Project Overview
This document is the overview of your term-long project. The
ultimate goal of this project is to design and implement a web site
that involves many pages, several levels, interactivity. In addition,
you will be required to provide some client-side code (such as cgi's)
that may or may not actually be used in the web site.
The project will involve an outside organization. You will
have to choose this organization from a list of organizations that have
submitted proposals. Throughout the semester you will meet with this
client to design, implement, and test the web site. Part of your grade
for this project will depend on how well you meet your client's goals
and objectives.
Timetable
The general timetable will look similar to the following.
- First, you will choose an organization that you would like
to work for. Then you must set up a meeting with your client and form
goals and objectives for the web site. You will submit a formal document
(described below) that details these goals to me. The document will also
be authorized by the client.
- The next stage will involve filling out a planning
chart. You will have to again consult with your client and
determine the functions that correspond to each goal and objective and
the structural element that will be created (which may be a collection
of web pages) for each goal or objective. Again, you will create a
document that will detail the planning chart. This document will be
signed by the client and turned in to me.
- In the third stage, you are to create a general level
flow chart and a detailed flow chart. Each of these will have to be
accepted by the client before they are turned into me.
- The fourth stage will involve the creation of a flow chart with
specifications. You will have to specify exactly what every page will
contain.
- The fifth stage will involve the creation of storyboards,
and sketches. This is the visual design stage of the process. Again,
you will have to have your sketches ok'd by the client before they are
turned in to me.
- You will create the prototype during the sixth stage.
This will not be the final web site, but include web pages that are
similar to, if perhaps simplified, versions of the final pages. The
prototype will confirm the final site design with the client.
- The seventh stage will involve the final implementation
of the web site.
- The last stage will be the testing stage. You will
be responsible for testing your site on a variety of browsers and
platforms.
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Guidelines.
These will be updated as the semester unfolds.
- Your code must be XHTML complient unless your client has
compelling reasons not to. See the
w3c web site
for the details of this standard.
- You must use style sheets for your pages unless
your client has a compelling reason not to. See the
w3c web site for the details
of this standard.
- Your site must include various types of interactivity. If
your client does not require any interactivity, you can
create separate pages that you can demonstrate to me that
will not be a part of the final web site.
- You will be required to write cgi scripts for use in
some of your web pages. Again, the client probably won't want
these scripts in their final web site, so you can create separate
web pages to demonstrate the use of these cgi's to me.
Warning! Many sysAdmins won't allow users to develop
cgi's for their site, so it is very unlikely that you'll
be able to use your cgi scripts in the final web site.
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