At first sight...

In this entry I would like to discuss on the web interaction and interface design. First and foremost, after thorough reading I conclude that interaction design encompasses system interfaces that prevalent in many types of media. It needs to respond to users' experience. In regards with this, users should be able to experience interaction design visually or using any other possible sensory. In addition, some interaction designs are created without graphic interface. This is common in application like Skype that utilizes interactive voice response (IVR).

In setting up a fully functional web-site, a web developer must consider these three constructs: usability, visualization and functionality.

Now, let's talk about the usability construct of a web-site. It is imperative for a web-developer to consider how his/her media item will be navigated or processed. In order to ensure this, a web-developer must take these steps into consideration:

1. Plan - Begins with a storyboard on the sequence of the pages. Then, he or she must utilize flowchart that uses standard icon. This flowchart is the summary of your storyboard.
2. Navigation samples
3. Scaffolding - the items on the web-site must be able to aid the users.
4. Navigation option - here, a web-developer must consider the outline of the website. The appropriateness of the heading, sub-units. And most importantly the appropriateness of the layout.
5. Activity - a web-developer must ensure the most appropriate navigation techniques.

• The menu and tabs must be structured well. For example www.realitylapse.com

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• Sometimes, an interface can look a tad cluttered but at the same time still usable. For example www.softpedia.com

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• At times, a web-developer prefers to utilize a pull-down (a.k.a drop-down) menu. This technique integrates flash plug-in as well as java script. This can best be seen in www.lordoftherings.net

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• Other than that, another type of navigation is known as iconic navigation. For this type, a user needs to click on the icon in order to be redirected to another link. To enlight you, check out www.spongebob.com

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• Another method that the developer can use is, page turning navigation. This is common in many websites such as, www.fitterhappier1412.com

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Other than usability, a web-developer must consider the importance of visualization of the web-site. The visualization must definitely appeal to to users aesthetic as well as visual sensory. This is because, with an appropriate visualization, the contents as well as the items of a web-site will be easily understood. Take this visual for example:

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As a web-developer, he or she must ensure that the visual used must be self-explanatory and must not overwhelm the users.Other than graphics, a web-developer must consider integrating an appropriate animation in order to enhance users understanding.

When it comes to designing appropriate text, a web-developer must consider the proper etiquette. He or she must avoid using capital letters as the body text. In addition, a good web-developer must integrate appropriate fonts, colors schemes as well as contrast. When it comes to layout management, a web-developer must know how to consolidate graphics, animation and text in a website. A web-developer must consider the target audience before designing the layout.

The final construct that is needed to be considerate is the functionality of the website. As a web-developer, he or she must exercise this question: what instructional task must my interface support? It is imperative to ensure the that the interface can support the objectives and strategies of a web-site.

So, in a nutshell, in order to be a good web-developer, I need to be very sensitive to the interactivity of my website. I also must ensure that the interface of website produced is appropriate and appealing to my target users.

The power of ONE...

In this post I am going to discuss on web project management. But, before I write any further, let ask you this question, what is management? According to Henri Fayol, management is the ability to organize, to command, to coordinate as well to control. Hence, in order to ensure the success of a web-based project, a manager must play his or her role well. Now, let's discuss on the basic guidelines on how to manage a web-based project.

First and foremost, a project manager must choose the best model of project management. For your information, there are three models, namely; Traditional Hierarchy, Project Co-ordination and Delicate Tension.

Traditional Hierarchy


Project Co-ordination

Delicate Tension

After analyzing these model, I believe the best model is Delicate Tension (DT hereafter) model. This model integrates the first two models. Moreover, DT enables the project members to be more proactive. In addition, even though Project Manager still has the utmost determining power, he or she advocates cross discussion among the team members. In fact, the team members do not have to report every single action to the Project Manager.

Later, during the execution of the web project, necessary skills within the team must be taken into consideration. The skills are;

• Strategy - ability to identify objectives, market place, opportunities, threats, competiton and et cetera.
• Management - ability to acknowledge punctuality as well as communication between team members as well as the clients.
• Architecture & design - this area of skill focuses on the ability to create interface that have two crucial elements: user appeal and user friendly.
• Content - ability to create original content and managing feeds.
  
• Programming - ability to integrate skills like, scripting, coding, database management, server management, web applications creation, so on and so forth.

