Www.Nationalbank.Co.Nz – Web Site Analysis
Terms of Reference
Date of Request
16 February 2001
Request
To produce a design methodology and technical report containing a factual based assessment of a chosen Internet site, CD-ROM and my personal group project.
Requested By
Michael Vehaart
Deliverables
Report style format, paper based presentation enclosed in a folder.
Due Date
15 March 2001
Introduction
Below are the results of research taken out to access different multimedia designs and their internal components that enable them to compete in an aggressive environment
Question One
Internet Site – The National Bank (www.nationalbank.co.nz)
Methodology
When creating a website for a large company the use of the waterfall methodology is required.
The Steps involved in the waterfall development are:
? Planning (identify scope, plan development strategies and goals.)
? Requirements analysis (what the website should do)
? Design (How the website is going to work)
? Implementation & Testing (Using the website and seeing if it works)
? Support (correcting errors, improving and enhancing)
This methodology was used because in order to produce an effective computer based application, particularly where the project is large and/or complex, schedules need to be met, costs controlled, quality maintained and specifications adhered to design methodologies will need to be followed. (Vehaart 2000)
This is evident because of the online banking that is provided by the National Bank and there need for relevant up to date information at there website which is a large project to control without the use of Planning, Analysis and Design.
Essential components
Essential components for a website (Ruth Kastenmayer Webmaster and style guide editor at Judson College (http://home.judson.edu/styleguide/contents.html)) are:
? Web page independence (Who, What, When, Where)
? User-centered design (target audience)
? Ease of navigation (clear easy to follow navigation)
? Access speed (provide users with information they want in fewest steps)
? Simplicity and consistency (easy to understand, similar setup)
? Page context, and (where you are and where the next link is going to take you)
? Functionality (ensuring things ‘e.g., links’ always work)
On the above components I will access the National Bank website.
When you first enter the homepage for the National Bank you are greeted with a large banner explaining what site you have entered, a list of click able links explaining what is held within, down the bottom of the page it has when the website was created but no sign of updates, all though you hope they do, and it has a tab header frame at the top of every page to take you to there homepage or other pages within their site.
This site has its target audience in mind they are Mr and Mrs Joe Bloggs and students. This is apparent through their use of image cycling on their homepage where it cycles through images of couples, singles and students and the tailor made accounts that they offer for them. The even better part is when you click on these images it takes you to the information about that account.
Navigation of the site is well layed out and easy to use with the use of rollover change, which highlights the link you have the mouse situated over and gives you subheadings of the pages within that link. Also situated at the bottom of the page is underlined text links which you can use to move amongst the headings of the site and they also change to a different colour once clicked on to let the user know where they have been within the site. Also there is a contents header at the top of every page listing the major headings and the subheadings of the page you are in as well as the page you are currently on.
Interface studies have shown that users prefer menus that present a minimum of five to seven links, and that users prefer a few very dense screens of choices over many layers of simplified menus.
(Web Style Guide http://info.med.yale.edu/caim/manual/interface/basic_interface2.html)
With this statement in mind National Bank have done just that with they’re maximum of seven links within most pages contained in the site. Also the speed in which the site loads up is relatively short because of the use of simple design, simple graphics, and simple layout. This is shown with every page having the same background, colours and layout so within a few clicks the user feels familiar with the site and can navigate it without the need for help.
With page context the users of this site can easily find what their there for and where they can find it. This is done through the use of graphical links that display the pages within each link and if they do have trouble there is a site search option that they can enter a word/s and it will find all information within there site related to their search and if that fails there is always the site map provided.
With the functionality of the site all links that were entered were working and all graphics were as well.
Design Motivations
Through the use of simple layout (e.g., minimal graphics and link options that show subheadings when the mouse is rolled over it) the user is able to find out what information they want where to go to get it (what link to take) and can easily learn or be informed of all that the National Bank has to offer. Also if the user feels that they have not been well informed they are able to email the National Bank and ask about the options the are after and they National bank will reply to there query at there personal email address.
