W4
How can we improve on existing websites?
Websites in today’s times are the first impression for any company. They need to be dynamically updated with latest information and should be able to be accessed on laptops and mobiles. It is always best for any business to keep its website updated. Many businesses run on websites today, thus it is important to have the best and user-friendly website. Some of the ways to advance the existing website include:
Updating the Content: Content for any website must be current. It should have a section for queries so that the visitors can ask something they may not find. A search button is a must on any website – to access the content.
Search Engine Friendly: Since the time google became synonym to search engine, any website must have strategies in place for search engine optimization. That means the website must pop up if the keywords on the website match the search of an expected visitor.
Usability: In case the visitors are not finding what they need even if it is on the website – this means that the website it needs a relook. Someone from the designing side needs look at the website like a visitor, this will get an understanding of what can be improved.
Important Details: Contact details like email, phone number and address of the company should be continuously updated.
Create Blog – Blogs are the best way to connect with audience. Having a blog page about product launches, new trends, customer successes etc. will help promoting it.
What are the steps to find the source code?
For Microsoft Internet Explorer Users:
On a webpage, do a right click.
Then click on view source code.
For Chrome Users:
On the webpage there is a button with three lines at the top right corner.
Click on that.
Then click on View source.
For Mozilla Firefox users
Press on CTRL + U on the keyboard to view source code (Work, 2016)
What is the benefit of viewing source code on the Web?
Source code gives a look and feel to a webpage. In case someone is unable to view the source code it will be difficult to make changes in the page. The biggest advantage of having source code known is to let the search engines promote your page. A search engine reads the source code of the webpage and determines whether or not the page should appear at for particular search. Thus the search engine optimizer gets helped and the webpage pops at relevant searches.
What is the purpose of the World Wide Web Consortium and what work does it perform?
The World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) is a community of member organizations which help in developing web standards ("About W3C", 2016). The consortium has full-time staff and by the end of November 2015 had 408 member organizations. W3C's develops protocols and guidelines to ensure substantial and significant growth for the Web. The consortium defines the key parts of the web. The consortium sets up definitions, and guidelines for World Wide Web to perform as expected. Though the consortium does not have a validation service, they provide a free service to validate Web pages whether they are in standard format or not.
What are the benefits of diagramming your site before you begin coding?
After a decision to create a website, one needs to clearly understand and define how the website will look like. A site map is very crucial for before planning to code the website. The best way to plan is to have a diagram done for the website architecture. This helps in creating navigation paths the visitors of the website may follow. A pictorial representation of pages and sub-pages must be done before to have them link during the coding phase. A website must be viewed from a visitor’s perspective and not from the designer’s perspective. The pictorial representation helps the designers understand the navigation challenges and at that stage it can be fixed. Thus, content can also be tailored as per the requirements of the website promoter (→, 2011).
What are the benefits of using a text editor to create a website?
Any website besides having images, has a lot of text, thus text editors are the most important part of website designing. Text editors are the most common editors used while designing a website. It is also important to choose the best text editor from among many available choices. Some of its advantages include:
It is easy to use and anyone can create it
It is a faster way of creating websites
It does not require a prior programming knowledge
It provides a great platform for the designer to start learn HTML
It is cheaper as it does not require any other software. Notepad is a free ware with Windows
It is very flexible and the author has complete control over the code
What are the advantages of linking by using text instead of graphics?
List and explain two (2) ways to break up lengthy HTML pages.
Too much content on any single page should be avoided as it may lose the interest of the viewer. Content needs to be broken down into easily digestible formats maybe topic wise or region wise. But many a times longer text are need of a subject. One way to break the monotony of the subject is by using graphics. Thus placing the graphic at right places in a lengthy page helps the viewer keep the interest alive.
Technically for a designer there are two ways to break lengthy HTML code
Break the lengthy content in different documents
An internal link process can be established to connect the two broken pieces
Flexible design is also called as liquid design. It adapts to a numerous browsers. It can be accessed via multiple operating systems and can have many screen resolutions. In today’s times when webpages are not accessed only on laptops and computers flexible design has become mandatory. Thus the website needs to fit the screen of a phone tablet or a computer. This can only be done if designs were made flexible.
Identify and explain three (3) common types of navigation used on the most popular Websites. What is a Wireframe used for in Web design?
The three type of navigation patterns of website are: tab navigation, header navigation and footer navigation ("Navigation patterns for ten common types of websites", 2016).
Tabs are the best and most adopted navigation options, because of their user friendly interface. But they work best only when there are limited choices on the main page.
Having a header navigation is best when the users expected on the page are used to looking at headers. It is assumed that the navigation becomes easy if the headers are put beside the headers.
Many websites, in addition to having other navigation patters also have footer navigation. It works best when the webpage is longer. Generally footers have sitemap, contact information and about us links.
Wire framing is a screen designing process. It helps in segregating the information hierarchy of the design so that the owner of the website can dictate the way user should access the data on the website. It’s similar to a blueprint design of a building. Wireframes are useful in determining the user interfaces of a website.
Of what four (4) conditions for use should you be aware when identifying your target audience?
What are the four (4) design principles that you should follow when developing your web site, and how is each defined?
What is a grid and how is it used in relationship to a web page?
Grid is a representation of website design (Website, 2016). They are intended make the ordering and placing of content on a website in a logical way. It gives a website a professional and a more confident view.
Grids are useful or organizing and presenting information.
Grid enhances the user experience of a website allowing user-friendly patterns.
Grid helps in creating systematic layouts.
Grids are a better and creative way for representing information on a website.
A good usage of grid will help the website have balance and symmetry to the content
References:
Work, S. (2016). How to Read Your Website Source Code and Why It’s Important. Retrieved 19 May 2016, from https://blog.kissmetrics.com/how-to-read-source-code/
About W3C. (2016). W3.org. Retrieved 19 May 2016, from https://www.w3.org/Consortium/
→, V. (2011). Plan your website before you start building it : Phases of website designing.Creately Blog | Diagramming Articles and Tips on How to Draw Diagrams. Retrieved 19 May 2016, from http://creately.com/blog/diagrams/plan-your-website-before-you-start-building-it-phases-of-website-designing/
Navigation patterns for ten common types of websites. (2016). Webdesigner Depot. Retrieved 19 May 2016, from http://www.webdesignerdepot.com/2011/11/navigation-patterns-for-ten-common-types-of-websites/
Website, U. (2016). Use Grid System Layouts on Your Website - For Dummies. Dummies.com. Retrieved 19 May 2016, from http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/use-grid-system-layouts-on-your-website.html
