Finished

This is my last blog post, and I think I might add some extra words here about the project; for me, this course is like a suicide mission. Or it was... I was told I had to work on computers, using technology more difficult than word and powerpoint, which was the extent of my knowledge on computers. The Planning and Research however, was relatively easy. I enjoyed learning about other things on the computer, especially the pictures editing, which I have always wanted to learn. I spent too much time on my Planning and Research, since I did not know about the timings. Thus, by the end of my first year in this project (Year 10, June 2010) I had done nothing but Planning and Research. Problemo Uno.
During the summer holidays, I worked on the designs, creating five basic designs and then choosing the best one with my client. I am quite proud of my designs, or I was until I had discovered at the end of my testing, that it was not good enough.
It was the Implementation that I failed at, in my point of view. I used a professional website maker's template, and he talked me through the steps of PHP and JavaScript. I then used his template and added all my pictures and created the slide show. I asked my client for the information and she supplied a few articles (or the beginning of them) for me.
Thus, I have learned a lot from this project. I cannot say that I enjoyed it very much. I am not a computer fan; I still read, surprise surprise for a teenager in the early 21st century, and don't spend much time on my computer or in front of the TV. However this experience has taught me a lot of valuable skills. The first one is that I shall never create a website for anyone again. The second is that I could, if I needed to.

Evaluation

I have finally finished my testing and am now commencing on my Evaluation. My teacher told me it should be around four pages (or more) so I have a lot of work to do. I think that personally, my project is relatively acceptable, although I think it could be improved with a better design for the blogs and a better filing system. From my survey, I discovered that the majority of people disliked my website because the navigation was difficult for the blogs. I am quite disappointed with that; I spent too much time on my Home Page and left the other pages blank.

Testing

I have worked quite hard on my Testing, however since my end user is not sure about Commercial Use, I have no opportunity to test and thus evaluate my end product as a commercially done. However, I am now almost done with my testing. The next stop is Evaluation.

Testing

I am now going to commence my testing. I require 4 different fields to complete:
1. In House Testing
2. In the Field Testing
3. Evidence of Commercial Use
4. Conclusion
I am now beginning this.

Photoshop

I have now finished one of my pictures on Photoshop. It has a transparent background so that I can put it on my website without the ugly white background.

Website Template

I am going to use a template of a website for my own. I am now adding pictures and text. I am finishing adding the slide show soon as well. I am taking printscreens of the work, cropping them and then putting them on word document.

Making my Website

After much struggle creating the website on my own, I finally went to see a professional website maker, who sat down with me for many hours (many, many hours) and helped make my website with me. As I mentioned earlier, I did this website using the combination of the following
PHP as my scripting language. I also used Javascript for browser interaction like slideshow, HTML for presentation and Sqlite for database for data storage.
About: PHP & Sqlite
SQLite is a database used for storing the data (like comaping with xls). The advantage is I didn't need to create a html file for each content. Whenever I needed to add a new content, all I needed to do was to add a new row (like in xls) in the Sqlite database.
PHP is a scripting language which helps connecting to the database (SQLite) and output the html
Although I had researched Tutorials for Dreamweaver, I didn't end up using any such software (because the professional told me it is for beginners) but I wrote all codes in the text editor (like notepad) I have used PHP & Sqlite to make sure your website is easily maintainable even for the next several years. If I had not used these, my website would be much less interactive (as in, if I used independant html files). Creating individual html pages for each content is very time consuming with so many dis-advantages. For the slide show, I used a 3rd party javascript plugin to generate the slideshow - http://caroufredsel.frebsite.nl/

Technical Skills

Today, after two weeks of working on Dreamweaver, I discovered I had to show all of my working on Dreamweaver by using Jing to capture videos and photos. Since I am almost done, I cannot believe this, and do not know how I shall manage to recreate all of the things I have done so that I may video them.

PHP

Because there are so many dynamic elements required in my website (the calendar, keyword search) it would be much faster for me to use a scripting language called PHP along with HTML and CSS, instead of just HTML. So instead of designing several independant html pages for each event day, we will just build one page to which we can pass the date and the script will dynamically change the result-set of the page. Since I do not have to do a line by line code, it will be faster for me to do it using PHP.

Fireworks vs. Photoshop

03.10.11
Mr. Brown helped me discover that Fireworks was not the best option for editing pictures, advising instead, to use Photoshop as a better alternative. He also helped me decide how I was going to crop my picture, instead of complicating everything by attempting to edit the pixels of the photos.

Analysising Client Comment

After thinking about whether I shall be able to create everything I put on my final design, including everything my Client requested, I realized I would have a lot more work to do. So I am going to download a free trial version of Dreamweaver on my laptop, so I shall be able to work on it at home as well as in school.

Client Communication about Final Design

I have finally managed to organize a meeting with my client. We discussed several areas of improvement for my final design, however overall, she was extremely happy with it, and cannot wait to see it up and running. She would like to know if I can have a circle or a balloon to show when Todays date is in the Calendar, and I said I would try to the best of my abilities to create that.

