Initial evaluation points.

Evaluation

Having completed the project in which I set out to create a three page website, I feel I have understood and learnt a range of new skills and techniques regarding web design. This is particularly in the areas of publishing, embedding and accessibility for a range of audiences.

I began with researching into the area of web design, directly towards the theme I had chosen to base my site upon. By doing this, I was able to find out some interesting ways in which the current markets have chosen to display their products, and follow some similar design techniques. I was also critical with these designs, and looked at aspects that were weaker, and so became beneficial in the later stages of the design.

I then went on to begin simply sketching and thinking about ideas which would become the content within the site. I wanted the content to have a beneficial aim and purpose, so that when I created my site, it could be used as a tool. The content was based upon an idea I have had for a while, where a collaboration of different High Street brands products where displayed in one easy to use web space. I felt the idea had potential and alongside my original theme of fashion, began thinking how I could tie this in with the current project. My initial idea was to create a large manqué in which users could drag and drop different items onto this, to mix and match different products from different shops. This is one of my test designs, and can be seen as a sketch in my sketchbook. I did several more of these and considered them critically before going on to my final design stages.

I chose a design which I felt was simple, yet challenging to develop, whilst providing the user with an interesting, interactive environment, as set by the brief. I began the final Home page design, by taking my sketch and implementing this into a Dreamweaver document using a table with two sections, one with a Flash slideshow of my own images, and the other with a description about the site, a logo and two Flash buttons which would direct the user to the Male and Female pages.

This is where my first problem arose, and with some critical feedback I was able to change this. The font used on the main text with the description about the site, was difficult to read, and I didn’t pick this up until I was given critique on this part of the page. I changed this to a simpler font, so that as a large batch of text it was easier to read for the user. You can see the changes in my blog post, with screenshots of how the page changed from the feedback given.

Later on in the project, I was also given feedback that the links on the bottom of the page, lacked a contrast to the background, and it was difficult to tell that these directed the user to the separate pages. Therefore, I used Flash Eff (a component available to add onto Flash which saves time with standard coding techniques such as Go To and Stop. It also provides animation tools.), to make these buttons animated and clearer to see that these directed to separate pages.

The three pages also proved difficult to use on different resolutions of screen, and someone found that on their laptop screen, they needed to zoom out of the page they were on to see the whole content (which is abit of a pain), so I am currently attempting to gather some code that will recognise the size of the screen being used and change the site to suit this.

To create the two content pages, i.e. the male and female pages, I used a piece of Flash I bought a couple of months back, and was interested in using. Admittedly, the coding is not created by me, but I implemented and changed the content and the coding to suit my needs. I also understand now how the coding has been structured, and how I have changed it to suit the way I had designed my page to look, and I personally like the page a lot.
Another interesting comment I received was;
“I like the roll over highlight for 'Men’s' and 'Women’s', however, how do you interact with the website or even know what the site is about when FLASH is not available? If 'not appropriate' then why is it not appropriate for site that is trying to sell item?” – David Downes
I have tried my hardest in the little time I had left to create a simpler HTML page, for those who cannot access Flash. This is extremely simple, because I had not considered this before, something that I am very disappointed about. In my continuing work on this site, I hope to develop a page that combines Flash and non-Flash attributes, so that if a user doesn’t have Flash, they can access all the content that those who have Flash can, but without the interactivity. This would perhaps be done by having JPEG images present if Flash was rejected by a machine.
I had a couple of little problems, mainly due to a lack of web design publishing experience, such as naming files correctly, (one example being P.U.S.html instead of PUS.html). I also came across problems such as invalid fonts, which would not display unless the machine had the font installed. Little problems like this have helped me understand that bit more about the difficulty in creating a fully functional site, with no validation problems.


I will make changes to my evaluation, when I recieve peer feedback and comments on Wednesday. Until then I will start testing the website, on the University server, to ensure everything is to the standards set out by the brief. I will also begin planning my presentation for Friday.