XHTML and CSS, Brainstorming website.

[kitki83]

Hello,

Here how the story goes, I am learning traditional html (hand coding) and for my class (getting AA in Web Programming, maybe). I want to say I am web programmer/Graphic designer. So our class has to make a website for final project.So I decided to make it on a business, myself freelancing. The problem is I have no idea how to start brainstorming, concepting, grid layout and content. I have several examples but thats just to get an idea what content I should have for this site. But I don't know if my approach to problem is,
1. write down objectives(Page)
2. Simple Flow chart diagram of how website flows(simple layout, g
3. Photoshop website layout
4. Begin coding
5. Test website

correct.

I dont know if I am heading the right direction but for those web pros can give a nice idea on how to approach this, I will appreciate it.

Thank You,
RM

 

[Sdashiki]

Isnt this why you are going to class?

Are not all these questions addressable in class and IMO, part of the curriculum?

But, yes, you have at least some idea of where to begin.

A spiderweb drawing is always a good idea.

Draw a circle, thats your homepage.

Draw little circles around it, these are links/sections of your website found on the homepage.

Connect everything with lines for links.

Should be a good place to start.

 

[kitki83]

well, its a online class, so not that same structure as a class you go in for.

But thanks for tips, I guess iam heading in the right direction.

 

[Trogloxene]

Go find a site you like and clone it as a start. Then change it to match your needs.

-T

 

[mnkeybsness]

Go find a site you like and clone it as a start. Then change it to match your needs.

-T

Then get sued for copyright violation. Good call.

kitki83: your flow is pretty much on, just not quite as in depth as full companies take it. Generally they will issue a survey of the current status, then a survey of goals, audience, etc. After that, research competitors find better ways to do things than their sites are, then concept necessary features, create a site flow, create a mockup (revise, trash it, create new mockup, revise...), then create HTML/CSS, test and launch.

 

[jng]

For my last XHTML/CSS site (still unfinished), I had the layout in my head, it was pretty simple, 2 column layout. Then I layed out everything in Photoshop, and cut out sections I would need to have tiled as backgrounds, etc with CSS and put it together by hand in dreamweaver.

#1 and #2 are necessary for site planning and figuring out what type of layout you need. For design I start from 3. the first two steps can be done mentally if the site's easy or narrow enough.

Edit:
The last step sucks, especially with CSS/XHTML. My last design uses transparent PNGs and floats and it works fine in IE7+ and in safari and firefox (both mac+pc) but looks like trash in IE6. Boooo. That's why it's still technically unfinished.