Specifications
At a minimum, your Web site must follow the guidelines and include the specific requirements described below.
1) The code of all pages must validate. Please validate your code.
2) All pages must share a common color scheme, consistent design elements, and text navigation links to each page of the site.
3) All images must contain dimension attributes and alt attributes, all tables must contain a summary attribute, and all frames must contain a title attribute.
4) It is suggested that you use a sans-serif font, such as Arial or Verdana unless use of a serif font is important to the theme of your site.
5) The page should be designed for 1024 x 768 px resolution (Do not forget to consider scrollbars and margins). No horizontal scrollbar should display. Test your site at the proper resolution.
6) The site should demonstrate principles of good design, usability, and accessibility as discussed in Chapter 5.
A) These includes:
1. Use of negative space (white space).
2. Chunkiness: The breaking up of content into small chunks, rather than using large masses of text, etc.
3. Use of separator lines (vertical and horizontal) to break content into readable sections.
4. Use of headers or section titles to identify sections.
5. Use of unordered or ordered lists.
6. Repetition of visual elements.
7. Small file sizes to facilitate fast download of content. (As a general guide for this project, the maximum size for any one page should not exceed 85KB).
8. Short pages (no longer than 2.5 screenfulls).
9. Logical navigation that is easy to use.
10. In addition to primary navigation, secondary text navigation should appear at the bottom of every page.
11. Pages from any external web sites to which your site links should open in a new browser window.
7) Tables: The site must use tables for page layout (borders will generally be turned off, but not necessarily). Decide on an ice, jello, or liquid design.
8) Image Map: The site must contain at least one image map with a minimum of four hotspots linking to either internal or external pages. (You may also use an image map for your primary navigation.)
A) All hotspots must contain the alt attribute.
B) Image maps, except those used for primary navigation, must include instructions for the user.
C) Make sure that you include equivalent text navigation for any navigation created with images.
Products (or Services) Page: The site must contain a Products or Services page containing the elements below.
9) Products (or Services) Page: The site must contain a Products or Services page containing the elements below.
A) A table consisting of rows and columns sufficient to display at least six product thumbnail images, the catalog number of each product or service represented, and the price of each product or service represented. Prices should be aligned to the right.
1. When clicked, Product thumbnail images must link to larger versions of the same images.
B) Headers can be arranged horizontally or vertically.
C) You may choose whatever table properties desired (i.e., borders, colors, backgrounds, etc.)
D) A link must appear at the bottom of the page, which takes the user back to the top of the page when clicked.
10) Form: The site must contain a comprehensive form page arranged in a table that demonstrates use of at least one instance of each of the five different types of form fields, as well as submit and reset buttons.
A) The form page must open in a NEW BROWSER WINDOW.
B) Use labels for all fields so that a user can enter the field by clicking on the label.
C) Use the POST method and send the form results to a functional CGI script (You may use the script provided by the author of the textbook).
D) You may also include any additional imagery desired on this page.
E) As with the other content pages, do not forget to include navigation on the form page.
11) Inline Graphics: In addition to thumbnail images, the site must contain at least six examples of inline graphics (including a logo), consisting of decorative images and/or images related to the content of your site. These images must be placed within the flow of the text content and employ proper alignment, as well as padding.
A) All images must contain width, height, and alt attributes.
B) Do not rescale images using the width and height attributes.
12) Text Content: Pages must contain substantial textual content. Simply fabricate text content relevant to your topic (content does not have to be accurate) and arrange the text using the guidelines discussed in Chapter 5.
A) Text content must adhere to best practice design standards as covered in chapter 5, including chunkiness, use of negative space, use of headers, proper font size, color, contrast, and text flow.
1. Examples of HTML text could include content that describes your hypothetical organization, its history, and what it is that you offer.
B) Check spelling of text content.
13) CSS: All text formatting and background colors should be accomplished with CSS. Deprecated tags, such as the FONT tag, should NOT be used at all, but other XHTML tags may be redefined by styles.
A) The site should employ an external style sheet and, only if necessary, embedded styles.