Find and review websites that compete in a similar industry or category, such as design firms, law firms, cafes, home goods, book stores, dentists, real estate firms, hardware stores, clothing companies, surf shops, etc. For example, if I choose to look at hardwares stores, I would search for and review the websites from Home Depot, Lowes, Ace, True Value, Orchard and/or others.

Choose two of these sites for in-depth critique and analysis. Write a critique/analysis in which you compare and contrast the two sites. Try to "think like the designers'" and understand why they made the decisions that they did. In your critique, you may wish to discuss the following questions:

1. What are the communication objectives of the site? Is there one purpose that is primary?
2. Who is the target audience for the site? Is there an audience who the site excludes?
3. What is your rationale for believing the communication objectives and audience are what you claim?
4. What is the aesthetic look and feel of the site? Why do you suppose the designer choose this look and feel?
5. Does the look and feel support the communications objectives? Why or why not?
6. Does the site have a theme?
7. How do the design elements (composition, use of color, choice of fonts/typographic design, use of graphics and photos, textures, animation, sound, interactivity, video, etc.) function to reveal the themes and objectives of the site?
8. How are principles of design such as harmony (repetition, consistency, pattern, rhythm, unity); variety (contrast, differentiation, elaboration); balance (symmetrical, asymmetrical, radial); movement (sense of movement, direction, rhythm); dominance (focus and emphasis, sense of hierarchy); and economy (cleanliness, clarity, ease of understanding, purity) applied to reveal the themes and objectives of the site?
9. Are the design elements and principles appropriately applied? Does the design complement (or compete with) the communication objectives? Why or why not?
10. How is information structured on the site? What is the site's basic information architecture? How are files and categories organized? Does the site apply a naming convention?
11. What is the site's navigational scheme and structure? Is the site easy to navigate? Do you ever get lost or confused? Does the interface present information clearly? Does the interface allow for a logical flow of information?
12. Can you easily accomplish any tasks that you might want to accomplish on the site? If yes, how did the site make it easy or obvious? If no, what got in your way?
13. What technologies (HTML, Flash, Javascript, CSS, XML, ASP, PHP, Shockwave, CGI forms, streaming (or progressive downloading) video or audio, etc.) does that site utilize? Does it utilize web technologies effectively?
14. Can you discover any incompatibility problems with the site for people using different browsers, platforms, screen sizes, fonts, modem speeds, etc.?
15. Is there anything unique about the site and sets it apart from other sites and/or competitors? Are there special features that the site employs?
16. How do you suppose the site markets itself? Does it do anything to drive traffic to itself (such as viral marketing) and/or provide reasons for return visitors?
17. What is your overall impression and assessment of the site? Does the site accomplish it's objectives? Can you think of design ideas or solutions that would be interesting or more effective alternatives?
    

Possible points: 40 points

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User Interface (UI) and User Experience (UX) are often mentioned together or separated by a slash (/), such as job listings asking for UI/UX experience. This suggests that UI and UX design are nearly the same thing or flip sides of the same coin. Is this true? If not, what are UI and UX design and what is the difference between them? What do UI and UX designers do? Include links to any sources you may cite and/or good resources that you may find in your research.

Possible points: 25 points

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Share something that inspires you related to design and media arts. It could be a site, a designer, a studio, a technology, a process, an idea... anything that has ignited your passion or sparked your imagination. Share what and why.

Possible points: 20 points

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When beginning a web design project, it's a good idea to research other sites that have similar goals and objectives as the site that you plan to build. In other words, you need to check out your competitors (direct or indirect) to find both good and bad ideas, and to find ways to differentiate yourself. You may also choose to do inspirational research, finding sites (or other media) that have effective color palettes, navigational schemes, grid structures, etc.

Find and analyze one or two sites that are similar in nature to your final project site. For example, if doing a website for a cafe, find other cafe/restaurant sites to analyze.

Analyze your chosen site(s). What are the site's communication objectives? How is information structured on the site(s)? What content is emphasized? Is there a theme? How do the design elements function to reveal the theme(s) and objective(s)? Describe what you've learned about how you might approach the design of your final project site based on this competitor/idea research.

Possible points: 25 points

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Many attribute the meteoric growth and diversity of the Internet to early telecommunication policies and the underlying architecture of the Net, which ensured that the network was an open, nondiscriminatory platform for all kinds of communications traffic. Common-carrier regulations of telephone industry dictated that no one company or organization could maintain monopolistic control over the network because lines of transmission were open to competitors and did not discriminate between differing types of content. Beyond this, the Internet's architecture and networking protocols — Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) and Internet Protocol (IP) — were open, decentralized, and nondiscriminatory by design. The protocols treat all information as equal, favoring neither content types nor content providers. Millions of websites sprang up as a result, each with an equal opportunity to attract an audience online.

