Introduction
Technology and innovations have taken over the world. People are using the mobile phones, laptops, tablets in everyday life and spend the valuable amount of time working with it. Responsive Web design helps to create a page, which should be equally well displayed from different devices. It should adjust to the resolution of the given tool. Responsive web design greatly helps to arrange the information in the best suitable way for the search engine to track it, for the organization to update it and for the people to use it. (Grannel)
a) What is your website about?
The website is representing the issue of aid, support and protection of white lions. It is not a secret that white lions are under the danger of extinction, they are hunted, killed for trophies or sent to the zoos and circuses. The majority of them live in the captivity. These rare animals need national and international legislative protection along with white lion’s organizations aid. The website helps to find out more about the activities towards the saving white lions, get involved in the aid programs and donate directly to the needs of white lions.
b) Is your website fictitious or is it based on a real project?
The website is fictitious for now as it is on the first stage of the development, however, it might get the support and maintenance among masses and become a separate independent project aiming to help white lions in the future.
c) Outline how it confirms to the brief.
The oldest findings about white lions were made nearly 400 years ago due to the meteoric event. The appearance of these animals had been considered as a holy sign, therefore people of the Timbavati region had a great respect for them. (Globall White Lion Protection Trust). For many centuries, white lions have been considered as albinos, however, in the 2013 it was determined that these animals have a unique coloration gene, the appearance of which is mainly observed in the region of Timbavati. (GWLPT). For now white lions are classified as Panthera Leo, which does not allow to get more protection and financial help from the government and international organizations. (GWLPT) The majority of white lion’s protectors argue for the division of different kinds of lions into different groups in order to make the protection of their lives easier and more efficient. For now the sad statistics remain: according to GWLPT (n.p.) there are nearly 100 white lions in the captivity and 13 white lions in the wild. In this regard, the protection, aid, maintenance and care of white lions should be the first priority for the animal protectors in order to save the white lions of the total extinction.
2. Analysis of 2 competitors
a) Look for two responsive websites that deal with the same subject (or same kind of subject).
The two websites are:
http://whitelions.org/ - the website represents the project of breeding and protecting white lions in the natural conditions in the Great Timbavati region. The area is around 4400 acres, which allows the white lions to live and develop in the natural conditions and under the observation from volunteers and official members of the organization.(GWLPT) In order to protect the animals from the hunters, the area has an electrified fence which enables the strangers to intrude into the peaceful life of white lions.
http://www.pandasinternational.org - the website is designed to explore the user’s knowledge regarding the life of pandas in the wild, allow one to purchase a panda or help these animals to survive by donation. Pandas international’s main aim is to ensure the propagation and protection of the Giant Panda. Strong chain of connections with the China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda helps to support the research, provide assistance and public education for volunteers and animal protectors. (Pandas International)
b) Make screenshots of the homepage and the content page and develop the following points:
whitelions.org screenshots:
Home page - Content page
pandasinternational.org screenshots
Home page - Content page
c) (Create a table with 4 rows containing the four points and 3 columns with the 2 competitors.
Whitelions.org sitemap
Home
About Linda Tucker
Our organization
UK Trust
Our mission
Meeting the challenge
Key achievements
Our people
Our conservation strategy
Scientific protocol
World first
Ecologist’s journal
Public efforts
For the environment
Royals reign supreme
Our community strategy
Community development
StarLion education
Craft development
Public efforts
Our campaigns
O.U.R. (One United Roar)
Canned hunting – the crisis
Save the white lion petition
Public caution
Engaging and government
Supports for NGOs
Our sponsors
O.U.R
Lions Meet the royal family
Common questions
Key white lion facts
Photo galleries
Flikr gallery
Animal gallery
Volunteer gallery
Visit – How to visit – 2015
Leadership Academy
Camp unicorn
Tula house and guestrooms
Shidolo bush camp
Volunteer
Academy
News
Donate Day of freedom campaign
Sponsor a metre of fencing
Craft development program
Become a member
Shop UK online shop
SA online shop
Events
Contact
pandasinternational.org sitemap
Home
About PI
Program areas
Education
Reserves and Zoos
Blog
Contact us
Helpthewhitelion sitemap
Home
About
Get involved
Contact
d) Write a paragraph about the similarities of the three sites
Usage of images as the main attraction of the site, the same aim – to help the animals and donate to their needs, the existence of the online shops with goods (excluding helpthewhitelion), usage of responsive web design (excluding mobile size), existence of organization and participation rules for the support of animals under the danger of extinction, usage of a global navigation system, same placement of logo, grid-based system of the website.