The is also able to learn and understand the information because they are provided with short and to the point paragraphs that are basic and in a good format that is easily read.
Technical Considerations
With the simple graphics and text based pages the considerations made have been that any person on any PC is able to access this site without the performance of it being hinded. The only thing is that it is built for a 17” monitor but it scroll bars are provided for smaller screens.
Also if the user did not have a graphics card the graphics would not work but this has been accounted for with the use of underlined text links on every page.
Cross Platform Issues
The issues within this site relating to the two main platforms Macintosh and Windows are the colour settings and text size and the fonts that are supported by each.
The colors and graphics used on a Macintosh computer will appear much darker and have more contrast when viewed on a Windows-based computer, while on a Macintosh computer the graphics designed on a Windows computer will appear flat and washed out. The default gamma settings for a Macintosh computer are 1.8-target gamma; the settings for a Windows computer are 2.2-target gamma. (Judson Webcenter Style Guide http://home.judson.edu/styleguide/pageplatform.html) This will only affect the background colours and one graphic on the homepage.
The actual text size varies from platform to platform. What a Windows user sees as 14-point text appears as 12-point text on a Macintosh computer. Also all browsers do not support the same set of fonts, so use of the default font setting would prevent this.
Edutainment – CD-ROM – The Computer Classroom 5
Methodology
The methodology used to create this CD-Rom is a combination of waterfall methodology and prototyping. The waterfall methodology because each phase has to be completed before the next is begun and prototyping because you have continual development and feed back. (Verhaart, M. (2001) V/2-KnowledgeBase2000. Retrieved March 13, 2001 from EIT Intranet)
This is evident because of the high quality of sound and graphics and attention to detail (e.g. the layout and movement of the owl’s beck when it is talking) and also the variations of what happens when you click on certain buttons (e.g. when you click on a certain button once and object appears and when you do a second time a variation of the object appears there)
Essential components
The essential components of CD-Rom development (http://geocities.com/itmweb.html) are:
? Define the user (who the CD-Rom is for)
? Interface Design (Graphics, text, sound, video, animation)
? Navigation (how easy)
? Information relevance
On the above components I will access the CD-Rom.
Straight away when you start the CD-Rom you are told that the CD-Rom is built for a certain age group (i.e. 5-9).
The graphics of for the CD-Rom are suitable for the defined age group with its use of strong bold colours so that the users are immediately drawn to the look of it. The text of the CD-Rom is suitable for the define users because it is easy to read and clearly and well layed out so that they can see what’s happening.
The sound is of good quality sometimes but not so good other times (e.g. during the spelling game some words are hard to hear). The use of animation in the CD-Rom is great with the use of a talking owl the users are able to relate to a friendly forest animal. Also all other animations are friendly characters that would not scare kids (e.g., the cowboy bean).
The navigation of this CD-Rom is not to clearing parts with the user not knowing if they have clicked on links but most have a clink noise associated with them when you click on it. Also the use of the owl is clever with it telling you what to do when you enter a new page or if you take to long.
The relevance of the information within this CD-Rom is good it clearly is aimed at the age group defined at the beginning and this is shown with the simple lessons that are used to teach the user.
Design Motivations
The way this CD-Rom is designed is to be interactive with when the user does something whether it is right or wrong the user gets a response (e.g.. A big tick or a loud beep or the owl tells you correct or oh-oh try again). This is a good motivation for the user to learn because they are never actually told that No you are wrong and so they don’t fear taking part because of the chance they might be wrong.
Also the use of well described animation lessons in how to multiply, add, subtract and divide gives the user chance to be explained what to do by cartoon characters that they find funny and friendly.
Also how the user is in control of the lessons if they want to do it again they can if they want to be told how to do something again they can. (Eg. the owl says click go to do the exercise again)
Technical Considerations
A Macintosh with 13” colour monitor (640×480) resolution with 256 colours) or greater, System 7.0 or greater, 8Mb of RAM or more, CD-ROM, 3 MB hard disk space.
