Fun with Fracturing Fairytales

The fairytale I've chosen to fracture is one many of you may have at least heard of. It is the tale how the frog prince. However, my spin is that which comically emphasizes the idea of bestiality at it's best. There are no lewd scenes in the fairytale. A parent could still read such to their child...their eldest child (wink, wink), without causing discomfort or misunderstanding. Not much discretion is needed to view. This is a mere poke at the popular fairytale, with a few played upon words and situations.

Flash CS3-Concepts and Terms

What type of file can be modified in Flash CS3? (file ending only)
-An .fla file may be modified.

What is the national standard for American television video broadcast?

-The national standard is NTSC, which is short for National Television System Committee.

What part of the Flash interface displays the movie you are working on?

-The stage displays the movie.

One needs to turn these on BEFORE one can use guidelines.
-Right click on the "graphic" label and select "Add Motion Guide" from the pop-up window.

What is the grey area surrounding the Stage in Flash CS3?

-The work area.

What is the magnetic pull of objects to a grid? (can be turned on and off)

-The objects snap to the grid set up by Flash.

What is the default framerate for Web playback in Flash CS3?

-12 frames per second.

What is exporting one's final Flash CS3 file called?

-The final file is titled swf.

Designing for the Web is normally measured in what unit of measure?

-The web is measured in pixels.

What are palettes in Flash CS3 called?

-Flash palettes are referred to as panels.

What to Look for in a Web Designer

"Experience isn't everything." Writes Jennifer Kyrnin of About.com. If a designer doesn't have many tools on their belt, don't be weary of him or her. Seeking to find a bright side, this could also imply freshness! A beneficial way of checking their "fresh" would be to view their portfolio. This way you can better understand how lack of experience does NOT imply lack of a job well done.
Also, compare and contrast the more personal work on their site versus that of past clients. This way you know whether your new designer saves all the talent for themself.
One last major important aspect! Make sure they are awesomely familiar with; HTML, CSS, and JavaScript.
Understand, these aren't ALL the important components. I've just weeded out the some of the more helpful ones. See for yourself at http://webdesign.about.com/od/strategy/a/hire_web_design.htm?nl=1. CHECK IT OUT!!!

Writing for the Web

What is the most important part of a Web page?
-The CONTENT is the most important part of a Web page. It explains the site owner's ideas.

What three things are the most important when writing for the web?
-Three things that are most important when writing for a Web page are using the inverted pyramid structure, putting the most important information first, and paraphrasing the website.

What is the typical method for writing content in paragraph form?
-The pyramid structure is the typical method used.

Would this work for Web pages?
-Absolutely NOT! Viewers' focus is totally different when on a Web page and print media.

How do people actually read Web pages?
-The content is genrerally scanned rather than read for comprehension.

What is an approach that could be used to keep readers on a Web page longer? Describe this approach in your own words.
-One must put first important first.

The Design Process

People and Roles
Who is your target audience?
-One needs to understand the basic and extended needs of one's targeted audience in order to best satisfy their interests.

What information does your client want the site to communicate?
-After the clients needs have been analyzed, the designer needs to be able to produce appropriate content, graphics, and type of advertising to further the success of the client's business.

Just how will the designer convey the client's message?
-For the customers' sake! There needs to be contact information: e-mail address, hot line numbers, something! Not only does this enable the customer to access possibly more persuasive information, but it gives them a sense of involvement. Everybody wants to feel like they did "their part" in whatever the success may be.
A nice way to ensure this simple necessity is met, a designer can speak with the client about offering an area for testimonials.

What business does the customer have relating to the website?
-One must understand the bigger picture of the customers' wants. The site needs to pertain to them! Them and their concerns are the most important thing to the designer and the designer's client. MAKE IT KNOWN!

Can they feel it?
-As stated earlier, a natural want people have is to feel as if they are "doing their part." Everybody wants their name on the credits of a successful piece, your cite. This also creates personification to the site. So the customer feels "closer."

Mr. President

January 20th, 2009 is a date that will live in infamy. Barrack Obama has finally become the President of the United States. By electing him as such, it further displays the American spirit and cultured diversity. Watching his inauguration is such a personal experience for so many people, including myself. It is so incredible to see such a historic event! And I'm only aware of the harshities African Americans faced only 20 years plus ago. It is an honor to be able to have had not one but two historic events happen in my lifetime, so far. ;) This and 9/11 are monumental days that will forever live in the hearts of Americans forever. These days are the equivalent of events like Pearl Harbor, the assassination of Kennedy, and battle of the Alamo. Only these days are in my time, and my time shall reign.