e) Write a paragraph about the differences
Placement of website in the mobile size (whitelions.org), fonts, colours, interaction between images/graphics, amount of links on the websites: helpthewhitelion has a little amount of links, availability of social network pages, dynamic/statistic graphics.
f) Write a conclusion and describe what works well and what doesn\'t and make a list of which aspects you will use and which one you won\'t.
What works well: flash graphics with the usage of word phrases create an impression of the live participation in the described event, news; dynamic menu of the site (http://whitelions.org/), online shops, blog (http://pandasinternational.org/), possibility to subscribe to the news, donation, appropriate appearance of the site in the mobile size (excluding http://whitelions.org/)
What works bad: too many links on the site can make the user confused (excluding helpwhitelion). The site should be organized according to the rules of usability, so the user can easily access the needed information.
It would be good to use the flash graphics, blog, social network buttons, be able to call via skype directly and send e-mail requesting the needed information.
3. The elements of user experience
The Strategy plane
What are the objectives of the site?
The main objectives of the site are to find the followers and supporters of the animals which are under the danger of extinction, invite them into the community and help to save the rare species, contributing into the development of the own personality and nature.
What are the user needs? Target audience (Geographical location, gender, age group, income, ethnicity, knowledge of technology, language diversity etc. as appropriate).
The main user needs are to find the requested information fast and without a delay. The design should be user-friendly, without too bright colours, not to distract the used from the topic, without flashing of non-related topic on the website. In addition, user is supposed to find the full information on the website and place an inquiry if any via the phone or e-mail. The target audience: people who are caring of the wild animals, any gender, any age group, middle class, any ethnicity, the basic knowledge of technology in order to access the website, mainly English native speakers or English second language speakers. The given topic unites people that is why gender, age, ethnicity and location are not taken into account.
The Scope plane
Functional specifications: describe what the website will offer, which tasks the user will be able to do.
The website will offer to acquaint with the life of the white lion, see the colorful pictures and videos of it, donate for the needs of the lion and participate in the volunteer organization.
The content would mainly contain the information about the white lions, organization, aid, donation procedure and volunteering. The content in the section about (when something changes within the organization) and get involved (when new programs appear) will be updated. The site will have the only one language, however, it might have a multinational audience as the site has been designed for the people without mental and state borders.
The Structure plane
Information architecture: describe the navigation system, the hierarchy of the content. (design a site map)
The site uses Global navigation system. The hierarchy of the website has simple hub – and – spoke structure.
Helpthewhitelion sitemap
Home
About
Get involved
Contact
The Skeleton plane
Design a wireframe for the homepage and explain the reasons of your choices.
The button donate on the very top of the page and even above the logo in placed in order to bring users to action after the careful reviewing of the entire website.
The Surface plane
Submit 3 photoshop documents with the homepage for desktop, tablet and mobile formats
Works cited:
Global white lion protection trust. “Top key facts about white lions”. whitelions.org. whitelions.org, n.d. Web. 12 Dec 2015 <http://whitelions.org/white-lion/key-facts-about-the-white-lion/>
Pandas International. “About Pandas International”.pandasinternational.org, n.d. Web 12 Dec 2015 < http://www.pandasinternational.org/wptemp/6547-2/>
Kalbach, James. “Designing Web navigation”. www.safaribooksonline.com. O'Reilly Media, Inc, n.d. Web. 14 Dec 2015. < https://www.safaribooksonline.com/library/view/designing-web-navigation/9780596528102/ch04.html>
Grannel, Creig. How to design responsive websites. digitalartsonline.co.uk, n.d. Web 14 Dec 2015
< http://www.digitalartsonline.co.uk/features/interactive-design/how-think-responsively/>
