Week 2 - Site Map & HP Wireframe

Couple of timely announcements to supplement our Site Mapping Lecture:

Please create your wire frames as 11 X 17 (landscape) vs 8.5 X 11. These can be B&W and the reason for the larger size is so we can all see them during critique vs. having to use binoculars...

Also, there will be a pop quiz coming up in 2 weeks. More details soon.

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Class 2 Assets

Welcome to the Site Mapping.

This week is all about Information Architecture, Site Mapping, Wireframing and Page Schematics. As we migrate from "Discovery" to "Design", we are learning essential practices, tools and deliverables that are invaluable while also ensuring you have a solid structure and flow to your site prior to applying graphics or "pixel-pushing."


COUPLE OF ANNOUNCEMENTS:
1.  When you're downloading MindManager to your account/computer in the lab, you're going to need one of the teach guys to type in a password so you can install it. I've spoken with them and they're fine with doing it. You can also download it to your personal computer (easier). You won't need it for more than this one assignment.

Assignment 3:

Create a site map of the current taxonomy for the site you're about to redesign AND a home page paper wireframe/schematic of what you think your revised (home page) structure will end up looking like prior to comping.

For the site map:

Just follow the navigation. Don't worry about mapping promos or other links that live outside the navigation. Only follow this down to quaternary (4) levels. Ensure you differentiate main nav from global/footer nav as well as any pages that go off the site or are orphan pages (pages that live outside the nav).

Take advantage of Mindjet's MindManager 9 30 day trial download. Don't forget to take the tutorial as well as check out the map gallery. **Also, for our presentation next week, if you're using MindManager, don't forget to save as PDF for projection presentation.

**LASTLY, DON'T PRESENT SOMETHING THAT IS UNREADABLE, SLOPPY OR TOO SMALL. THIS IS A PORTFOLIO PIECE/client deliverable, SO PUT THE TIME IN. ** Your site map should be the size it NEEDS to be....I'll demonstrate how to find this out in class but directions below:

Here's how to tell the actual size you should print this out at:

1. Do your thing in MindManager

2. Export as a PDF

3. Open in Acrobat (not preview)

4. Under "file", select "properties." That will tell you the size of the paper.

5. For most of you, this will be larger than 11X17 so you'll have to submit that PDF to the lab crew for printing

For the wire frame:

Just use gray boxes and simple type to describe what's going to be in that box or section - a rotating flash brand piece, news, updates, etc. ** Your wire frame should be 11 X 17 (Landscape) B&W (no color needed). Use PPT, InDesign or Illustrator to do this. No template provided.

Remember...just think structure & flow, not design.

Print both out and pin up for critique. Ensure both are in PDF format in your folder as well.

Both assignments due NEXT WEEK! Refer to syllabus for details.

Here's some past student examples of a site map and wire frame.

Site map example

Wire frame example

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Some Resources:

Information Architecture: Blueprints for the Web - If you want to learn how to structure and organise websites, then this is the book for you. From data chunking and card sorting to scenarios and task analysis, this book contains everything you ever wanted to know about information architecture for the web, and then some.

The Art and Science of Web Design: When it comes to Web design, style guides are often too boring and predictable to capture the attention of caffeine-riddled Web developers. But not The Art & Science of Web Design; this book strategically equips readers to design sites effectively.

Week 1 - Welcome / Competitive Analysis & Creative Strategy

Welcome to the Class. Following are the assignments, handouts, required reading and templates for the first week. Please contact me with any questions.

All files including syllabus, class lecture, artifact examples, templates and required readings can be found at this DropBox link.

Required Reading - One Process fits all - in DB

Required Reading-Analyzing the Competition - in DB

Assignment 1:

Get your feet wet...pick an industry from the list below and do an analysis of 6 competitive sites within that industry. Once you pick one, you will be playing designer/client and picking one of the six to redesign within our process:

Zoo/Aquarium

Automaker

Museum/Art gallery

Amusement Park/Recreation

Airline

Charity/Fund Raising

“Analysis Criteria”

What’s the mood of the site?

Site aesthetics (visuals)/on brand with messaging?

Any cool features/fuctionality/other?

Competitive analysis example and template in DB.

Always save your assignments in both the native file format (the program you created it in) as well as a PDF or JPG and upload to class folder. Refer to syllabus for details on presenting formats and dates. Also, keep all your screen shots together for your competitive analysis or Illustrator won't be able to find them and open properly.

Assignment #2

Author a creative brief for your newly proposed site. A creative brief is a summary of the overall visual and conceptual goals for the site, identifying the target audience, proposed visual and brand styles as well as any executional considerations.

Creative strategy example and template in DB.

Save in both assignments in both native format and as a PDF and upload to class folder with your last name on the folder. Also, give your files a name that makes sense such as "stevenson_cs.pdf" (for creative strategy) and "stevenson_CompAnaly.pdf" for your competitive analysis...