Certificate in Website Design

Course Overview

This course uses best practice guidance to provide a method and techniques for effective web site design. It describes a practical approach to writing and designing information for the web, and ensures that site content and organisation are measured in terms of structure, usability and style.

The key topics covered are:

• Purpose
• Audience
• Information content

The course is not specific to any particular web technology, and case study work is used to practice the techniques taught. The course provides the skills necessary to maske the transition from print to web site design.

The Impact on established methods such as DSDM, MSF and RUP is also discussed in this course.

Audience

This course is intended for anyone who is responsible for deciding on and managing web page content, structure and style.

It is also suitable for analysts, designers, developers and web masters who need to structure web sites for effective navigation and access to information.

The course does not require a technical or IT specific background.

Skills Gained

This course will enable delegates to:

• Follow a recognised framework which covers the full web development process.
• Define measurable goals and objectives for web sites.
• Analyse, structure and present information in a way that meets the specific needs of the audience, consistent with identified scenarios.
• Organise information so that it is easy to access and navigate for use on a web site.
• Present information in a visually appealing way to ensure consistency and effectiveness.
• Undertake usability inspection and reviews.
• Ensure benefits are realised from the development of Websites.

Prerequisites

Delegates should be familiar with basic internet technology and have some experience of browsing the web.

Examinations

Delegates who attend this course will be able to sit for the ISEB Certificate in Web Site Design.

Course Outline

• Introduction to the Web
• Evolution of the Internet, What is the Internet, Internet Services and technology.
• Web Site Design Framework
• Designing for the web, design strategies, a life cycle process to support web development, user centred design, roles in web development.
• Planning and Goalsetting
• Defining scope and context, mission and goals, web site purpose definition and objective statement, define usability success measures, plan skills and resource requirements.
• Site Analysis and Definition
• Users and 'Actors', analysis of audience, information and technology, setting usability targets, external business events and Use Case scenarios, analysing web site requirements, standard templates.
• Information Content Design
• Understanding and defining web content to support use case requirements. Types of information, dividing information into categories to make it accessible, best practice in content design.
• Web Site Specification
• Structure and organisation, user conceptual model, classification, feedback. Web site navigation maps, site design.
• Presentation and Style
• Design for maximum visual impact, presentation options, presentation modes, writing web pages, web style guides. Home page design. Graphics, animation and multimedia. Performance issues.
• Prototyping and Evaluation
• Prototyping and test scripts, test cases from use cases, condition analysis, scenario driven testing and prototyping.
• Usability Evaluation, Inspection and Testing
• Usability Inspection vs Usability Testing, usability engineering, user acceptance testing.
• Benefits Realisation
• Measure against purpose and goals, Implementation and launch, promotion and marketing, innovation and evaluation.
• Web Technology Overview
• Technical components of a web based solution. Technical issues concerning web based publishing, browsers and servers, linking to databases, web site development tools.
• Case study and exercises throughout.