Blogging

To get full credit for this assignment you will need to write a blog for every single week. This needs to relate to what is being discussed on the iLabs. iLabs are posted in course shell. I would also like to encourage you to further blog about the things you are most interested in. I know some of us are not into web development, but are into other media related things. Please taken advantage of this semester to explore the things you are interested in. This is a time for you to create your own assignments and to blog about your experiences. About a page minumum for every week is required. A 2 line blog is not long enough to receive credit. I want to see some thought put into these blogs to meet the requirements and the standards of DeVry University. We need to follow DeVry policy. To encourage growth we need to reply to each other's blogs. You will also need to reply to 2 other student's blogs in addition to creating your own blog for each week. This is what we will be working on in class. You will need to contact me to let me know what you have done or you will not receive full credit.

Students Here is a complete list of our Blogs. I will be also posting these in our announcements section of our course shell.

Thank you
Mr. Morris

Our Blog Links
1. Mr. Morris - http://devrywgd229.blogspot.com/
2. Alex - http://acwgd229.blogspot.com/
3. Chris W. - http://ohbeonedevry.blogspot.com/
4. James - http://jamesmoore43.blogspot.com/
5. Joel - http://jbrodnik.blogspot.com/
6. Brandon – http://brandonsdevryblog.blogspot.com/
7. Jose  - http://bloggingblogsite.blogspot.com/
8. Todd  - http://sxracer199.blogspot.com/
9. Mychal - http://spaceheaddesign.blogspot.com/
10. Anthony - http://devryblog.blogspot.com/
11. Kris T. - http://ktwgd.blogspot.com/

For this week you will need to write about topics relating to this week's iLab (Week 3).
iLab 3 of 7: Visual Design (50 Points)

TCO addressed: 3—Given a set of specifications for a media project, evaluate page or screen layouts for the effective use of Gestalt principles and Bertin's retinal variables for visually showing relationships and differentiation between page elements.
In a media project with a complex array of content, such as what we are creating for our web design project, there need to be consistent elements for a design team to adhere to in the project. Therefore, basic wireframes are created to help the development team stay focused on the information architecture and structural design without getting sidetracked by the distraction of the visual aesthetics of the design. The wireframes you create should be two-dimensional guides displaying where the major navigation and content elements of your site will appear on the page. The wireframes should bring a consistent modular structure to the various page forms of your site and provide the fundamental layout and navigation structure for the finished templates to come.
Using the standard elements of a web page wireframe, create a basic page wireframe for each of these types of pages: homepage, contact information page, feedback page for customers, and product/service page. Make sure to utilize Gestalt principles and Bertin's retinal variable when creating the wireframe mockup pages. Remember that although each page will be designed slightly differently given the content of the page, there should be consistency of the standard elements between pages.
Each of the wireframes is to be created using Illustrator and saved as a .pdf for upload to the weekly iLab Dropbox.

1. Create a wireframe for the homepage utilizing Gestalt principles and Bertin's retinal variable.
2. Create a wireframe for the contact information page utilizing Gestalt principles and Bertin's retinal variable.
3. Create a wireframe for the feedback page for customers utilizing Gestalt principles and Bertin's retinal variable.
4. Create a wireframe for the product/service page utilizing Gestalt principles and Bertin's retinal variable.

Grading Rubric	Points
Created a wireframe layout for the homepage using standard elements and principles.	10
Created a wireframe layout for the contact information page using standard elements and principles.	10
Created a wireframe layout for the feedback page for customers using standard elements and principles.	10
Created a wireframe layout for the product/service using standard elements and principles.	10
Followed Gestalt principles and Bertin's retinal variables.	10
TOTAL	50

 

i L A B  O V E R V I E W

For Week 2 the blogs need to relate to Week 2's iLab Assignment.

Scenario and Summary

TCO addressed: 2—Given a set of specifications for a media project, evaluate the information structure as a communication solution.
Information architecture and the underlying organization of a website and its content are the most crucial parts of a website project as the organization lays the foundation. Choosing the right site structure for your audience and content is an important start in creating the organizational architecture. This week, you will be creating a structural theme for your project, such as sequence, hierarchy, or weblike. Once you have chosen the best theme for your project, discuss how this theme best fits the type of content for your web design project. You will also be creating a site map to organize the content of the web design project into categories of information. Creating a web flow or website diagram will be the last part of the project to be completed for this week. The website diagram should be more of a conceptual site diagram that communicates the site structure at a general level to clients and stakeholders. This diagram should be created in Illustrator and saved as a .pdf file.
For the website development project chosen in Week 1, create a Word document for items selecting a structural theme and creating a site map for the project. These two items may be in the same document with labels for each deliverable. Create an Illustrator project for the web flow or website diagram and save it as a .pdf.

Deliverables

1. Select a site structural theme, such as sequence, hierarchy, or weblike, and discuss how this theme best fits the type of content for your web design project.
2. Create a site map that categorizes the content of the website. Place the site map below the site structural theme discussion in the Word document.
3. Using Illustrator, develop a simple website diagram that is consistent with the site structural theme and the message of the content within the website project. Once you have finished the website diagram, save it as a .pdf file for upload to the weekly iLab Dropbox.

