Designing a Web Site |
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Designing a
website takes a certain amount of planning, just as with planning an essay
or other composition. You have to keep several things in mind if you
intend to reach your goals. Your website has a purpose, so all the
elements of your site should help you to satisfy that purpose.
Following is a simplified strategy to help you keep on track in building
your first website. |
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1. Planning
- What are your goals?
- Who is your target audience?
- What is your competition doing?
- What features would you like to have?
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2. Sketch a
block diagram of your site. Decide on
a navigation pattern for your pages.
- How will your pages link to each other?
- Will a link open a new page when
clicked, or will it open in the same page?
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3. Make an
inventory list: |
Content: |
Collateral: |
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Logo
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Backgrounds
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Navigation graphics
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Place these items into your
block diagram. |
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4. Create a
grid (graph paper works - yes, paper!
Not everything has to be done on a computer).
- Navigation tools, logos, etc., should be
placed in consistent locations from page to page.
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5. Create
your elements
- Use CorelDraw, Photoshop, or any
available graphics program to create your images, buttons, borders, etc.
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6. Optimize
your graphics
- Convert each graphic to a suitable web
format (jpeg, gif)
- Choose reasonable sampling rate and
resolution (8 bit paletted, 72 d.p.i.)
- Choose suitable compression
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7. Organize
your folders Example: |
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8. Prepare
content
- Compose stories or paragraphs
- Review and edit images etc.
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9. Build
pages
- Optimize and organize
- Clean up HTML files
- Delete redundant files and images
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10. Test
and upload |
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T. Carson ©
2005 |