Web Pages: Basics

INTC 5340 Summer 2012

Defining Terms

HypertextHypertext refers to the idea of linking different

documents together using hyperlinks. A hyperlink often appears in a hypertext document as a piece of highlighted text. When the user activates the hyperlink, typically by clicking on it using a mouse, the user's view of the document is changed so as to show more information on the word or phrase concerned.

Defining Terms

HypermediaHypermedia is a term created to describe the

fusion of two other new technologies: multimedia and hypertext

Hypermedia documents are simply hypertext documents with multimedia capabilities in addition.

What it does for you

Multiple channels of information for the learner helps with processingRead it, hear it, see it – links the information via multiple

pathways Provide for learner control of how information is

presentedAdaptive to learner preferences (styles?)Navigation can allow for a variety of paths

Interest and motivational benefits

Potential problems

Information overloadToo many channels make it hard for learner to attend to

important informationCan obscure information as well

“Lost in cyberspace”Navigation difficulties can trap users If lost, focused on navigation not content

Difficult to produceTime consuming for teachers to develop

Start with a Plan Start by sketching out your site and pages

Flowchart the pages/screens and how they connect (hierarchy or web)

Common flows for web pages: Organizational Linear Heirarchical Web (or Network)

More info at: http://www.usu.edu/sanderso/multinet/wwwnavi.html

Start with a Plan

Start by sketching out your site and pages Storyboard your common page setup by drawing it

freehand (or using software) Does not have to be artistic – just convey what needs to be

on the page

Be sure to include your navigation in the storyboard Use your flowchart as a guide

More info at: http://www.public.iastate.edu/~nielandj/SCM/anatomySB.htm

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Start with a Plan

Both flowcharts and storyboards help you:Organize Insure completenessReduce errors and changes

Do not get started on the pages until you do a flowchart and storyboard!

Flowchart your site now, and storyboard the first page.

Tools for Prototyping Designs

Some great Web 2.0 tools can help:https://gomockingbird.com/mockingbird/ http://productplanner.com/

More tools at:http://www.uxbooth.com/blog/15-desktop-online-wireframing-tools/

Navigation

How will users get around at your site? Navigation benefits from:

Clarity: links are obvious visually Coherence: makes sense to the content and structure Simplicity: limited options Completeness: allows all necessary movement

Three-click (five-click?) rule: guideline stating that user can get from one part of site to any other in 3 clicks of mouse or less Useful as a guideline in designing navigation

Links

How you link depends on your design: You can embed a link in the text. You can make the link an image.

Too many links can confuse the learner.

Website Navigation Tips http://www.grantasticdesigns.com/navigation.html

Use of Color

BackgroundsSolid colors bestPastels or lighter shades often workNeed to be “easy” on the eyes (not too bright)

ContrastAchieve high contrast between foreground elements

(text, graphics) and background  Color Design for the Web

http://www.coolhomepages.com/cda/color/

Color Example

Very poor contrast

Not quite enough contrast

Good contrast but background too bright

Color Example

Highest contrast is black/white

For Web pages, some color is nice

But you need to be careful not to go

Overboard !!!

Color Example

Though terribly cute, picture backgrounds are difficult because it makes it impossible to stick to one color for text.

Fonts

Larger is not better! Don’t use multiple styles - one is enough! Generally, 12 point font works best. Some fonts safe for the Web:

Arial Comic sans Times New Roman

Graphics Three main types used on Web at present:

GIF (Graphic Interchange Format) Uses non-loss compression Limited to 256 colors Good for simple images.

JPEG (Joint Photographic Experts Group) Uses lossy compression Best for images with gradations of color

PNG (Portable Network Graphics) is a new type that is replacing GIFs

All compact images into small files suitable for sending via the Web. See a side-by-side comparison.

Graphics on the Web

Photographs Navigational tools (icons, image maps) Background images Dividing lines Explanations Clip Art

Multimedia

You can use the following video types: avi – Windows format mov – Apple Quicktime (any platform) mpg – MPEG newer popular format

You can use sound files of the following types: wav – primary format for Windows mpg – MPEG format very popular for music midi – electronic music au – primary Macintosh format ra – RealAudio type – needs plugin

Multimedia Inserting sound and movie files just as easy as

pictures Considerations:

Often large files; these make downloading slow Use only small files (1 mb or less) unless you know users

will have fast accessFormat issues since user has to have a plug-in or

player software Guidelines:

http://www.useit.com/alertbox/9512.html

Important Tips: Put everything inside of one folder

Make a folder first Keep everything for the Web site in that folder

Organization (layout) Table of contents Order: important information first

Copyright Consider page length Verify links to outside sites File names need to be safe

No spaces Lower case only