::: Assignments

Project and LRO Assignments

Project 1: Critical Analysis and Re-design of a Web Site
project 1 overview
site inventory and analysis
site prototype
final re-design
Project 2: Designing with CSS
project 2 overview
designing your new professional site
designing your portfolio
creating your CSS journal
Project 3: Designing with the CSS Zen Garden
project 3 overview
Learning Record Online
Midterm Description

Daily Assignments

For Monday, 26 April

Bobby van der Sluis:
One hard lesson I have learned is that you should never ever start any design without a good and clear concept.

Please read carefully the following short blog-entry discussions of these designers design experiences with CSS Zen garden, paying particular attention to each designer's process:

When complete, please make a list of the 5 or so zen garden designs you especially like and the 5 you don't care for. From that list of 10, make a list of 3-5 features that you'd like to try to incorporate into your design and 3-5 that you're certain you don't want to.

Then, come up with two pencil sketches of your design per group member. For example, if you have two people in your group, you should have 4 pencil sketches. Complete these sketches individually and bring them to class with you, along with your lists of likes and dislikes. In class you'll meet with your group to come up with a pencil sketch that unites your ideas.

Please also bring to class (either online or print) images that are thinking about using in your site. All images will need to be scanned into the computer by Wednesday (as will your final pencil sketch), so if you have time this weekend, get a head start and scan in any image that is not already online. I recommend scanning at 150dpi (and, if possible, saving the scanned image as a JPG); you can always lower the resolution later.

For Friday, 23 April

In class on Wednesday, two packets were handed out: one containing the sample css zend garden html code, the other containing the style sheets for two CSS Zend Garden Designs: Tranquille and South of the Border (see what South of the Border looks like). If you were not in class -- or do not have the documents -- please print them out on your own.

For Friday, I would like you to compete the following (hopefully with your partner[s]):

For Wednesday, 21 April

This assignment will get us started on the Zen Garden project. Please complete the following by classtime on Wednesday:

In class, you will meet with your partners to finalize the theme you've chosen and announce it to the class

For Wednesday, 7 April

Please read in Zeldman, the Introduction through chapter 3 -- but only if you have read chapters 9 and 11. I realize the assignments page and the schedules page were not consistent -- chapters 7 and 9 should have been assigned for Friday, and not Monday 5 April. If you have yet to read chpaters 9 and 11, please do as they are the Intro chapters and will make chapters 12 and 13 MUCH clearer. Complete the reading in the order that is now on the schedule at your own pace. I'm sorry for the mistake.

Please also continue to work on your rough draft.

For Friday, 2 April

Please read in Zeldman pages 174-180, chapter 12 (through the top of page 291) and chapter 13 chapters 7 and 9, which cover the basics of CSS, the box model, and some cross-browser text issues.

For the assignment, please add to the "test.html" file that we created in class on Wednesday the following:

Add to the "stylesheet.css" file that we created in class on Wednesday styles for the above listed HTML:

Please do not include any images at this time. Post a link to "test.html" off your current "index.html" page by 10:00 pm Thursday 1 April.

For Monday, 31 March

Please read in Clark, Chapters 7 and 8, which cover texts, links, and navigation. In chapter 7, please be sure to read 123-128 even if you are familiar with HTML.

For the assignment, please add the following to your "index.html" page: TITLE tags to all images and links, ALT text to all images, a correct DOCTYPE and language, skip to navigation links (if you think they are necessary), and ACCESSKEYS for the 3 most popular links off the page.

For Monday, 29 March

Please read in Clark, Chapters 5 and 6, which cover setting up an accessible page and dealing with images.

For the assignment, I would like you to find 5 images of varying complexity (two of them should be the ones you created for Project 1). If you consider an image containing only the word "home" to be simple, the image of the sunset on this web page to be moderately complex, and a Breugel painting to be complex, you can understand what is meant by "varying complexity." Please use the ideas discussed in Chapter 6 to write ALT text for each image. Choose two of the most complex images, and write long descriptions for them in the manner discussed in the text. Put all of the images in one HTML page, constructed as described in chapter 5, and link it off your home page. We'll discuss them on Monday.

