Design Principles

Learn the basics of planning and designing a user-focused website.

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Course details

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Registration details

Design Principles

Learn the basics of planning and designing a user-focused website.

What you’ll be able to do — competencies

  • Establish the purpose and goals of the website
  • Identify the characteristics and needs of the website’s audience
  • Create a site architecture diagram that describes the website’s information flow
  • Develop a navigation plan for the website
  • Write the design specification for the website
  • Determine the publishing environment for the website

Course description

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Explore the planning and design phase of creating a user-focused site. This course covers the steps to take before you start building, including defining the purpose and audience; outlining the structure and navigation; and designing the look and feel. In this class, you will create a detailed plan for your site.

Prerequisites

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  • Students should have a basic knowledge of the Web and browsers
  • Participants should be proficient with navigating to folders and files; opening, saving and closing files; and using menus, toolbars and dialog boxes

Syllabus

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Establish the purpose and goals of the website.

  • Write a mission statement for the website
  • Develop measurable website goals
  • Compare the strengths and weaknesses of competitor websites

Identify the characteristics and needs of the website’s audience.

  • Identify the relevant demographic and psychographic characteristics of the website’s audience
  • Describe the computer and networking technology used by the website’s audience
  • Identify what the audience needs from the website

Create a site architecture diagram that describes the website’s information flow.

  • Identify and organize the main topics of the website
  • Create the site structure that best maps the information flow

Develop a navigation plan for the website.

  • Create a navigation system for the website
  • Apply user-friendly navigation labels
  • Identify a method to let users know where they are within the site

Write the design specification for the website.

  • Create a wireframe diagram showing the layout of the webpages
  • Identify fonts that work well on webpages
  • Select an appropriate color scheme for the website
  • Determine the graphics and multimedia to be used on the website 

Determine the publishing environment for the website.

  • Select an appropriate domain name
  • Select a web hosting service

Next available start dates

Online — Evenings

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Design Principles
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Total classroom hours

9 hours

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Schedule

Online

Evenings, 6:00 PM - 9:00 PM, 3 M - 4/3/2023 - 4/17/2023

Quarter: Spring

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Total cost

$349

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Instructor: Kathy Gill

Kathy has been immersed in user experience design for more than 20 years. She is currently the webmaster for King County Elections. Kathy taught web design and digital communications for 15 years. She has worked on web projects at Boeing, Microsoft, and Safeco. Kathy evangelizes user-centered design by writing, teaching, and mentoring aspiring designers.

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Notes

Online courses require an internet connection and the ability to interact both through audio and video using either a web cam/microphone, speakers/headset using a computer or via a mobile phone connection. Any costs associated with connectivity or equipment are the responsibility of the student.

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