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Client Web Project
Create your
client web project using Dreamweaver. You are required to take on a web
project for a client. The client should be the leader of a business or organization,
or perhaps an on-campus department or organization. You must discuss your
client idea with me before approaching the client. There is no requirement
that the company or organization actually use your work online at the end
of the semester, but it would certainly make the project more meaningful
if it actually gets used. At the end, you should have a project of which
you can be proud. Furthermore, the project can be made available as an online
portfolio to show what you can do.
Do your development work on your USB pen drive and place
the contents in a folder called client. I want all images to be placed
in a sub-directory (or sub-folder) called images within the client
folder.
Upload your pages to the server space I provided
for you in a folder called client, (with your images in the corresponding
images folder). If done properly, the site should be available at:
http://streaming.smad.jmu.edu/smad339/lastname/client. Do not upload
source image files, such as .psd files. They will be available only on your USB pen drive.
There are three major sections to this assignment;
the Navigation Map, the Actual Project
and the Project Exhibition.
1. Navigation
Map: After the initial meeting with your client, you should put
together a Navigation Map which visually represents the structure of your
web project. The map will show each HTML file and give a brief description
of its contents. It will also show how each element is linked. The project
will consist of post-it notes attached to poster board. Each note will
represent a web page. Lines drawn (in pencil) from one note to the next
will indicate the structure. Each note should also have information drawn,
sketched or written on it indicating what the page is about. I'll want
to sit down with you to make recommendations or give feedback. After this
date, you should go over the navigation map with your client. Once you
and the client agree on the structure and contents, this will be your
contract. Once you have the client's approval, proceed to the next step;
creating your web project.
2. Actual Project: Once your client idea has been approved, meet with the client regularly. Discuss with them what it is they want to do with their web site. Make sure you discuss potential audiences. Do they want to reach current customers or attract new business? Do they want to put documentation online? If a campus department or organization, do they want to reach current students, potential students (recruitment), alumni or perhaps an audience external to the university? Do they see their site as being informational or entertainment oriented (or some combination)? Is there a logo you can incorporate? If so, is it available on disk? If not, can you create one (with their feedback)? What categories of information do they see as being necessary? Do they have any of their textual information available on disk (i.e. word processing documents)? Can they write up some of what they want to say on their web pages? Have them start working on their text. A few words of warning here:
* They will want you to do more than is physically possible. Make sure you keep their expectations reasonable. Tell them you will start with the basics and add more if there is time.
* Don't let them make you go find other employees or faculty who are to provide things like bios and other information. You will end up frustrated if you have to try to contact a whole bunch of other people. Make sure the client is responsible for acquiring such things.
* Stress that this is a "team" project. They will need to contribute time and energy to help acquire and create information.
* Let them know that you are "learning" from this assignment.
Requirements
* Develop a "Home Page" and at least 5 local links. This means that you will have to create at least 6 HTML files on your own. In many cases you will be creating many more than this. The amount is not limited in the assignment. The home page will be called index.html, but the other pages can use whatever names you'd like. (But, be sure to follow proper naming conventions).
* Meta tags: You will need to create proper keyword and description meta tags for your home page.
* (5) graphic images: Utilize at least 5 graphic images (in GIF and/or JPG format): You may need to scan material, and then enhance and improve the images using Photoshop. In other cases, you may be creating images from scratch. More than likely you will have a logo at the top of the home page. In most cases, you will be creating more than the 5 required images and there is no upper limit. You can download other graphics off the Internet and use them on your pages as long as they come from a graphics archive site which allows for the re-use of the images. In these cases, you are probably using some portion of an image, or several images, from which you can create a composite. Be careful about using "cheesy" clip-art images.
* ALT tags: Be sure to use proper ALT tags for your images.
3. Project Exhibition: Project exhibitions will occur during the last week of classes. You will be seated at the computer in the front of the lab and exhibit your project using the
computer/video projector. Give us a "guided tour" of your site. Also, you will need to address the following issues:
* Identification of Client and the client's needs
* Audience/User analysis
* What navigational structure you used and why
* Special problems or obstacles you encountered
GRADING
The Client Web Project accounts for 150 points (30%) of your final class grade. The Client Web Project has 3 parts and each part will contribute the following points to the total Client Web Project grade.
Navigation Map: 10 points
Actual Project: 120 points
Project Exhibition: 20 points
For more information about this
web site, contact Dr. Steve Anderson at anderssd@jmu.edu