For Wednesday, 24 March

We can call this assignment "My Two Days without a Mouse" because I would like you to spend the next two days -- between class Monday and class Wednesday -- without using your mouse. This means whenever you are browsing the web, building web pages, or anything else on the computer that does not require you to have something completed for school or work (although it would be great to see if you could complete an assignment or task without the mouse, too).

I'd like you to comment on your mouse-less computing experiences on the discussion forum by 10:00 pm Tuesday 23 March. Your commentary should describe the task you were attempting, the problems you faced, and whether or not you were able to complete the task. Discuss how it felt not to have the mouse at your disposal and how that changes your idea of computer use.

Please read in Clark, Chapters 1-4, Appendix A (read chapter 3 first).

For Wednesday, 3 March

Please complete chapters 9, 10, 11 and 12 in Adobe Photoshop cs Classroom in a Book by classtime on Wednesday (we will not be working on this in class). You no longer have to follow the instructions below for adding fonts -- they have been added to the server and will be there when you open Photoshop on your computer.

For Monday, 1 March

There is no specific assignment for Monday. Those of you who have not completed the 2 Neilson assignments that where to be posted on the Discussion Forum may find this weekend to be a good time to get those postings completed.

For Wednesday, 25 February

Please complete chapters 6, 7, and 8 in Adobe Photoshop cs Classroom in a Book by classtime on Wednesday. Follow the directions for saving files and uploading fonts described below.

For Friday, 20 February

If you did not complete chapters 3, 4, and 5 in Adobe Photoshop cs Classroom in a Book during class, please do so by classtime on Friday. Follow the directions for saving files and uploading fonts described below.

For Wednesday, 18 February

Please read and complete chapters 1 and 2 in Adobe Photoshop cs Classroom in a Book by 10:00 pm, Tuesday 17 February.

I have placed all of the lessons files in the teacher folder so you do not need to install them on computers in the CWRL. If you are completing the assignment on a computer that is not part of the CWRL, you will need to install the files yourself. Note that you must be using Photoshop CS -- no other version will work. You can see how to install the files yourself on page 3.

The book is going to ask you to save over some of the files. Please do not save over them. Instead, save all files to the Desktop, and then drag them into you own folder in the "photoshop-work" in the teacher folder. You will see folder for each lesson. Please put your work in the correct folder. These folders are not be accessible from home. (Note: I am aware that the completed files are included in the Adobe lesson folders, and have left them there so you can see how you are progessing in each project.)

On page 3 you will also see instructions for installing the Adobe fonts suggested for completion of the assignments. I have placed the required fonts folder ("CIB Font Installer") in the teacher folder. All you need to do is drag and drop the folder in: C:\Program Files\Common Files\Adobe\Fonts. This must be completed before you open Photoshop CS. If you have already opened it, just close it down and start it up again after you install the fonts. (Note: Until those fonts are on the server permanently, you will need to complete this step each time you complete the book lessons.

For Monday, 16 February

Please read Neilson: Chapters 3 and 9, and post a response to the following topic on the Neilson Readings 2 Forum Topic:

Discuss the content of the registrar site and how you think it might change as a result of Neilson's discussion of content in relation to usability in chapters 3 and 9.

Please post your response by 10:00 pm, Sunday, 15 February.

Postings should be equal to one page, double space, in Mocrosoft Word, Times New Roman, font size 12, one inch margins.

For Wednesday, 11 February

Please read Neilson: Chapter 2, Chapter 4, pages 162 - 224, and post a response to the following topic on the Neilson Readings 1 Forum Topic:

Using the Neilson's theories on usability, discuss the usability of the UT registrar site versus the usability of one other university registrar site. Please do not use the same site as the other members of group, but think critically about certain aspects you may be focusing on, or are most interested in. The posting is due by 10:00 pm, 10 February. You may also use the ideas in the suggested Alertbox reading listed on the inventory analysis page on the course Web site.