Initial Checklist

Today I looked over and filled in the initial checklist for Research and Planning, Originality and Creativity and Communications. I also checked the rubric, to identify weaker areas. I am now going to work on the areas that need working on, to make them to a higher standard. I believe I have a lot more work to do.

More Tutorials Needed

After a week on my website, I discovered that I would need more tutorials in order to create a better project. So I have to now research more on how to use Dreamweaver. My Fireworks skills are also greatly lacking.

Starting my website

26.09.11
Mr. Brown helped me set up by website. There was a slight problem, with the fact that the website I had chosen to host my website could not be used in Dreamweaver. So Mr. Brown is helping me set up a Local Folder in Dreamweaver, and I shall create my website directly onto Dreamweaver. From there, I shall begin creating my website.

Finished Creativty and Originality

Now that I have finished my Planning and Research section and my Originality and Creativity section, I shall begin completing my final project. I shall look back to my Planning and Research section and look through my tutorials and website makers and decide which one I shall use.

Justification of using an ICT solution:

I explained why an ICT solution is appropriate, considering other non-ICT solutions in my explanation. I also considered wider (social, organisational, legal etc) implications of providing an ICT solution. I copied this from the Planning and Research Folder, since I had already done this before.

I looked at a series of websites with the theme Newspapers vs Internet News (website 1). We are becoming more and more involved with the internet, using it now, not only to communicate with others and to research, but to stay up-to-date with the world around us. Thus the point of using ICT comes into evidence. People are using ICT more and more now, and my end user wanted to connect with the world around her, by using an ICT product, rather than a less-used product such as a weekly magazine or leaflets. This product, by using ICT, enables users 24/7 use, can be updated daily without hassle and simply becomes more enjoyable to use and easier to work with.

Comparisons and Reflections

I have also started writing about a similar product to my own and have begun to make a comparsion, focusing in detail on the differences and similarities and explaining why parts work and others don't. I am also stating why Ichose to make it the way I did indicating any originality in my design. I will also reflect on the creative and original aspects of my project.

Free Website Hosting

I have now found a free website hosting website which I have now signed up with and will connect it to Dreamworks. I will now commence creating my project.

Creative Decisions

In class last week, using my designs I explained why I had used certain techniques or tools to achieve the final designs. I wrote up about decisions I had made when choosing what material I would use or what patterns or what sound system or what camera. I gave reasoned explanations of my decision making processes throughout the project.

I think I shall remove the logo, because I cannot think of any good, original logos that my client likes. My client agrees that it is better get rid of the logo because there is nothing that she liked. She agreed that with the title in the middle, we didn't need a logo.

Daily Topics Final Design

Realizing that I would have numerous pages on the website, I thought it would be better to design one more page of the website: the Daily Topics page, so my client can see how I plan to organize the rest of the website, based on two final designs: the Home Page, which is a vital page to complete perfectly, for it will be the most visited page, and the Daily Topics, which I believe will also be a popular part of the website. Hence, I have finished two Final Designs, one for the Home Page and one for the Daily Topics section.

Equipment:

I had to state the Hardware I would need: discussing the minimum and optimum hardware requirements, as with Software: ientifing the software that I will be using to create my solution, also discussing the suitability of the software for generating the solution and identify alternatives. Since I had already done this, I copied it from the Planning and Research Folder

HomePage Final Design

I have finished my HomePage design, and will show them to my client soon. I have adapted ever so slightly the over all layout of the page, by adding dark blue strips on the side, as a sense of unity. I shall have to show it to my client, and ask her if she is pleased with it.

This is my idea of how I want my Home Page to look like. The title is flowery, yet simplistic and legible. The photo slide show stands out, as do the headers for each section, because of the fact they are in a darker blue.

Hand-drawn final designs

I have finished 3 final designs, 2 of which I showed my client and which she changed and editted according to her preferences. The third one is my final design. My client loved the Picture Slide Show, which stretches across the whole top page and which changes every few seconds. She also liked the concept of having a large calendar with hyperlinks onto pages about the date, saying that it is easier to navigate. Now I shall have to create my HomePage final design on the computer, to let my client see it with the colour, fonts and pictures.

Final Design re-drawn

Showing my final design to my client, she wanted me to change on part of it, saying that she didn't like the important news section. I also have to work on my fonts and my logo now.

What I need to Include on my Final Design

To include

• Dynamic



• Picture slide show



• Important News (quite big)



• What's New Articles



• Banners at the bottom of the page



• Drop down menu



• Daily topic



• Icons and drawings

What Not to include

• Side Menus

Client Meeting About Deisngs

I created 5 initial designs for my Home Website. I met my client on Saturday night, and we discussed all the possible parts of my designs. My client wanted the designs to be sophisticated and simple yet advanced. For one design she commented that it was too "simplistic, not dynamic enough.' The background colours she liked the most were pale blues, aquas and lilacs, because she thought that these would be the most suave and refined. The title had to be girly, yet still masculine enough for men not to feel "intimidated" and had to stand out. It had to be simple and legible - "Yummy Mummy perfect" as my client explained.

