Module Identifier |
MC31020 |
Module Title |
WEBSITE DESIGN ISSUES |
Academic Year |
2003/2004 |
Co-ordinator |
Dr Daniel G J Chandler |
Semester |
Semester 2 (Taught over 2 semesters) |
Course delivery |
Lecture | 10 x 1 hour lectures (5 fortnightly per semester) |
|
Other | 20 x 1 hour practical workshops (10 per semester) |
Assessment |
Assessment Type | Assessment Length/Details | Proportion |
Semester Assessment | For information on due dates for submission of assessed work, please refer
to the departmental web pages at http://www.aber.ac.uk/tfts/duedates.shtml
| |
Semester Assessment | Assignment 1, 2500 words | 50% |
Semester Assessment | Assignment 2, website | 50% |
|
Further details |
http://www.aber.ac.uk/media/Modules/MC31020/ |
Learning outcomes
On successful completion of this module students should be able to:
to identify the strengths and weaknesses of major websites
to identify the extent to which form matched function in existing websites
to design a simple functional website appropriate to the purposes of a specific target user group
Brief description
This is an optional third-year module forming part of the MCS (Media and Communication Studies) degree. Its primary aim is to a) encourage an awareness of effective website design, bearing in mind the key purposes of specific target audiences and b) to develop practical approaches to such design. Most of the existing website design literature tends to offer 'universal' principles for effective web design but, as (for instance) market researchers will be quick to point out, what attracts and suits one audience will be quite inappropriate to another. We explore website design with a focus on this issue of matching sites to target audiences. Daniel Chandler established the MCS website at: http://www.aber.ac.uk/media/ and is a consultant to various market research companies. David Gregory, web development officer for the Department of Theatre, Film and Television Studies, runs the practical workshops.
Content
Sessions are based on topics such as:
-Deconstructing some of the most popular sites (commercial, informational, personal)
-Basic design principles and what makes a bad site
-Matching form to function and users
-Navigation models and input systems
-Page layout, colour and typography
-Use of graphics (still and animated)
-Use of sound
-Interactivity (in analysis of existing sites)
Reading Lists
Books
** Recommended Text
Baggerman, Lisa (2001) Web Design That Works
Gloucester, MA: Rockport
Bruinsma, Max (2003) Deep Sites: Classic Principles of Cutting-Edge Web Design
London: Thames & Hudson
Forbes, Thom (2000) Webworks: Advertising-Not-So-Simple Basics for Web Designers
Gloucester, MA: Rockport
Lynch, Patrick J & Sarah Horton (2001) Web Style Guide
New Haven: Yale University Press
Mumaw, Stephen (2002) Simple Web Design
Gloucester, MA: Rockport
Nielsen, Jakob (2000) Designing Web Usability
Indiapolis, IN: New Riders
Nielsen, Jakob & Marie Tahir (2001) Homepage Usability: 55 Websites Deconstructed
Hemel Hempstead: Prentice Hall
Powell, Thomas (2000) Web Design: The Complete Reference
New York: Osborne/McGraw-Hill
Veen, Jeffrey (2001) The Art and Science of Web Design
Indiapolis, IN: New Riders
Web Page/Sites
** Essential Reading
Module Website http://www.aber.ac.uk/media/Modules/MC31020/
** Recommended Text
MCS website http://www.aber.ac.uk/media/
Semiotics for Beginners http://www.aber.ac.uk/media/Documents/S4B/
Chandler, Daniel 'Personal Home Pages and the Construction of Identites on the Web'. Paper for a conference of the Aberystwyth Post-International Group on the theme of Linking Theory and Practice: Issues in the Politics of Identity (9-11 September 1998 University of Wales, Aberystwyth)
http://users.aber.ac.uk/dgc/webident.html
Notes
This module is at CQFW Level 6