LCC 3404: Designing for the Internet

Summer 2009

Syllabus Changes

This syllabus is not a binding contract. I reserve the right to change it at any time. The document has two main parts, the policy statement and the schedule. I will make minimal changes, if any, to the policy statement. As for the schedule, it is a work in progress and will be filled in as the course progresses. I will inform you of any changes to the policy statement or schedule and place the date of the latest version in the header of each part. You should check T-Square and the email account you have on record at Georgia Tech frequently for syllabus updates, announcements, and other messages.

Policy Statement (07/14/09)

Instructor

Name: Olin Bjork
Office: 326 Skiles
Telephone: 404.894.7491
E-mail: olin.bjork@lcc.gatech.edu; email encouraged
Office hours: Tuesday 2:00–5:00 / other times by appointment

Timing

Section N: TTh 12:00-1:45, Skiles 370

Required Textbook

Jeffrey Zeldman, Designing with Web Standards, 2nd ed. (Berkeley, CA: Pearson/Peachpit/New Riders, 2007). Available at Engineer's Bookstore and GT Barnes and Noble.

Printing

Handouts or posters for presentations, hard copies of online readings and other documents

Technology

Outside of class, you will need, at minimum, access to a computer with an Internet connection and free software, such as the Firefox browser. Depending on your project, you may want or need proprietary software, such as the Adobe Creative Suite. Adobe offers free, short-term trial versions of its CS programs, and many of these programs are available in the library's multimedia studio. Unless you own these programs, however, it is unwise to become dependent on them. Learn to write code in a program you do own.

This class will be conducted in a computer lab. If you own a laptop, you can bring it with you to class and use it instead of, or in addition to, the lab computers. You may use the computers for in-class activities and group workshops. In general, they are to remain closed during lecture and discussion periods. This means that they are not be used as note-taking devices. If you wish to take notes, use pen and paper. It should go without saying that unrelated email, text messaging, surfing the web, games, music, etc. will not be tolerated and may cause you to lose points and/or be dismissed from class.

Except for some in-class work, assignments will be submitted electronically to the appropriate folder in T-Square: https://t-square.gatech.edu/portal.

Course Description

This course will introduce students to the theory and practice of effective communication on the Internet while they develop collaborative Web design projects for real-world clients. These clients will be comprised of campus and non-profit organizations that need assistance in designing a Web site, adding Web site components, or redesigning an existing site. In addition to learning the basics of such Web technologies as XHTML, JavaScript, CSS, and Flash, students will be exposed to guidelines and best practices for usability, accessibility, and compliance with standards. The course schedule will be structured around chapters from a textbook on Web design, but we will also examine and critique Web sites as models for design. Our classroom will be a computer lab, and class time will be divided between lecture, discussion, activities, and group workshops.

Goals and Outcomes

Study basic principles of information architecture and graphic design
Comply with standards of web design
Work collaboratively in an effective and productive manner
Communicate productively with clients
Analyze online audiences and methods for addressing them
Create websites that are accessible, usable, and comprehensible
Employ informative and persuasive approaches to speech and writing
Combine verbal and graphical elements effectively
Address the ethical and legal concerns posed by designing for the Internet
Deliver clear and focused oral, electronic, and material presentations

Assignment Values

Category	Component	Points
Classwork	Reading Quizzes	10
Classwork	Participation	10
Project	Proposal	10
	Deliverable One	10
	Deliverable Two	10
	Deliverable Three	10
	Completed Site	10
Class/Home	Client Presentation	10
Class/Home	Activities	20
Total		100

Assignments in the project category are intended to result in a new or redesigned website for a client organization. You will be working in a group with at least one other student and perhaps several. Your group can decide how to allocate work on the various assignments. Effective communication with the client will be vital to the success of the project. In most cases, if I am happy with the proposal and the client is happy with the deliverables and the final product, you will do well on the project. The deliverables and final product can diverge from the proposal if you have a legitimate reason for doing so.

Activities will usually take up the second half of class. In some activities, you will be working on your client project. In others, you will be practicing strategies of Web design.

Quizzes will be given randomly and will be worth 1-2 points.

Participation means being actively involved with the class—not just physically present. We will be reading quite a bit. In order for this class to be interactive, you will have to come prepared to discuss the reading. You will have to raise your hand. You will have to make comments, ask questions, and be a part of the discussion. You will have to remain awake. Furthermore, you will have to remain focused on the task-at-hand when we do in-class activities, and when we do group activities and workshops, you will have to be there to help and learn from your classmates. Share relevant ideas, observations, and experiences. Refer to relevant articles, books, and Web sites.

Late Assignments

Exams and activities cannot be turned in late (except in the case of an approved and documented institute event). Proposals and deliverables will lose two points per class they are late. For example, a deliverable due Thursday will lose two points if turned in by Tuesday and four points if turned in by the next Thursday. Client presentations and sites cannot be performed or submitted late, except in the rare case that you request and receive an extension.