Moreover, a good project management must be able to consolidate two important social skills. They are hard skills and soft skills. Hard skills encompass assertive and leadership attributes such as controlling, leading, risk taking and knowledgeable. On the other hand soft skills deal with interpersonal skills such as ability to empathize, interest for the web, sense of humor, pragmatist and so forth.

The next step is to develop the web site. Basically there are three phases involved, namely: planning, constructing and testing. When planning, a project manager should consider areas such as the user psychology, the system and the usage consideration. As for constructing, a project manager must ensure that team members to have the sufficient skills. They must also know how to use special tools, software and applications in order to ensure the success of the web-based project. Finally, when it comes to testing a project manager must ensure the usability and functionality of the website by run-testing it before publish it to the mass.

In the final analysis, as future web developer, these considerations are applicable in order to ensure the success of my web site.

FASTER than FAST...

Last week I was given this assignment. As my first and definitely foremost assignment, I am assigned to write a review of a research article. This research article has given me numerous insights and as I read the research article I realized that how situations mentioned are current as well as related in my daily life as an avid internet user and a future web developer.

The research article is entitled How Fast Does a Website Need To Be? [click H.E.R.E to read] and it is written by Scott Barber from PerTestPlus, Inc. In this research article, Barber touched on the crucial elements and considerations when setting up a website. In his research article he enlightened us regarding considerations affecting performance expectations, collecting conformation about performance requirements and determining and documenting performance requirements as well as composite requirements.

First of all, regarding the considerations affecting performance expectation, Barber discussed that there are 3 focal factors. They are; user psychology, system and usage consideration. User psychology plays a vital role in judging performance. It produces feedbacks which can be very useful to web developers. System consideration encapsulates cost and feasibility in building a system. Hence, the stakeholders need to know how to balance the two in order to achieve equilibrium. Usage consideration on the other hand touches on how the website is used since this consideration will determine the performance tolerance of users.

• Personally, after reading about these considerations I realized that I can personally relate these situations to my day-to-day experience as an avid net user. I am truly in accord with Barber when he stated that, sometimes a user feels frustrated because of his or her previous experience with the Internet connection. Last year when I was in JB (urban area) using broadband internet was a breeze until I moved to Pontian that is nestled at the outskirt of JB. I get aggravated easily when dealing with downloading and uploading jobs. Not just that, paying bills via the Net is a hassle now! Well, this is the drawback that web developers, more often than not, tend to overlook. In my humble opinion, the developer should at least do something about it.
• Another point that I like to add up is, more often than not, a website is a failure because the developers fail to consider on the common system used by the demographics. This will contribute to the unpopularity of a website. Hence, as a future web-developer, I need to consider this situation as well in order to ensure the recognition of my website.
  

Next, Barber also mentioned that, when collecting information regarding performance requirements, there are three important areas involved and they are; user expectations, resource limitations and also stakeholder expectations. As a web developer, one must consider the system and the applications used to cater the needs of the users. Another consideration is, a developer must make sure that the new system that replacing the old one must appeal to the users mentality. The stakeholders must also be realistic when establishing a web-based operation because they need to consider the availability of the resources.

• What is it to me? What relation this information has with me? Apparently, as a future web-developer, these areas of considerations are indispensable. I need to ensure that, in order to create a good and manageable web portal, I need to consider the system used is applicable to all and sundry. I also need to ensure that my web-portal is juxtaposing with the resources that I will later have. This is to ensure that the web-portal is realistic and at the same time appeals to my users.

After Barber gathered the information on performance requirements, he needed to merge it into item that can be tested. Thus he categorized the performance into three items. They are; speed, scalability as well as stability. As for speed, web developers and stakeholders need to consider the activity types, speed requirements as well as the goals for each activity. Regarding scalability a.k.a capacity, Barber believed that, it is important for web developers and stakeholders to focus on the capacity requirements. This is to ensure the satisfaction of the web users. Stability touches on the overall system stability. It also highlights on the ability of the website to maintain its performance based on any given condition. It also deals with the environment in which the website needs to tolerate. The environment here refers to component, system, inputs, usage or even hostility.

• As a future web developer, I believe this information on performance requirements are imperative since I will be dealing with users' feedback regarding a website that I have developed. This is also to ensure that my website later on can withstand any glitches and circumstances that I might encounter in a future.

To conclude, based on the findings of this research it is proven that how fast is fast (of any applications) depends on individuals' judgment. Therefore, web developers and stakeholders must be alert with the needs, activities as well as the tolerance levels of users.