Casa Basa ˜ blending art with technology

Group sections :

Producer: Production plan which includes

• task assignments
• schedule for design
• schedule for asset production: content, art, html
• schedule for proofing, functional testing, and revisions
• schedule for final release
• overall responsibility of project
• Process paper: on a weekly basis, you will update me on the performance of the team and the progress of the work. What were your trials? What worked well? What didn't?

Instructional designer: Overview describing the project goals and target audience

• description of the target audience, with reference and support materials
• source of the content (who provides) for web site
• proposed project scope - number of pages, amount of content, anticipated difficulty/challenges
• content

Content editor: Information architecture and content

• Site map/information design
• flowchart of pages
• Inventory of content with indications of media type
• content (with instructional designer)

Technical director: technical plan to include the following

• navigation design
• discussion of tools to be used
• special technical challenges (e.g. streaming video)
• page size targets
• file naming convention
• site directory structure
• site revision conventions

Art director: Storyboard, layouts, visuals

• Art direction samples, with a discussion of the design standards (fonts to be used, color palette, etc.) and design approach. 
• logo design
• navigation icons
• any technical requirements (with technical director)

Production team: Completed project

• storyboard and layouts presented to visually sell your product
• asset production: html, graphics, templates, libraries, includes, navbar
• In class presentation of finished product (week 11)

Final Project Schedule:

The Producer(s) will develop the production schedule and will inform their client (me) on a weekly basis, the status of their production teams. Assign individual tasks within their assigned roles and develop schedule. Any changes after schedule is o.k.'d must be accompanied by a change order. Below is a rough of what I want and when I expect it. It will be up to the Producer to insure this schedule is completed AND anything missing be included within the timeline.

Week 6: Create contract to include expected person-hours and the date work is expected to be completed for user-testing (Producer). Contract is due week 7; finished site for user-testing due week 10.

Instructional Designer and Content Editor begin work on Design Document, due week 8 with revisions completed by week 9. General target audience and client needs will be discussed.

Production team will present storyboard layouts of anticipated completed product, with the help of the Art Director.

Art Director will present wireframe sketches of overall page layout.

Technical Director will discuss anticipated technical challenges.

Week 7: Design comps and layout due (Art Director) for approval. If any revisions are necessary, due week 8. These will be prepared both on an 11"x17" board and via Photoshop layers.

Rough of technical plan to include technical issues, page size targets and planned tools due (Technical Director). Work with Content Editor to develop site directory structure.

Week 8: Production team will present list of assets, with project 70% completed. Expected will be navbar, template and any library and/or includes built.

Content Editor will present XHTML layout, semantic naming conventions and content for all main pages.

Art Director will present logo design and navigation icons for approval.

Technical Director will present for final approval navigation design, naming conventions, and revision naming conventions and assignments.

Week 9:

Content Editor and Instructional Designer present completed Design Documents: Target Audience, Project Scope, cited resources and research, flowchart, information design and flow, inventory of content and media used, and complete user persona.

Producer presents state of project.

Week 10: Production team presents finished project for user testing. Class critique using this rubric follows, with revisions due week 11.

Final Project:

For your final project, you can choose to produce one of the following. Producer(s) will lead a discussion of their pros and cons.

1. Re-do a band site with special fan section.
2. A site for a teacher or school, with a section for students to check grades
3. A fun site - design for artistry, make it fun, scavenger site? Site for kids? to include games.
4. California walking trails with Google map.
6. Catering site, to include menu and promotional items (e.g. downloadable coupons)
7. Political site encouraging qualified group to vote (you can choose a target audience) and a donations page.
8. Something you can get paid $$$$ for?
9. Other idea brainstormed as a group.

I expect 5 main sections, with several secondary pages. For instance, the catering site would include Home, About Us, Menu, Employment and Contact pages. Descending from these could be maps, ingredients, coupons, jobs, online applications and thank you page. Perhaps hours, history, photos and gift certificates. Most of these pages would be html, but .pdf's may be used as well.

To assist in the design documentation, as a class answer the following questions:

• What is the mission or general philosophy of this site?
• Describe its primary goals, services or products.
• Is there a tag line or slogan that can be incorporated within the general theme?
• How does this site differ from its competitors? What do you offer that will make you stand apart from the competition?
• List 2-3 similar organizations and describe their look and feel. Come up with at least one shortcoming that you will address within your design.
• List primary goal of design and what you hope to accomplish as a team.
• Who are your target audience? What do you wish for them to do with this site?
• How do you want this site to make the audience feel? How would you wish the site to be described?