, “Multi-device layout patterns.”

Read Johnson, “10 rock solid website layout examples.”

April 11 (Class 4)

Workshop Activity

Read Farkas & Farkas, “Planning the project” (Ch. 2), from Principles of Web Design.

Week 3

The Development Process

User-Centered Design

April 16 (Class 5)

Read Farkas & Farkas, “Designing and building the project” (Ch. 3), from Principles of Web Design.

Examine the spiral model graphic.

April 18 (Class 6)

Content Creation & Writing

Read Redish, “Content! content! content!” from Letting Go of the Words (Ch. 1).

Read Redish, “Writing Information, Not Documents,” from Letting Go of the Words (Ch. 5).

Peruse the Purdue University OWL website.

One-paragraph proposal for course project due

Week 4

April 23 (Class 7)

Navigation & Search-1

Read Hunt, “Designing Web site navigation.”

Read Lazarus,“Horizontal navigation menus: Trends, patterns and best practices.”

April 25 (Class 8)

Navigation & Search-2

Read Yeshin, “Improve your site with simple Web statistics.”

Read the Google Search Engine Optimization Starter Guide.

Week 5

April 30 (Class 9)

Page Layout

Interactivity

Read Hunt, “Using alignment in Web page layout & design,”

Read Hunt, “Grouping elements for clear Web page design,”

Read Hunt, “Rhythm and repetition in web page layout.”

May 2 (Class 10)

Colors & Fonts

Workshop Activity

Read Smashing Team, “The Smashing book -The ultimate guide to fantastic color usage.” (Parts 1-3).

Read Smashing Team, “The Smashing book -Typography: rules, guidelines and common mistakes.” (Parts 1-4).

Download and investigate the trial version of Color Schemer or an equivalent color scheme design application.

Week 6

May 7 (Class 11)

Designing for Inclusiveness

Peruse the Web Accessibility website of the W3C (World Wide Web Consortium). Read at least the home page.

Read the Purdue University Accessibile Web Design Handout, docx or pdf.

Examine one or more websites using an accessibility check, such as AC Checker Web Accessibility Checker.

Analysis of Web Pages due

May 9 (Class 12)

Transactions & Forms

Examine Smashing Team, “Web form design: Showcases and solutions.”

Examine, Leech “Form design crib sheet,”

Week 7

May 14 (Class 13)

The Social Web

Workshop Activity

May 16 (Class 14)

Content Management Systems

Peruse Tyler Moore, “How to make a wordpress website - amazing!.” (60 minute You Tube video)

Creative Brief due (A-K)

Week 8

May 21 (Class 15)

Web Publishing & Site Evolution

The Large Website

Creative Brief due (L-Z)

May 23 (Class 16)

Workshop Activity

Week 9

May 28 (Class 17)

Exam covering all reading and class discussion

May 30 (Class 18)

Ethics & Societal Issues

Intellectual Property

Farkas & Farkas, “Introduction to copyright law.”

Templeton, “10 big myths about copyright explained.”

Peruse the United States copyright website, Copyright.gov

Course Projects due

Week 10

June 4 (Class 19)

Presentation Day

June 6 (Class 20)

Presentation Day & Course Wrap-up

Presentations on group projects