But the democratic nature and spirit of openness that characterized the birth of the Internet is in danger of disappearing. According to the FCC, the "open access" requirements of the dial-up Internet do not apply to broadband cable, satellite, and DSL companies. The FCC has defined broadband Internet access as an "information service" rather than telecommunications, effectively exempting broadband companies from the common carrier requirements of the traditional dial-up Internet. Moreover, companies such as Ellacoya Networks are already offering hardware and software packages to broadband networks that give them "Total Service Control" of their network and the ability to discriminate between users, content types, and content providers. Such network control subverts the open, nondiscriminatory nature of the Internet's guiding protocols.

Comcast has used such network control to prevent or slow down the use of peer-to-peer sharing and other traffic on its networks. The FCC bolstered the fight for network neutrality by acting against Comcast's actions. But, court battles around the issue are on-going.

Recent court decisions have dealt a blow to network neutraility by invalidating the legal frameworks that the FCC did use to regulate 'information services.' Some called network neutraility "dead" as a result. But now the FCC is expected to approve regulating Internet service not as an 'infromation service' but as a public utility, again prohibiting companies from creating differing "speed lanes" for the Internet.

The FCC and Congress continue to debate rule making around Network Neutrality and the issue is far from decided.

What is network neutrality? What are the implications of an Internet without open access requirements? What are the repercussions of an Internet without Net neutrality to the use of cutting-edge broadband technologies such as file sharing, peer-to-peer communications (P2P), voice over Internet protocol (VoIP), Internet radio, podcasting, multimedia applications, video blogging, and Internet TV? Who stands to benefit and who stands to lose?

Some resources for more information:

• Save The Internet
• Free Press
• The End of the Internet?
• The Center for Digital Democracy
  

Possible points: 25 points

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What's a favicon? What file format(s) is it in? Is this a file format that Photoshop natively supports? How do you create a favicon? How do you add one to your HTML code? Where does it appear? How does it affect bookmarks? Why use a favicon? What about touch icons (or favicons) for mobile devices? What format(s) are these in and how do you include them?

Some resources:

• Mysteries of the Favicon -- Tutorial
• Favicon From Pics - Web Tool
• Photoshop Plugin
• Irfanview (freeware image editor)

• Everything you always wanted to know about touch icons
  

Possible points: 20 points

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What is semantic markup? Why should web designers use it? Why is coding "meaning" into the structure of a document important? How does this make the document more accessible and search engine friendly? Why do many designers seek to separate structure from presentation? Can you write examples of how designers might accidentally ignore semantic markup and/or how it should be applied?

Below are a couple resources. Can you find/share other good resources related to semantic markup?

• BBC Semantic Markup Guidelines
• Writing Semantic Markup

Possible points: 20 points

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Many designers have found a rigid focus on usability design stifling to creativity on the Web. The incorporation of experimental navigational systems, animation, sound, high-end graphics, and multimedia elements are often left out of sites who focus on fast-loading pages and making things as easy as possible for the user. However, as broadband connections become increasingly common, so too have many designers become increasingly interested in creating user experiences on the Web; sites where users can do more than simply read a brochure or shop at a store. Companies and designers are discovering that the Web can also be a place for drama, emotion, and a branding experience. Such designers are working in a relatively new design area sometimes called "experience design."

In your own words, define experience design. What considerations would be important for you as a designer if you were designing a site that focuses on "experience." Can you find a site that is a good example of experience design? Why is it a good example and how does it differ from other sites? Like debates between form and function, designing for experience and designing for usability are frequently put at odds. Why is this? Do you think they are mutually exclusive? Or, can they coexist in design? 

One good resource:

• Glossary of Experience Design terms from author Nathan Shedroff

Possible points: 20 points

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There is a lot of talk in the web design community about user experience and usability design. What is usability? What is meant by usability testing? What considerations are important for you as a designer if you were designing a site that focuses on "usability."

Can you find a site that is a good example of usability design and/or that provides resources or insights into usability?

A few resources for you to check out:

• Article on effective web design/usability with 10 principles to keep in mind.
• Article on 30 Usability Issues to Be Aware Of
• The site from Jacob Nielsen, probability the best known advocate of strict usability design.
• Don't Make Me Think - A good book about usability
• What resources can you find?

Possible points: 20 points

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One of the big frustrations that designers have about designing for the Web is the historically poor state of web typography. As web designers strive for consistency across platforms, they have been forced to rely on only a small set of commonly installed fonts, knowing that their ideal choice of font may not be installed on the end-users system. As a result, designers would often turn to creating images for their headers and subheads (pictures of text instead of actual text), but this has never been a good choice for body copy as it has some draw backs in terms of file size, semantic markup, and accessibility. However, many people feel that typography on the web is finally beginning to mature. Why is that? What is the @font-face declaration and what are the implications of downloadable and/or hosted fonts? What is WOFF and why is it significant? What are your impressions about the current state (and future) of Web Typography?

Below are a few resources. Can you find/share other good resources?

