Collaborative Assignment: Webpage Design

This semester the collaborative project will be a redesign of my UMBC web site.  The entire class will work as a design firm commissioned to redesign the site.  Smaller groups with specific tasks will form necessitating a large group leader who will assume the role of artistic director for the project, with subgroup leaders for groups responsible for

(a)    benchmarking and research, (b) technical design (coding, html), and (c) graphic design. Everyone in class will be responsible for composing, revising and editing as well as document testing. 

We will divide the output for this project into 4 stages:

Discovery

During the discovery stage, the Design Team (with representatives from all three subgroups) will talk with the Client (me) about ideas and goals for the project.  The majority of research and benchmarking will be completed within the discovery period. Your first task will be to present a creative brief for review.  The creative brief will include (a) two rough composite designs and (b) a written and oral rationale for the two design concepts.  I will select a composite to use as a starting point.

Technical Design

In the technical design stage, the Technical and Graphic Designers develop the site using Composer, Fromtpage, Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, Dreamweaver, or Flash.

At the completion of stage 2, the Design Team will meet with the Client to present two design approaches. The Client will choose the approach and features, offer feedback, and sign-off on decisions made at that meeting.

Production 1 and Document Testing

During production the site is completed and tested.

Launch and Review

Upon completion of the site, the site will be launched, evaluated, and revised. During this stage, the site will be formally presented to the class and the Client.