Upload both the Word document containing the deliverables from 1 and 2 and the .pdf file containing deliverable 3 to the Week 2 iLab Dropbox.

Grading Rubric	Points
Selected site structural theme	10
Explanation of how theme fits content message	10
Created a well-organized site map using categories of content	10
Created a website diagram that is consistent with the site structural theme	20
TOTAL	50

i L A B  S T E P S

STEP 1: Site Structural Theme

After reviewing the types of structural themes, select a theme that best fits the content for your website project. Make sure you describe the theme you have chosen, and then discuss how you feel it best fits the content for your project. Label this section of the Word document as YourFirstInitialLastname_WGD229_ W2_Site_Structural_Theme.docx.

STEP 2: Site Map

After reviewing site maps on various websites, create a site map that categorizes the content of the website for your project. Your site map should be a logically ordered site that would enable the customers to easily find a category of information they were looking for on the website. Label this section of the Word document as Site Map and place it below the site structural theme discussion from Step 1.

STEP 3: Web Flow or Website Diagram

After reviewing basic website diagrams, use Illustrator to develop a simple website diagram that is consistent with the site structural theme and the message of the content within your website project. This website diagram should include the major flow of your website design (e.g., all of the major pages you intend to have on your site). In Illustrator, use the basic shapes to create the boxes, use text to create the name of the main pages, and use lines to connect the boxes together. Once you have finished the website diagram, save the diagram as a .pdf.

STEP 4: Submit Your Work

Upload each deliverable to the weekly iLab Dropbox.

• Word document containing deliverables for steps 1 and 2
• PDF containing the web flow or website diagram

Note: Submit your lab to the Dropbox located on the silver tab at the top of this page. For instructions on how to use the Dropbox, read these step-by-step instructions or watch this Dropbox Tutorial.
See Syllabus "Due Dates for Assignments & Exams" for due date information.

i L A B  O V E R V I E W

For Week 1 make your Blogs relate to the content being talked about for the iLab for Week 1

Scenario and Summary

TCO addressed: 1—Given a set of specifications for a media project, produce a report which analyzes the information design production process.
In developing a website project, it is imperative that all of those involved in the process understand some basic elements of the project, which include the audience, the type of content and information design style that will be used on the website, and the specific goals for the website project development.
Provide a 1–2 page (500–750 words) description of a website that you would like to create, and include the basic elements listed above. Your proposed website should also include at least four information pages that the user will view and interact with. In addition, your website will have the following pages: home page, contact information, feedback page for customers, and a product/service page.

Deliverables

Your paper should include the following.

1. Description of the website for the project, including the industry which the website will be a part of (i.e., financial, commerce, health)
2. Description of the audience for the website
3. Description of the type of information or content for each page
4. Description of how the content will be conveyed on each page
5. Three specific goals for the website development project

Save the document as YourFirstInitialLastname_WGD229_ W1_Website_Development_Process and upload it to the Week 1 iLab Dropbox.
Note: Consider each of the following steps to be a section header in your paper.

Grading Rubric	Points
Description included at least four content pages.	10
Description included the audience.	10
Description included the type of information.	10
Description included how the information will be conveyed.	10
Three specific goals were given for the development project.	10
TOTAL	50

i L A B  S T E P S

STEP 1: Website Project Description

Description of the website for the project, including the industry that the website will be a part of (i.e., financial, commerce, health). The description should be sufficient to detail the type of website that will be focused on for the project assignments. Types of information to include are purpose of the website (i.e., informational vs. e-commerce): if informational, describe the type of information that will be conveyed; if e-commerce, describe the product(s) that will be located on the site.

STEP 2: Audience

Describe the audience for the website project, including the audience's expectations for the website and needs while on the website. Describe the background of the customer (i.e., expert level vs. novice computer user). Also describe how the audience will get to the site (i.e., via a search engine or through the intranet, etc.).

STEP 3: Type of Information

What types of content will be included in the project? Where will the content come from (from a database, from an existing source, or will it need to be created—and who will do the creation)?

STEP 4: How Information Will Be Conveyed

Will the information be text only? Will the information include graphics to help enhance the topics? How will the information be displayed?

STEP 5: Three Specific Goals for the Development Project

The goals should include specific strategies around which the website will be designed; how long the site design, construction, and evaluation periods will be; and specific quantitative and qualitative measures of how the site's success will be evaluated. This initial statement will form the basis for your project plan.

STEP 6: Submit Your Work

Upload each deliverable to the weekly iLab Dropbox.

• Word document containing deliverables for Steps 1 and 2

Note: Submit your lab to the Dropbox located on the silver tab at the top of this page. For instructions on how to use the Dropbox, read these step-by-step instructions or watch this Dropbox Tutorial.
See Syllabus "Due Dates for Assignments & Exams" for due date information.