• Is “Good Web Typography” No Longer an Oxymoron?
• Web Typography: Educational Resources, Tools and Techniques

• TypeTester.org
• Font Matrix

• Web Fonts Gallery

• Google Web Fonts (free web fonts and font hosting)
• Typekit (huge library of great fonts, varying pricing options for commercial fonts)
• Adobe Edge Fonts (web fonts from Adobe)
• Fonts.com
• Font Squirrel (free fonts for commercial use)
• TypeCast

Possible points: 20 points

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Designers sometimes use blogging software and sites such as Blogger and WordPress as content management systems or as ways to allow clients to easily self publish. Often, they need to customize their blogging sites to fit their clients needs and/or branding.

Not so much a topic as a task, what ways can you find to customize the template you've chosen for your class blog? Can you change colors and fonts, add images, widgets/gadgets, or other elements? Try to customize your blog and report on what you've done, how you did it, and what else might be possible.

Possible points: 20 points

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Addendum: Commenting is not a default feature of Tumblr. One option for "customizatoin" for those of you who used Tumblr is to explore the use of Disqus as a way of adding comments.

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On many blogs and CMS systems, you have the option of publishing a site feed which will create an XML version of your blog for RSS syndication. What is RSS? How is it useful and/or being used? How can you use the RSS feed to track updates to your fellow student's blogs? What's an aggregator? Why is RSS less popular today than it once was? What are the limitations of RSS?

Possible Points: 20 Points

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Content on the web is found when people link to it. Search engines rely heavily on 'link popularity' (or the number of sites that link to you) to determine rankings. Indeed, what makes the 'Web' the 'Web' is its interconnected nature. Bloggers embrace this and often link to other bloggers.

In this spirit, review the blog posts of your fellow students. Leave comments on thoughful posts.

And, blog about them in your own blog. Share a link (within your own blog) to posts that you found particularly helpful, interesting, or inspiring. But, don't just say "I like this." Explain what you found interesting or helpful and expand upon it. Contribute something new to the discussion, something thoughtful of your own.

Possible Points: 15 Points

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Design and development for the Internet is a dynamic and constantly changing field. As technologies and practices change, designers need to be able to keep up. The fact is, nobody can know everything. And, there's always someone out there who knows more than you. Given this, the web design community has always been very open to sharing information and inspiration. As a designer, it's important that you learn where to find sites of information, inspiration, and resources.

Your task: find a resource and share the love. Find a site that provides information, tutorials, forums, stock resources (photos, audio clips, movies, etc.), scripts, downloads, articles, advice, design tips, or links to well-designed and inspiring sites. Tell us what the site is about and how it is useful and include a link to the URL.

Don't know what kind of sites are appropriate? Here's a very short list of resources that I like:

• Adobe Support Center (lots of tips, tricks, and tech support right from the horse's mouth)
• Smashing Magazine (online design magazine)
• Blue Vertigo (lots and lots of links to great resources for designers)
• A List Apart (articles and tutorials on web design)
• CGI Resource Index (great source of CGI programs and scripts for the Web)
• Lynda.com (video software training)
• CSS Zen Garden (Cascading Style Sheet info and inspiration)
• Favorite Website Awards (links to inspiring and cutting-edge sites)
• Rhizome.org (new media arts and artists)

Possible points: 15 points | Can be repeated 1x

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Find a site that you think is cool or cutting edge and well designed. Explain what this site is about and why you find it compelling. What makes the site cool or cutting edge and how does it differ from most sites that are out there? Are there special, unique, or interesting features to the site? Can you determine how the site was made and/or the tools and techniques that were used?

Possible Points: 15 points | Can be repeated 1x

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Students are required to:

1. Remember that the purpose of the blog is academic and that they have a responsibility to contribute to the collective learning of the group. Posts should relate in some way to course content.
2. Refrain from posting abusive or profane content. Also, knowing that others will read their postings, students should not make comments that they would not make in person to another student's face.
3. Refrain from posting links to content or materials that they have not thoroughly reviewed.
4. Strive for the best writing (including grammar use) and analysis that they are capable of.
5. Include links to outside sites, sources, and reference materials, particularly resources that may be useful or interesting to other students, whenever possible.

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Goals for the course blogs include encouraging student exploration and contemplation of issues related to contemporary web design and interactive media arts, the studios and artists making such work, and the production techniques that they employ. Students will explore the Web to find, share, and discuss issues and ideas related to web design and compelling and cutting-edge examples of web-based media, as directed by the "Blog Topics" provided above.

Given that all of the students in the class will be searching and exploring the Internet for ideas, studios, projects, resources, techniques, and other information that relate to web and interactive media design, a collaborative course blog will allow each student (and the instructor) to be exposed to more (and higher quality) ideas and resources than each may have found on their own. Beyond being exposed to a wider variety of content (and points of view) students will contribute to the "collective intelligence" of the course and play a role in shaping course content and their own experience with the course.

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