She liked the picture slide show, and wanted the Important News to be bigger. She also liked the simplistic What's New Articles section, where people may scroll up and down to view more recent, or older posts. She disliked the side menus, saying they were messy, and wanted me to move my banners to the bottom of the page, to fill in empty parts with banners.

My client wants to see these ideas in action, so my next job is to see how it would look on the computer, and finally design an overall Home Page design, that includes all the things my client desires: sophistication, simplicity, advanced and cultured yet not intimidating to either sex.

I presented my client with 9 possible fonts for the titles. Some of them, she claimed, were too scary (intimidating), illegible, spread out and wierd or ugly. However, she liked three of the eligible fonts, which she thought represented Yummy Mummy well. She also gave advice that both fonts don't necessarily need to be in the same font; she would quite like the emphasis to be on "Mummy".

I also showed my client 5 logo ideas, which she loathed. She called the woman silhouettes "horrible, messy, ugly, skinny" and said that it doesn't quite appeal. However, she liked about six colours, and wanted to know if they could be used as a combination, or if it would end up being too "messy" if it was all on one page. She wanted to know if perhaps each colour could signify a particular section.

Ideas for titles, logos and background colours

I have found a few fonts that I could use on my computer, which I shall show to my client for the title. I also created 5 logos, using a woman silhouette over the initials (YM). Depending on the font my client chooses in the end, I shall use that font for the initials of the logo. I also went online, and found a variety of colours, such as lilacs, pinks, aquas and blues. I found 18 eligible colours, varying from darks to lights.

5 initial designs

I created 5 initial designs, with a variety of differences. I included things such as banners, which my client had requested, drop down menus and hyperlink, and What's New Article spaces. However, I also thought of adding a photo slide show, and Important News section and a variety ways to present the What's New Articles and Daily Topics. I coloured in my backgrounds pale colours, such as pale blues, oranges, lilacs and reds.

Initial Designs

I am now starting my Design Period. I shall have to create 5 hand-drawn sketches as my initial designs, with different layouts, photo and video sizes and text formats. I shall have to scan in the drawings and put them in my ePortfolio, as well as show my end-user via email, skype or meeting them in person. I have to get feedback and place that in my ePortfolio as well. Then create a final Design with the feedback.

Tutorials

I have looked through many tutorial websites, which has given me a fair view of how to Photoshop or Edit Video Clips easily. Hence, I shall be able to edit pictures and videos.

Decisions

I have looked through several tutorials. I have read through tens of website hosters. However, I have decided I am going to work on Dreamweaver, and use either Photoshop or Fireworks to edit my pictures and titles. I am also going to use Fireworks to create my photo slide show.

Editing and Polishing Up

Today I reviewed all my documents in my portfolio, and the ones that I felt were not up to scratch, I worked on. I improved my mind map and my analysis of existing systems. I have now finished all of my Planning and Research.

Copy right

For each resource I use (Photograph, graphic, sound file, video, text etc) I must provide the following as evidence that you are allowed to use that resource

• Name of resource
• owner of copyright
• Fair use (if any)
• Permissions/release (if any)
• Creative commons license (if any)
• Screenshot of resource
• State how copyright laws relate to your project

I have now done this.

IEA Portfolio Up To Date Check Up

Today I assessed how much I had done for IEA Portfolio, after looking through a check list provided by my teacher for the planning and research section. I discovered I need to work on my copyright and checking up on my Brief so I know what I need to do when it comes to making my website.

User Specification

Today I created a user specification, relying on some of my other information, such as the Software, tutorials and my website specification do decide if anyone could use my website, and if the technology isn't too hard, which it wouldn't be, because otherwise I wouldn't be able to create it.

Equipment (hardware and software)

Today I created a list of hardware and software I would need, whether I would need to purchase them (which I don't) and whether this software is useable for someone who has never used them.

Tutorials

Today I looked through several tutorials. I needed tutorials for Fireworks, Photoshop and Dreamweaver. I need to understand all the terminology, such as HTML and CSS Styles so that I can understand everything about Dreamweaver and how to create a website. I have created several powerpoints specifically for the tutorials.

Survey

Today I created a basic survey on Excel, printed it out and gave it to various women around Hong Kong and to my client, who gave it to her friends. I did not create it online as the website isn't up and running, and I only wanted to give it to people who I knew, and who vaguely knew what Yummy Mummy was.
I have now compiled the results of my survey and have analyed the comment and feedback. The results from this are an integral part of the planning process and I will need to create my project based on these results, so that my website will not only have the elements that my client wants, but also the things the actual people who will use it want.

completion of the gantt chart

Today I completed my Gantt Chart on Excel. Although I found it difficult estimating the exact time frame I would need for each thing I have to create, I believe (and hope) that my predictions are accurate enough.

3rd January

In class, I spent the lesson creating a Gantt Chart and catching up with what needed to be caught up with. I have to finish the Gantt Chart for homework. As I have already finished my mind map, I only have to finish the Gantt Chart. This term, I will be working on my research, looking through magazines, websites and books to find information on how to create a good website.

Yummy Mummy Website Analysis