Robbins, J. (2012). Learning web
design : a beginner's guide to HTML, CSS, Javascript, and web graphics.
Sebastopol, CA: O'Reilly.
Summary Reflection:
While reading the
first three chapters of the book I became acquainted with most of the basic
terms that are going to be used throughout the book as well as in our class,
how the Web functions, as well as the key pieces you need to know and have to
begin web design and eventually complete your puzzle.
It seems like every
month something new pops up in the world of technology, now, when you buy a
laptop or desktop computer it almost seems like it becomes outdated the
following couple of months after you purchase it. With web design you have to accommodate
these changes and take into consideration a billion other factors such as
browsers, devices being used, accessibility, etc. As I am learning more and
more in this class I am beginning to notice the topics we talk about as I
casually surf the Web or share documents so that I have them at home, work, and
school. Robbins couldn't stress enough the importance of following the standards
and rules to design the best possible website you can. Also, in web design
there are many different components that partake in putting together the entire
puzzle. While reading Chapter 1 I couldn't help but think how far below the
learning curve I am starting out on! Although I might like one area of web
design more than others, I have to become well rounded and be knowledgeable in
a little bit of everything so that the outcome is a wholesome experience for
the user.
Throughout the reading I had a couple of
questions that needed to be cleared up:
Question #1: Essentially, do both progressive
enhancement and graceful degradation do the same thing? In your opinion which
of the two takes more time?
A1. From what I've read, it can be said that
both progressive enhancement and graceful degradation try to do the same thing:
keep our products useful to every user. Progressive enhancement is a more
sophisticated and at the same time stable way of assuring that but it takes
more time and effort. Graceful degradation can be used more easily as a patch
for an already existing product; it means harder maintenance later on, but
requires less initial work.
Question #2: What other alternatives can web
designers use for better, easier accessibility other than those listed on pg.
41?
A2. How can using users with
disabilities/elders benefit the web designer in the process?
Involving users early in projects helps you
understand real-world accessibility issues, such as how people with
disabilities and older people use the web with adaptive
strategies and assistive technologies.
Involving users early helps you implement more
effective accessibility solutions. It also broadens your perspective in a way
that can lead you to discover new ways of thinking about your product that will
make it work better for more people in more situations.
Hi Stephanie,
ReplyDeleteI was wondering the same thing, about progressive enhancement and graceful degradation trying to do the same thing. I agree with your conclusion. I also think that building with progressive enhancement in the first place is a wise way to go.
Hello Stephanie, I have created some basic sites in Dreamweaver and it asks about making content accessible when you are designing. You can do this by adding tags to images and so on. I would love to explore this further and get users engaged early on.
DeleteWhen I first started out working with web pages, I was not taught progressive enhancement. Not knowing this lead to so many website management issues. Learning it has definitely helped me make more manageable sites, allowing to make changes to pages and design much more effectively and efficiently. I currently host several sites and currently management student and administrative sites for the campus I work for, progressive enhancement has helped me to keep my sanity. Getting started with this concept will help you to make great sites without the problems that I had faced in the past.
ReplyDeleteI like your question 2 with regards to designing websites that address the issues of older users. I know my mother in her eighties at the time had a difficult time accessing webpages. She did not grow up with the computer and she was dealing with a recent stroke so it was difficult. If designers know that seniors will be accessing their website frequently, they need to address their special needs. For instance buttons to navigate should be large and labeled very distinctly. Larger print for the content may also be necessary.
ReplyDeleteYeah, I would have to say progressive enhancement would be the way to go. Following the standards for coding, bulilding HTML, CSS, and then JAVA correctly as layers to be applied based on the capabilities of their browser.
ReplyDelete