Introduction to Writ 573 (G)
Course Overview Fall for 2008:
An updated syllabus will be available sometime in June.
A statement from the instructor. The fall session of Writ 573 has a strong technical component in that you will learn to hand-code websites. We will start from the beginning so prior experience though helpful is not required (just expect to work a little harder). We'll also spend significant time on usability, user centered design, writing for the web, and website analysis.
In the meantime, note the course objectives below and feel free to contact me with any questions.
Upon successful completion of the course, you will be able to:
- Create websites using the latest Web Standards authoring techniques.
- Analyze websites in terms of writing, design, and structure and know what works and what doesn’t work.
- Effectively communicate the above using language and concepts common to the web professional discourse community.
- Propose effective web solutions for new sites, as well as re-designs and modifications of existing sites.
- Understand and conduct a web usability test.
- Understand and create effective writing for the web.
- Either do the work yourself, or understand projects so you can effectively communicate or delegate specifics to other team members.
- There will also be a session on creating and managing larger projects using Dreamweaver templates and Contribute.
You will also develop portfolio pieces in the form of your own website and a collaborative community service website for the group project. Refer to the student portfolio page (main navigation).
Core Knowledge Areas
- Web Usability: learn about that which allows users to effortlessly utilize key functions, access information, and identify goals for any website.
- User Centered Design: Learn how to methodically develop a web presence centered on the user experience
- Effective Writing for the web: Learn common approaches for effective written communication in the context of the web
- Aesthetics: How important are aesthetics in terms of design considerations and how does it relate to user centered design
Practical Application
- Internet fundamentals: Understand internet basics including the relation between servers and individual web browsers (client); how to create a local development environment; how to transfer files to a server (FTP), and when to process functions on the server or in the web browser (client-side)
- HTML CSS coding: Learn the fundamentals of marking up content (HTML) and style (CSS) using a Web Standards approach
- Image editing and creation: Learn how to create graphics and edit images for use on the web
- Navigation and Web Page creation: Create web pages in multi-column layouts and navigation systems using Web Standards authoring.
- Dreamweaver: use Dreamweaver to manage websites with templates and Adobe Contribute
Required Textbooks
- Don't Make Me Think: A Common Sense Approach to Web Usability (2nd Edition)
by Steve Krug
- Beginning CSS Web Development: From Novice to Professional
by Simon Collison
Recommended Texts for Advance Reference
- CSS Mastery: Advanced Web Standards Solutions
by Andy Budd, Simon Collison, Cameron Moll
- Bulletproof Web Design: Improving flexibility and protecting against worst-case scenarios with XHTML and CSS (2nd Edition) (Paperback)
by Dan Cederholm
People often ask me:
What's the most important thing I should do if I want to make sure my Web site is easy to use?
The answer is simple.
It's not"Nothing important should ever be more than two clicks away," or "Speak the user's language," or even "Be consistent."
it's...
"Don't make me think!"
Steve Krug
Why didn't we do this sooner?
— What everyone says at some point during the first usability test of their web site.
Steve Krug