Please meet with your group members to work on Project 1. Email me wih any questions.

For Monday, 9 February

Please read in Neilson: Prologue and Chapter 1. Continue to work on your project over the weekend, using some of the tools described in Web Re-Design, starting to think about it terms of Neilson's ideas on usability.

For Wednesday, 4 February

Please design your own personal home page (file name: "index.html"), and upload it to your WebSpace account and your folder in the Teacher folder, as described in Introduction to HTML Part II. Your home page can be modelled on the sample home page we discussed in class, and must contain at the very least the following features:

Please download and use HTML-kit (it is free).

Do not use a WYSiWYG, like Dreamweaver or Frontpage. You must code the page by hand.

For Monday, 2 February

Please read the Introduction, Chapter 1 and 2, in Web ReDesign: Workflow that Works, by Kelly Goto and Emily Colter. These chapters will introduce you to the book and the redesign process that will inform the work we will do in Project 1. After reading the chapters, post a response to the forum topic entitled, What is it about the web . . . ? Responses should be equivalent to 1/2 page of single space text.

Start working on Parts A1 and A2, and two Observations for your Learning Record. These are due on Friday, 6 February, but its good to get a head start on at least Parts A1 and A2. As a way to familiarize yourself with the Learning Record Online application, please take the Guided Tour for Students. After taking the tour, please log in to the Learning Record. You should have received your password via email. Use the email address the password was sent to. We will be going over some of the features of the Learning Record on Monday, so please make sure you have logged in at least once before then.

Several of you have yet to sign up for the course email list or complete the first assignment: 5 questions about the Learning Record posted to the Learning Record Discussion forum. See below assignments for details. Even if you registered late and/or were not able to find the classroom on the first few days, you are still required to complete the work.

For Wednesday, 28 January

Please read "Getting Started with HTML" and "More Advanced Features" by Dave Raggett, and "Intro to HTML" by WebMonkey. These are short essays that will introduce you to HTML and what HTML looks like. We'll get started coding HTML in class.

For Monday, 26 January

Please make sure you have all the required materials listed on the syllabus. Read computer classroom etiquette (pop-up will open).

If you do not already have a UT email account, you are required to have one for this course. You are required to have a UT email account because yahoo, hotmail, and other web-based emails do not have the ability to handle the size of the attachment files we will be using in the course. They also regularly filter out as spam important emails from tools we will be using; if you do not have a UT email account, you will not get the necessary information. You can register for UT email at http://mail.utexas.edu, by following the instructions. (Note: When selecting a username, choose one that will professionally represent you. Employers who are receiving your resume via email who take more seriously one like, 'jsmith@mail.utexas.edu' than 'designman@mail.utexas.edu.')

Join the Class Listserve. To join, send a blank email (no message and no subject) to . You will then get a confirmation email from the system, which you simply have to reply to. After that, you will be on the list. Note: You must use a UT email address, or you will not get the email back from the system.

Register for the Class Forums. When you get to the page, select "Register" at the top right. Agree that you are over 13 years old. Enter your username, email address, and password. Your username must be in the following format: "firstname_lastname" (for example, bill_wolff). You email address, must be your UT email address. I repeat: Your username must be in the following format: "firstname_lastname" (for example, bill_wolff). You email address, must be your UT email address. I will explain the various user settings at a later date. After you sumbit your registration, you will get an email from the forum containing your username and password. If you do not have a UT email address, you will not receive this email. Press that link immediately, or you will not be able to access the forum.

Read through the Learning Record information web site -- especially the pages for students -- and come up with 5 written questions you have about the Learning Record process. Post your questions to the course Learning Record Discussion Topic by 10:00 pm, Sunday. 25 January (there is a forum on the Learning Record site; please do not use that one). We will be using your questions to frame our discussion of the LRO on Monday.

I know this a lot of registrations, but they have to be done, and done early. Their functions in the class will become clearer as you use them. Have a great weekend!