3755R Ensure Site Usability

Thanks for recommending Dont Make Me Think by Steve Krug. I got it new from eBay for $30 - Angus & Robertson quoted me $70!

Ok - I did a desktop recording of a few questions and tasks using CamStudio - we both felt like idiots and it could have been a lot better and would be if I spent more time on it. I've never been good at role playing :P but I think it shows I have an idea of what to do for a usability test and hopefully, combined with my Report, will satisfy the learning outcomes for this Module. Let me know if you think I should re-do the recording or if I havent covered all the criteria in the Report.

This assignment certainly showed me some major flaws I didnt know existed in my portfolio website which I will be correcting as soon as I know how eg the css navigation menu overlaps the site content when the text size is enlarged in the browsers, the site map is difficult to find and I should have an option to 'search'.

That said I think my Usability Test was successful because the it made it clear there needs to be some changes to make the site more usable :)

Usability Test Recording
.avi format

Usability Report
.pdf format

3755G Apply a Web Authoring Tool

The web authoring tool I've chosen for this module is Adobe Dreamweaver CS3 because I have it and apparently it's the preferred industry standard.

I've defined the site and set up the FTP. I also played around with the workspace environment, changing the position of panels etc and am quite happy to have the Insert and Properties panels top and bottom with a few others on the right hand side. I changed these around so I have easier access (for me) to the CSS and Files panels and minimised some others. This is consistent with my other Adobe programs. F4 is a favourite button to get rid of the lot when they annoy me and so I have a larger view of the actual work area. I prefer to work with the split view so I can see the code as well as the WISYWIG screen.

I've also had a good look around the menu dropdowns, buttons and tools gaining access to a full range of features.

Anyway... you can see my very basic first page using an inbuilt layout here just to prove I can FTP from Dreamweaver :P
I have added some text formatting, images, links (inserted a Spry Menu Bar).
I've created a template for the other pages and will link an external css file this week hopefully.

After searching for some CS3 tutorials I found VineyarDesigns was really helpful. It has lots of easy to follow tutorials and other excellent information about web design, home businesses and and stressed out working mums! I love this site already!

I also found the best lot of tutorials on thesitewizard.com.

Problem: IE renders the inbuilt css of my web page on my laptop but not on my PC ?? and FF does not render the css properly on my laptop or the PC ??? and according to Dreamweaver the site has no browser issues... help :)

Dreamweaver is sooo easy after Flash!! I flew through this and I'm liking it :)

27th September... already!

Hmm... i've given up on the preloader. I'll try sending it to Robert from another email account since the zip file is too big to send from work .

I've been working on the contact form this week (well today at least lol). I created one that works fine but still trying to make it happen in the website. Seems to be the way it goes ... everything works well in its own little Flash file but when it comes to adding to my site it falls over. Sux to be me

Maybe you have enough to mark anyway. I mean.. u didnt ask for a preloader... or a contact form lol...

Anyway, I'll just have to come into TAFE again soon I guess and try to get all the bits n pieces sorted.

5 minutes later:
Wait... I just deleted the original song out of the library and bingo! site is now 1.72 mb instead of 7.5 or whatever it was... duhhh... so now my preloader is visible from about 45% instead of 85%... still not ideal but better.

When will it endddd...

Ok..
so I have a Flash interface that pretty much works now but still needs some (a lot of) tweaking.

Some things I want to know:

• What do I do about the size of the site? I compressed the music file from 5mb down to 1.14mb and now the Properties box is telling me its larger than it was before I compressed the song ie 7.3mb. The template I purchased is only like 1.96mb??


• The colors look really crappy on some monitors and the size of buttons etc change - the purchased template is consistent on all monitors - how come mine isn't?


• The site takes soooo long to download then the preloader flashes for a few seconds only. At 7.3mb file size I would think you should see the preloader while its taking that longggg time to download - why is this?

As well as the above challenges for this week (month?), I will be continuing to add content and working towards php for the contact form.

Wow... I've blogged with hours to spare before you call lol

Yayyyy... The Sofia Initiative is back on line!!
Maybe this will help with optimization and publishing.

Image: "Hypnotised Chicken"

http://www.flickr.com/photos/61456874@N00/131617677

Pre Loader Problems

I literally dont know what day it is this week - I was totally surprised late yesterday afternoon when I realised it was Wednesday and not Tuesday - there went my extra day to finish stuff for you so I'm sorry I havent uploaded anything to be marked - was hoping to have the preloader working first - looking forward to your call to discuss where I'm going wrong (just to give you something to do lol .. i know ya luv me for it heheh)

That aside - I've got some content pages happening using the Flash feature Robert forwarded.
Thanks to my visit to the campus last week I'm understanding links better and have now added some using both text and button symbol (that looks like text) methods. I even worked out how to add an email link and it works - yayyy.

If we cant get the preloader working when we chat I'll upload what I have tonight anyway - am worried about the size of the music though.

Once thats out of the way I think all I have to do is add some more content and (for bonus points lol) get the contact form happening with some Flashy php :P then I'm done with this. Oh, but I probably have to do a mirror site too yeah? damn... I'm far from done.

Ah well, talk to you in a few minutes I guess, unless you forget me about me lol.

Surrrpriiiise!!

What a productive weekend for a change - just look what I did! heheh

Beginning of Assignment

I'm even starting to like Flash a little bit now.

It's far from finished - I have to make a pre-loader and set my text links and work on the size and I'll probably play around with the colours but at least its something for you to see that I've made some good progress.

I'm in the process of finding how to change the colour of the scrollbar and will try to make a dropdown menu for the topics. I also have to get the other pages made and code the contact form.

The fire is not exactly how I hoped but its kinda working.

I'm in training again on Thursday and not sure what time we'll finish so if we dont get to have our chat then, give me a call some time Friday if you want.

ps I hope you can see it ok... i just realised the background colour is not the same viewing it here from work as it is vewing it from my laptop?? will work on it again this weekend.

Blehhhh

Ok I finally got something on a Flash stage!!! Its crap but its a start of practice for the assignment. I can at least make a button and go to another scene. Had to download trial of Fireworks because Adobe isnt continuing development of ImageReady and its not included in CS3.

Sheesh ... everywhere I've turned with this program has been a drama. Obviously the graphics are not good in this file... was just to see if I could put a few scenes together. When I can make a some kind of interesting page transition and get some text happening I'll start the assignment.

Flash Buttons and Scenes Practice