This course extends your web design and development skills, and includes advanced HTML techniques and enhanced page design capabilities using CSS. The key to great web design is rooted in a solid foundation, which requires a plan or a “blueprint”. We will explore best-practices in information architecture (IA) and how to incorporate user-centered design (UCD) techniques as a standard practice in your web design. Students will also develop an understanding and working knowledge or Cascading Style Sheets. Through the use of readings, examples, hands-on projects, and discussions the class will build an understanding of the foundations and applications of user-centered design to plan, build and manage a website. Through participation in a project and regular discussions, class members will experience working as active and contributing members of the class and knowledge-building community. Prerequisites: ICT 4300, ICT 3500 or equivalent experience.
Course Outcomes:
At the end of this course, students will be able to:
- Understand the web design environment
- Be familiar with User-Centered Design principles,
- Demonstrate a thorough understanding of Information Architecture,
- Create a Site Specification,
- Develop a website using User-Centered Design best practices,
- Create thoughtful naming conventions for file names and URLs,
- Implement best-practice Search Engine Optimization (SEO) techniques,
- Demonstrate an understanding of Design for Accessibility concepts,
- Create a website using Cascading Style Sheets,
- Understand modern web typography practices, and
- Create and include graphics on web pages that demonstrate understanding of the unique factors in the preparation of graphics for the web.