Web Development A Visual-Spatial Approach Chapter 3 Research and Content Development

Learning Objectives Fundamental differences in writing Web content How users read content and think visually and spatially about content Guidelines for content analysis and conducting online research Guidelines for writing Web content Methods of adapting content for the Web How to develop a style sheet using Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) Important document conversion and file format issues

Adapting Content Adapting content for the Web includes developing a style sheet, thorough editing, and converting documents to appropriate file formats. A style sheet establishes consistent style guidelines for Web content. Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) is a scripting language that can be used to develop style sheets, apply visual styles, and create spatial layouts of Web pages.

How Users Read Web Content Pages should be stand-alone Can be potential visited in any order End users tend to: scan skim filter raid Re-emphasize: Web pages are different from print media!

How Users Think Visually and Spatially Reading a web page Active Reading and Thinking! Content Text Graphics Looking for Details? Looking for Generalities? Information delivered: Text Chunks

Content Planning and Research

Content Development Involves Writing content chunks Adapting existing content Converting documents to Web-viewable formats

Content Development Users read and think differently in Web sites Different than books Different than magazines Requires different approaches when writing Web content

Content Development Visual, associative, and interactive nature of Web sites  Users interact differently Also: Users have: Different learning preferences Different reading habits This affects their reading and thinking

Content Development Users: Think visually and spatially Especially when reading and interacting with Web content Affects their reading of Web content

Content Development Visual-spatial principles: Help explain how users perceive and interact with content Allows them to: Focus Fixate Solve problems Comprehend Web content

Content Analysis For the targeted end user What is the: Type of data Appropriate format of the pages and data Subject Purpose

Content Analysis Make brief analysis of each page What is it really presenting? What type of data: Text? A formatted document? Tabular information? Pictures? A combination? What is needed to effectively deliver the message?

Guidelines for Writing Web content

Content Guidelines Writing effective Web content involves Developing meaningful chunks of information Implies research into getting proper data for the chunks What is “true” data How the users can understand the data These chunks support the end users: Learning preferences Reading habits Methods of thinking visually and spatially

Content Guidelines Conducting Web research involves: Identifying goals Searching methods Assessing credibility Content analysis

Content Guidelines The basic written unit of a Web page is a content chunk Can be a stand-alone unit of text and/or graphics Developing effective chunks requires Succinct, detailed writing Careful editing

Content Guidelines Hyperlinks serve four very important functions in developing content: Outline content Show relationships Suggest concepts Indicate function

Content Guidelines Overall: Use Shorter Passages Put related pieces together Screen more “difficult” to read Different that traditional print media!

Effective Hyperlinks Use to: Example: follow the content flow of the information show relationships suggest concepts indicate function Example: A group of buttons (also hyperlinks) Imply by their order the content (and flow) Imply a relationship by the ordering of the buttons

Steps

CSS Effectively use style sheets Use external style sheets Enforce order between web pages Give a consistent look and feel for the Web site Use external style sheets Allows easy implementation Allows easy, consistent way to make changes Across the sites Web pages

Editing and Converting Editing Web content should be as detailed as editing any printed document Read through each chunk to ensure each is: Well written Edited Uses appropriate style Make sure the style is consistent with the target audience When selecting file formats for documents Select those that are most commonly used or provide documents in multiple formats to accommodate the widest user base E.G.: .PDF, .RTF, .HTM Let the purpose of the document dictate the format used

Edit CHEK GUD SPELING AND GRAMeR! Watch out for incorrect words Make sure spill Czech her haws knot past you’re core wrecked lea spelt, butt in correct whirred! Watch out for incorrect words Wrong word he instead of the her instead of hear April showers bring May flowers but both are in the the Spring Homophones your instead of you’re or yore their, they’re or there?

Document Conversion Issues and File Formats Beware of converting a Word document to an html page: HelloWorldWord.htm Created from Office Word by Save as… and using .html as file type 23,145 bytes! HelloWorldSimple.htm Created by manual typing 106 bytes? Same is true for creating a table from Excel!

Document Conversion Issues and File Formats Be careful when copying content from another source Use an option that does not copy formatting Usually a Paste Special… function

Summary

Assignment See Assignments web page for details