For the CD-Rom to rum successfully the CD-Rom comes with an instruction manual on how to play it whether it be Macintosh 7.0 or Windows 3.11(Nightingale, P. (1998)*The Computer Classroom*.2N Education Pty Ltd WARNERS BAY AUSTRALIA)
Cross Platform Issues
There are no cross platform issues pertaining to this CD-Rom because it was created for both Macintosh and Windows platforms. (Nightingale, P. (1998)*The Computer Classroom*.2N Education Pty Ltd WARNERS BAY AUSTRALIA)
Question Two
Group Project – CD ROM – Golfing Hawke’s Bay
Methodology
The methodology used to create this CD-Rom will be prototyping and advanced programming.
This will be used so that the developers get an idea of what the user interface will look like and what the client wants by taking user views of the intended interface to the client and having them agreed upon and signed off so that the developers know what they have to achieve and the client knows what will be delivered to them by seeing what it looks like.
Prototyping will be used so that if the client does not like what they see it can be thrown away or if they like certain aspects of it then it can be fine tuned through the use of advanced programming.
Essential components
The essential components used within the design will be text, graphics, sound, video, animation, navigation and transition effects.
The text will be short and to the point and clearly seen and easily read by all users, with bold fonts and italics used to create a sense of importance and reference.
The graphics will be standard pictures that will be compatible with all pc’s (e.g. jpeg format).
The sound will be of top professional quality that is easy to hear and understand.
The animation contained within the CD-Rom will be short and not hinder the overall aspect of what information the CD-Rom is trying to portray. (E.g. not within pages or will it contain information that is trying to be expressed)
Video will be of avi or mpeg format depending on the desired result by the client and navigation shall be simple, consistent and easily followed throughout the CD-Rom with a tab header frame containing the headings a site map and internal back and forward navigation as well as a link to the homepage with in each page.
Design Motivations
The layout of the information combined with the graphical pictures and video footage will allow the user to learn more about the course they are looking at and be able to chose which golf course to play at due to public availability days conveyed by the CD-Rom.
Also they through the use of a graphical road map are able to see what roads to take to get to the golf club.
Technical Considerations
For the CD-Rom to run the users pc will require a sound card and a video player for there to be optimal use of it.
But underlined text links will be provided for that pc that has not got compatible software.
Cross Platform Issues
The cross platform issues will relate to the graphics that we used with it looking with a Macintosh pc the graphics will seem light and a bit washy.
Conclusions
I have found that there are various methods used to design and create a website and CD-Rom for users (e.g. Waterfall, prototype, advanced programming) with many essential components to take into consideration (e.g. file formats) and also that there are technical considerations to consider as not everyone has the same hardware and software. As well as cross platform issues with people using different platforms. (E.g. Macintosh vs. Windows)
References
(http://geocities.com/itmweb.html
. (Verhaart, M. (2001) V/2-KnowledgeBase2000. Retrieved March 13, 2001 from EIT Intranet)
. (Judson Webcenter Style Guide http://home.judson.edu/styleguide/pageplatform.html)
(Web Style Guide http://info.med.yale.edu/caim/manual/interface/basic_interface2.html)
(Ruth Kastenmayer Webmaster and styleguide editor at Judson College
(http://home.judson.edu/styleguide/contents.html))
The National Bank (www.nationalbank.co.nz)
(Nightingale, P. (1998)*The Computer Classroom*.2N Education Pty Ltd WARNERS BAY AUSTRALIA)
Glossary
CD-Rom – (Compact Disc, read-only-memory) is an adaptation of the CD that is designed to store computer data in the form of text and graphics, as well as hi-fi stereo sound.
Email – (electronic mail) is the exchange of computer-stored messages by telecommunication.
Frame – the use of multiple, independently controllable sections on a Web presentation.
Interface – consisting of the set of dials, knobs, operating system commands, graphical display formats, and other devices provided by a computer or a program to allow the user to communicate and use the computer or program.
Italics – Font style
Link – a link is a selectable connection from one word, picture, or information object to another.
MB – Megabyte
RAM – Random Access Memory
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