Due to being ill last week I hope to cover as much as possible this week.
Web CT at ANU all tech notes are on this site.
Discussion and description of the course.
This course covers Web Design and Network Literacy for designer makers and visual artists. The course introduces e-commerce for designers and as such it is expected that students will host their own site and register their own domain name.
In addition to web design and mastering the tools required to publish to the web, a key area of this course is developing skills and understanding Network Literacy. In other words how to represent, think, write, promote, market and engage with others online. Students develop an understanding of the social, creative, ideological, legal, and ethical implications of publication in the context of an online network. Apart from the technical skills of developing a website the course covers developments such as social software, creative production online and the implications for designer makers.
Students plan, produce and publish a web site that may assist them in their professional life as designers and visual artists. Content is created using Adobe Photoshop and Macromedia Dreamweaver. Apart from website design and construction students engage with Web 2.0 technologies, RSS, blogging software and its use, as well as web design issues such as accessibility, usability, statistics collection, legal issues associated with copyright, and search engine optimisation.
Attendance requirements
Assessment procedures and criteria are on the Web CT site
Class presentations
Proposals Due Week 6 (normally they would be due in week 4 but I have pushed the date back due to me not being here for 2 weeks)
Developing a Work Proposal
Keeping a visual journal in semester 1 and a blog in semester 2
Planning on the Web CT see Planning: Or taking control of your project not having your project is controlling you.
How to take a screen shot or screen capture. The tech notes for this are on the Web CT site
Building a website and promoting it in a Web 2.0 world – What is Web 2.0?
How can all this effect a designer maker or visual artist ?
Discussion references
Web 2.0 … The Machine is Us/ing Us a crash course in Web2.0 created by a group of Kansas State University students at Digital Ethnography at Kansas State University. A transcription of the text is available on the site.
Introductory discussion examples
DeviantArt.com caters to all types of artists and there is some very good material there. Of course there is some bad too but then I have also seen some very doubtful stuff hang in galleries too.
Some blogs to take a look at
Craft Monkeys Check out the print shop area
Design Sponge check out the shop
Danny Gregory’s site Every Day Matters
For finding other blogs check out google blog search
References and further reading
I would like everyone to read Seth Godin’s Small is the new big
This is a good news story for anyone interested in using web2.0 technologies to promote their work BBC signs YouTube gadget reviewer Susi Weaser, posted regular 2 minute technology reviews to you tube and it won her a position with the BBC
Here is a success story from flickr
Browse Blog Bib particularly parts 1 and 2
A Definition of Web2.0 in Wikapedia
In Now It’s Your Turn Time magazine suggests that
… individuals are changing the nature of the information age, that the creators and consumers of user-generated content are transforming art and politics and commerce, that they are the engaged citizens of a new digital democracy.
Another article in same edition is Enough About You
Web 2.0: What’s Hot and What’s Not makes the point that a third of the top internet sites are Web2.0
Web 2.0 Growing Faster Than Online Video, News by Mark Walsh also points out that Web2.0 is the fastest-growing category on the Web
Planning a site and thinking about Navigation
Examining Navigation models
Deciding on the scope of your site
Modular design what is it and why use it
Planning for expansion in the future
Internet business models and how they apply to designer/makers and visual artists:
Advertising
Acting as an agent to sell to other people
Build a site to to be bought
Selling your own product
References On Navigation and site design
webstyle guide by Patrick Lynch and Sarah Horton
Martijn van Welie is an interface designer and usability specialist who has put together a collection of Web Design patterns . Of particular interest is the section on Navigation and the example of an Artist site
Four Modes of Seeking Information and How to Design for Them by Donna Maurer
Bryan Eisenberg discusses methods of determining the importance of various elements on a Web page in Five Critical and Overlooked Design Elements.
Where Am I? by Derek Powazek
Essential Navigation Checklists for Web Design
The Basics of Navigation by Sean Timberlake
The Rules of Navigation by Jesse James Garrett
A flying menu attack can wound your navigation by Shorewalker
The Website Layouts Cookbook is a visual reference of over 500 website layouts. I do not suggest that students copy these but they are ideal to prompts to get ideas flowing particularly when you don’t where to start.
Other references
Andrew Johnson of Andrew Johnson’s Web Publishing blog has written Internet Business Models
For other less conventional ways of making money online which may or may not work see 10 New Ways to Make Money Online
