MDIA 4303 - Assignment 1
For this assignment, I decided to revise a website that I had created during the summer. It presented some challenges, as I had created some tables with inline definitions, as well as external CSS definitions -- that worked together. The original CSS file had to be re-written, as well as table statements in my original hosting.html file. Having committed a few sins, I also noticed that there were usability problems:Problem 1:
The logo on my original site is not a clickable logo. (A link to my original website is located at the bottom of this page.) This problem has now been fixed and can be tested using the revised website. Fixing this problem was relatively easy through use of image maps. I didn't have to modify any of the original image files.
Problem 2:
I have come to hate popups and my unrevised site, by golly, has two. I got rid of these as they don't even contain the site menu, and all the user can do is close them (no backwards key). The information from these popups was incorporated into the revised site -- within pages that did have a site menu.
Problem 3:
When I created my website, I had not considered printing at all, so the modifications I have made have fixed any printing problems that were present (printing of headers and menus). I have decided to retain the footer to include contact information -- and have also retained the border that is part of the website's screen content. When I revised the website for printability, I had the opportunity to use @media screen and @media print. These are now part of the CSS file.
Problem 4:
As there was no site map in my original website, I created on -- and this is located at the bottom of each screen. As my original site has links to my portfolio, this is also part of the revised site. Three of the menu options are pageholders with links to the original website. As everything is accessible within one page, usability has been improved -- allowing quick access to resources within the website.
Correcting usability issues for a large website can be a time-consuming process. I know that even my revised site can use some improvements, as one also needs to make a site useable for persons with disabilities (PWD) -- and this is a large group of people, each with it's own particular challenges -- and I can be included amongst them. It is often helpful to have another Web designer proofread your code, as well as evaluate your website ... to determine any further changes.
Revised Website