Writing in/of/through the ether

wodtake overview!

This book was sort of an easy aid and shortcut to doing and discovering the right path as a designer for any type of medium. Some of the most basic concepts are touched and given maximum importance in this book. Wodtke creates relevance and gives significance to the work of a designer, because just as we are designers we are teachers. We learn by each step we take, then we use what we have learned to make something creative and unique, other designers see what we have accomplished and thrive off of our success and what they see we have accomplished.
I have come to contact with the fact that being a designer does not make me any less of a user or audience member. With that in mind I must keep into realization that anything that goes into the website must be something that I, as a user, would like to see or experience! If I am not impressed or willing to take the time to figure it out, then the probability that my audience is willing will compare. People want to read what they are interested in, and not everyone in an audience is going to have the same values, beliefs or interest. As the producer of a site we must realize this and take into account how much information is too much. For each aspect on the website I should take into account who my audience is, why should I make this part of the site, and what materials do I have to complete it to the best of my abilities. Each of these questions should have fully developed answers because if otherwise presented the relevance and/or need of it can be questioned. Starting your website off right is the key to being successful. Some of the problems that come may derive from the fact that a person did or did not start off with the production of the site, first stating their purpose and goals. This is when the usefulness of a plan comes into play. You should make it all up and write it all down. You can get all of your information out about the site such as, who the users will be, possible architecture, ideas conceived, etc. The final stages of this should result in some type of a sitemap linking each idea/page together before you get started with the actual construction.
To help out with the ability for any user or producer to have problems with a site, all aspects should be in a way dummy proof. Wodtke teaches us to make the site as easily viewed and navigated as possible, meaning do not put our users to work! Navigation should come second nature to the user. It should be as simple as one click away to go somewhere they have never been or to go back. Audiences rely on what they recognize rather then what they know to really be at the moment. Recognition does not really take much effort in the thinking and seeing process. This is where we as designers learn to draw the line between being creative and original, and being difficult. We do this by creating word association, color association, and through consistency. A guaranteed more attentive and regular attendance type of audience will be if this is accomplished.
The three reasons why people look at any website are to look for something, to accomplish a goal, or to kill time before an engagement. People look for what they want to find within the first second in looking at the site. That is why the first impression can change the sway of an audience immediately, especially when someone is just browsing a site to kill time.

posted by Anonymous @ 5:19 AM