Web Design and Maintenance Purpose What do you want to accomplish? Without a clear purpose, your site can become pointless and rambling Who do you want to reach? Your target audience determines look and feel, but also how content should be written What do you want to tell them? Have some key concepts and ideas. Distill it. Remember: people skim, not read, Web pages Avoid lengthy, pedantic or overly academic content

Purpose

What do you want to accomplish?

Without a clear purpose, your site can become pointless and rambling

Who do you want to reach?

Your target audience determines look and feel, but also how content should be written

What do you want to tell them?

Have some key concepts and ideas. Distill it.

Remember: people skim, not read, Web pages

Avoid lengthy, pedantic or overly academic content

Web Design and Maintenance

Web Design and Maintenance Content is King More important than any other element, including colors, layout or images Can be difficult and time-consuming Content Tips Supply all of the text exactly as you want it to appear Watch for abbreviations, acronyms and jargon Don't cut corners and assume we will fill in the rest Organize content to reflect the structure of your site

Content is King

More important than any other element, including colors, layout or images

Can be difficult and time-consuming

Content Tips

Supply all of the text exactly as you want it to appear

Watch for abbreviations, acronyms and jargon

Don't cut corners and assume we will fill in the rest

Organize content to reflect the structure of your site

Web Design and Maintenance Omit Needless Words After you write content, remove half the words. The page will be less noisy. Useful content will stand out. Pages will be shorter (that’s good, since people don’t read). Avoid small talk, welcomes and mission statements. Users want you to get to the point. No one reads instructions. Don’t include them.

Omit Needless Words

After you write content, remove half the words.

The page will be less noisy.

Useful content will stand out.

Pages will be shorter (that’s good, since people don’t read).

Avoid small talk, welcomes and mission statements. Users want you to get to the point.

No one reads instructions. Don’t include them.

Web Design and Maintenance Focus on the User or Student Audience determines presentation Do not focus on the perspective of your office, department or self A User Should Not Have to Ask: Where am I? Where should I begin? What am I looking at? Where did they put _____? Why did they call it that? What are the most important things on this page?

Focus on the User or Student

Audience determines presentation

Do not focus on the perspective of your office, department or self

A User Should Not Have to Ask:

Where am I? Where should I begin?

What am I looking at?

Where did they put _____? Why did they call it that?

What are the most important things on this page?

Web Design and Maintenance

Web Design and Maintenance Photo Tips Use high-resolution images Clearly display the subject Photos taken on cell phones/ webcams or that do not clearly frame the subject should not be used Avoid using Bengal Card photos Examples Good- http://www.isu.edu/english/Faculty/BrianAttebery.html Webcam- http://www.isu.edu/english/Faculty/RogerSchmidt.html Framing- http://www.isu.edu/housing/hall_rendezvous.shtml

Photo Tips

Use high-resolution images

Clearly display the subject

Photos taken on cell phones/ webcams or that do not clearly frame the subject should not be used

Avoid using Bengal Card photos

Examples

Good- http://www.isu.edu/english/Faculty/BrianAttebery.html

Webcam- http://www.isu.edu/english/Faculty/RogerSchmidt.html

Framing- http://www.isu.edu/housing/hall_rendezvous.shtml

Web Design and Maintenance Photo Examples Webcam- http://www.isu.edu/english/Faculty/RogerSchmidt.html Good- http://www.isu.edu/english/Faculty/BrianAttebery.html

Photo Examples

Webcam- http://www.isu.edu/english/Faculty/RogerSchmidt.html

Good- http://www.isu.edu/english/Faculty/BrianAttebery.html

Web Design and Maintenance Photo Examples Framing (from an actual ISU page, now removed)

Photo Examples

Framing (from an actual ISU page, now removed)

Web Design and Maintenance Photo Tips If you embed photos in a Word or PDF file, please send the original photo files separately Schedule a shoot with Photographic Services, or request photos they already have http://www.isu.edu/urelate/photo_services 282-3775

Photo Tips

If you embed photos in a Word or PDF file, please send the original photo files separately

Schedule a shoot with Photographic Services, or request photos they already have

http://www.isu.edu/urelate/photo_services

282-3775

Web Design and Maintenance Print Pieces If digital versions of print materials are available, we can use design elements from them to create a site. Examples: http://www.isu.edu/asisu/march/ http://www.isu.edu/acadaff/strategicplan/index.shtml

Print Pieces

If digital versions of print materials are available, we can use design elements from them to create a site.

Examples:

http://www.isu.edu/asisu/march/

http://www.isu.edu/acadaff/strategicplan/index.shtml

Web Design and Maintenance Example of Print Piece to Web Site: March through the Arch http://www.isu.edu/asisu/march/

Example of Print Piece to Web Site: March through the Arch

http://www.isu.edu/asisu/march/

Web Design and Maintenance Example of Print Piece to Web Site: Strategic Plan http://www.isu.edu/acadaff/strategicplan/index.shtml

Example of Print Piece to Web Site: Strategic Plan

http://www.isu.edu/acadaff/strategicplan/index.shtml

Web Design and Maintenance