Although the total values of the quizzes will add up to more than ten points and the total value of the miscellaneous activities will add up to more than twenty points, only ten points and twenty points will count in your grade, respectively. The purpose of the additional points is to help you recover if you miss or perform poorly on a quiz or activity.

Evaluation

Letter grade	Numeric equivalent in this class	GA Tech 4-point equivalent
A+	98-100	4.00
A	94-97
A-	90-93
B+	88-89	3.00
B	84-87
B-	80-83
C+	78-79	2.00
C	74-77
C-	70-73
D+	68-69	1.00
D	64-67
D-	60-63
F	0-59	0.00

Attendance and Decorum

We will attempt to model a professional environment wherein timely attendance is expected. If you are frequently late or absent, your participation score will suffer (I will begin deducting points after you exceed 3 absences, with tardies counting as half absences). Furthermore, you are likely to miss in-class work or quizzes that cannot be made up. The only exceptions to the absence and missed work policies are participation in approved institute events documented in advance. You should keep all other excuses to yourself, unless you merely wish to make conversation.

Regardless of the reason for your absence, you are responsible for information presented in classes you miss. You should not ask me for this information nor request details about what is due for the next class. Contact a classmate instead. Please check GA Tech's position about class attendance: http://www.catalog.gatech.edu/rules/4b.php

Such behaviors as sleeping, chitchatting, or failing to turn your mobile device off are breaches of etiquette. Be attentive and willing to make a contribution in discussion and group activities.

Stay positive! My classroom is a no-complaint zone. Complaints are a sign of immaturity and will make the atmosphere unpleasant for everyone. If you have an issue to discuss with me, contact me by email or during my office hours.

Academic Misconduct

If you engage in plagiarism or any other form of academic misconduct, you will fail the assignment in which you have engaged in academic misconduct and be referred to the Office of Student Integrity, as required by Georgia Tech policy. Academic misconduct is defined in section XIX of Georgia Tech's Rules and Regulations: www.catalog.gatech.edu/rules/19b.php. I strongly urge you to be familiar with Georgia Tech's Honor Challenge at www.honor.gatech.edu/ as well as the disciplinary process for academic misconduct: www.deanofstudents.gatech.edu/integrity/academic_misconduct.php.

Students with Disabilities

Students who feel that they may need accommodations for any sort of disability, please make an appointment to see the instructor during office hours. Within the first two weeks of the semester, students with disabilities should also contact Access Disabled Assistance Program for Tech Students (ADAPTS) to discuss reasonable accommodations. For an appointment with a counselor call (404) 894-2563 (voice) / (404) 894-1664 (voice/TDD) or visit Suite 210 in the Smithgall Student Services Building. For more information visit the following Web site: http://www.adapts.gatech.edu/.

Schedule (07/28/09)

Week/Class	Date	Class	Due
1–1	Tuesday May 12	Introduction Homepage Deconstruction
1-2	Thursday May 14	Project Overview	Zeldman, p. 11-42
2-3	Tuesday May 19	Character Encoding	Zeldman, Chapter 2
2-4	Thursday May 21	Graphics	Zeldman, Chapter 3
3–5	Tuesday May 26	XML	Proposal Zeldman, Chapter 4
3–6	Thursday May 28	Scripting Languages	Zeldman, Chapter 5
4–7	Tuesday June 2	XHTML Proposals Approved	Zeldman, Chapter 6 Application
4–8	Thursday June 4	Group Assignments XHTML Continued	Zeldman, Chapter 7
5–9	Tuesday June 9	XHTML and CSS	Zeldman, Chapter 8
5–10	Thursday June 11	CSS	Memo of Understanding Zeldman, Chapter 9
6–11	Tuesday June 16	Prototyping	Zeldman, Chapter 10
6–12	Thursday June 18	Project Workshop	Deliverable One
7–13	Tuesday June 23	Usability	Zeldman, Chapter 11
7–14	Thursday June 25	Media	Zeldman, Chapter 12
8–15	Tuesday June 30	Typography	Zeldman, Chapter 13
8–16	Thursday July 2	Accessibility	Zeldman, Chapter 14
9-17	Tuesday July 7	Project Workshop	Deliverable Two
9–18	Thursday July 9	DOM	Zeldman, Chapter 15
10–19	Tuesday July 14	Flash	Zeldman, Chapter 16
10–20	Thursday July 16	Project Workshop	Deliverable Three
11–21	Tuesday July 21	Client Presentation(s) Project Workshop
11–22	Thursday July 23	Client Presentation(s) Project Workshop
Final 9-10:45 am	Thursday July 30	Project Workshop	Completed Site