http://tc.eserver.org/publisher/W-edge_Design A listing of works published by W edge Design in the field of technical communication. en-us Copyright (c) 2005-08 by the EServer. All rights reserved. tclib-editorial@eserver.org (TC Library Editorial Board) webmaster@eserver.org (Geoffrey Sauer) http://tc.eserver.org/images/newlogo.gif http://tc.eserver.org/dir/W-edge_Design http://tc.eserver.org/21558.html http://tc.eserver.org/21558.html I have been playing around with scripting for about six months now. I would by no means call myself a programmer yet, but I have successfully added many scripts to various Web sites. How did I do it without attending any programming classes or immersing myself with programming books? I used free scripts from Web sites. I have found many Web sites that offer scripts for just about anything you can imagine. http://tc.eserver.org/21557.html http://tc.eserver.org/21557.html Managing a Web site project typically does not follow any clearly defined methods or standards of practice. Although there is a lot of 'how to build a site' information out there, very little on how to manage a Web project actually exists. But a project site could be just the answer you are looking for. http://tc.eserver.org/21567.html http://tc.eserver.org/21567.html Designing a Web site is an enormous task. The idea of building a Web site is a great one that usually comes from one of the higher-ups in your company. Then, if you are like me, you are given a task defined by the worlds of 'just go ahead and build one.' But how? http://tc.eserver.org/21566.html http://tc.eserver.org/21566.html What is Web site architecture? It means laying out or grouping any similar areas of a Web site. In a re-design project for my former company, I realized the importance of site architecture and navigation when I contacted the Customer Service departments and discovered that an average of thirty-five calls a day were from the Internet users. Most of those calls were about confusing page layouts and navigation procedures (users did not understand the current navigational system). I determined that by redesigning the site architecture and navigational system, we could reduce the customer service calls by 50%, thus saving the company an estimated $30,000 per year. http://tc.eserver.org/21564.html http://tc.eserver.org/21564.html When I worked for a large insurance company, my team as tasked with re-designing the customer service area for a external Web site that supports annuities and mutual fund customers. I proposed redesigning the entire site including an actual help system (like with ones you can create with RoboHelp) to reduce customer service support calls. I was really surprised that everyone thought this was such a novel idea -- I thought it made perfect sense. Then, it hit me -- you don't see a lot of help systems for Web sites. http://tc.eserver.org/21565.html http://tc.eserver.org/21565.html A prototype, both paper and online (and I suggest you build both) is a 'mini' Web site, including content (or content ideas), graphics, multi-media etc., on a smaller scale than the final site. I have found that developing a prototype is a great way to present your ideas to upper management for approval to go 'live.' Also, and more important, an online prototype is an ideal application for user testing to ensure your site's success. http://tc.eserver.org/21553.html http://tc.eserver.org/21553.html I recently ran into a fellow STC member, Jennifer Square, in the elevator of a large company where I am contracting. We didn't have much time to catch up, so Jennifer e-mailed me later. Her e-mail signature contained an intriguing new job title: interaction designer. I had heard of interaction design but had never known anyone who actually did the work. I wondered what disciplines it encompassed. Was it just something that all good Web designers did anyway, unconsciously? How did it differ from information architecture? Did I do this in my job without realizing it? Was it something I could list on my résumé? In this column, I will define interaction design by comparing it to information architecture, a related field. http://tc.eserver.org/21560.html http://tc.eserver.org/21560.html I know that a Web site with good navigation will put you closer to your goals than one without. The article that follows may give you ideas for adding navigation to your own site. http://tc.eserver.org/21559.html http://tc.eserver.org/21559.html Why do you redesign a Web site? There are many reasons. A lot of companies want to update their look every year. Others redesign sites to solve specific problems -- they may realize that after a time, that they are not getting any traffic and finally call someone to get their opinion as to why. Sites are redesigned to correct specific problems in navigation, professional image, or ease to use. http://tc.eserver.org/21548.html http://tc.eserver.org/21548.html Since finding the right keywords is the most important step in any SEO endeavor, it is imperative that you find the ones your target audience is using. http://tc.eserver.org/21555.html http://tc.eserver.org/21555.html This article is the fourth in a series on search engine optimization, a business marketing strategy that manipulates Internet search engines. http://tc.eserver.org/21554.html http://tc.eserver.org/21554.html Rather than focusing on how the site looks, interaction designers are primarily concerned with how an application or Web site functions. They investigate whether the application or Web site performs the intended task in a predictable manner. Interaction design incorporates a lot of skills from other disciplines, such as technical writing and information architecture. http://tc.eserver.org/21569.html http://tc.eserver.org/21569.html Taking the time to plan a Web site is crucial for the success of the project. http://tc.eserver.org/21568.html http://tc.eserver.org/21568.html What makes a good Web site? That depends on whom you ask. A lot of managers have turned their Web design projects over to programmers. They seem to think that a good Web site means good HTML tagging and Java programming… and only that. My opinion is that a good site should give the people who visit it an 'experience.' By experience I mean the 'effect' your site has on visitors. And how do you ensure a good effect? A good site requires a delicate balance between content, visual appeal, and technology.