OUGD504 - Design Production: Studio Brief 2 (Design For Web)

Today we had an introduction to web. Simon explained the history of web briefly, which I had already researched for my Summer brief which was helpful. I still wrote some notes though which I hadn't necessary written in my research over Summer.

• In 1991 the internet was invented
• "To link and access information of various kinds as a web of nodes in which the user can browse at will."
• Steve Jobs invented the NEXT computer
• In 1992 the first image went live on the internet. All female pop group founded by CERN employees. Their initials LHC correspond with the large Hadron Collidor later built as cern
• The first ever universal image was a PNG

Terminology

• HTTP - Hyper text transfer protocol
• URL - Uniform research locator
• HTML - Hyper text mark up language
• CSS - Cascading style sheets
• FTTP - File transfer protocol (send information from one computer to the next)
• CMS - Content management system
• Static - Not changing
• Dynamic - Changeable
• Skeuomorphism - Imitate something it actually isn't (book on an ipad)

A skeuomorphism is a derivative object that retains ornamental design cues from structures that were necessary in the original.

Eg. Pottery embellished with imitation rivets reminiscent of similar pots made of metal.

Responsive design - Responsive design could be called 'reactive design'. It is 'responsive' because the design responds (it can be adapted to a variety of media using screens of various sizes).

Design

Massimo Vignelli's grid systems are still used to this day...

"The grid is the most important tool..."

What is the point?

Should only ever create a website if it serves a purpose.

To continue you need to answer these three questions...

1. What is the purpose of the website?

2. Who are the target audience?

3. What do the target audience need?

Answers for Graphic Design

1. Promote yourself

Get a job

2. Potential clients

- Show a variety of work

3. Work

Contact

Easily navigate

Engaged

Stand out

We were then shown a selection of different websites, with weak and strong designs. We all had to give our initial views by shouting out any words which instantly came to our minds when we looked at the homepage of each site. 

Apple - plain, fluorescent, dull, green, blue, simple

LCA - boring, thin, plain

BBC - jumbled, blocks

Slavery footprint - confusing

We also learnt not to work with flash plug-ins as they often affect the functionality of a website and as a result people will instantly leave the site as they will get impatient.