Usability Issues

Design has a great impact on usability and accessibility. Here's a tip that will help aid one make any given design task much more easy to deal with. The sum of all issues needs to be broken down into what may sometimes be refereed to as chunks, or may be interchanged with the term patterns. This will create a more organized manner of solving each problem efficiently.
There are a few key components that are essential for site success. One will need to identify the intended target audience, what information the page will contain, and any other design matters. There are tons of little, nifty characters one can add to a page. Some designers go "above and beyond" to showcase their talent. Howevere, this is indeed a design don't. Infact, the best way to showcase design talent is not to add all the flare, but to create only objects that put the page on a pedestal, and NOT one's talent.
Each page title needs a descriptive title. The navigation should be very simple to use. There should be no question of where a link goes. There needs to be a link to every page from every page. Give the viewer a chance to go wherever they want. Appropriate meta tags will ensure the eminence of this.
Now, the site's actual appearance is where one can not onl get creative, but personal. In making a site, one should treat it as it's baby. The source being all the DNA and the site being the "baby."
Also, one should literally sketch out a site before actually starting in on the software programs. Thorough planning leads to direction.

Usability Guidlines and Measures

• Ease of learning (How easy is it for a first-time visitor to get the information being sought?)
  
• Retention of learning over time (When a user returns to the site, how easy is it to reestablish proficiency?)
  
• Speed of task completion (How quickly can a user accomplish a desired task?)
  
• Error rate (How often do users make mistakes on the Web site? How long does it take for them to recover?)
  
• Subjective user satisfaction (Is it simple to navigate through the Web site?)

What Would YOU Do?

A team of web designers consists of three parts. There is the project manager, the documenter, and the designer.

The designer's main objective is to create/gather all images and/or graphics for the site. Like the neat-o banners sites may have, the designer created that. Web layout in its own is a bold introduction to the site. It will draw a team's audience to study the text!

Ideally, one should master Photoshop, DreamWeaver, and the like.

Text, which is produced by the team's documenter, is so vital to the site, if written descriptively enough can stand on its own on a white background! All parts, equally important, as one product attracts viewer's to the other product produced by either designer or documenter.

A good documenter must be able to take excellent notes in order to accelerate the success and pace of the rest of the team's work.

Lastly, there is the position of project manager. There always needs to be at least one person to keep the product of the tasks in check. The manager acts as the overseer of things.

Top 7 Answered Inexpert Inquiries

Why is it necessary to have designers for Web sites?
-Web sites often advertise a product. The more members there are to a team, the more there is an increase of catching mistakes, and added creativity.

What types of skills are necessary for Web designers?
-Web designers must be able to produce as if working in the center of a fast-paced environment. As populations' interests change, take note of how technology is quick to follow, improve, or pioneer new trends. One must be highly adaptable due to the habit of common "fads." One must be familiar with commonly utilised web mastering aids such as HTML and JavaScript. Web graphics such as JPEGs and GIFs. There are also more complex web graphics. This also falls into categories of web layout and content. Mastering Dreamweaver will enable one to create and design a site in a dual window, where one can view the source and the product's visual without needing to memorize each component of creating a source. Hopefully one will be not only enough of a visionary to produce others' ideas, but also be able to contribute a few of one's own!

Should all Web sites be developed using a team approach?
-Yes and NO. One would often find many sites are indeed created by a team. This enables each member to create their own system of checks and balances. Thus creating more input and ideas. Also, if there are mistakes, they will be easier caught, due to the excess of input. One would be surprised of the benefits of an extra pair of eyes. Sometimes two heads are better than one. However, in regards to content, one may find it best to fly solo. One wouldn't want to have two writing styles on one document. There needs to be a feel of an even flow. This is a great way to connect to one's not only target audience but audience in general.

Is there a set price to create a site? If so, what is it?
-No there is not. The first sites created by one are often that of a volunteer service. One must build up experience and status. This will expand one's talent into a broader network. Pardon me for backtracking. After experience and status is built up, one may charge per page if it so pleases.

Are there price ranges for different types of sites?
-Yes. The more attracting one's site is, generally the more production will cost. Sometimes it may, and this is an absolute may, may be charged by site success.

Is there job security in Web design?

-Absolutely! Even considering the useage of outsourcing. Such technology, including that of which we have now will only get so cheap. Technology may be perceived to mean "one advancement during another." It is an incredibly lucrative business that can only grow. People are always looking for an easier way to do everything. And technology, being the application of Science to help people, plays a GrandDaddy role in that.

What is the salary range for Web designers?

-Depending on one's role in the team of designers, one can bank anywhere between $48,000 to twice that!