1. The Development Process
LESSON 8
Module 6: The Design Process
The Development Process

2. Lesson Overview In this lesson, you will:
Create a value proposition to base the Web site upon.
Sketch a graphic example of each of the rapid prototypes that are used in Web development (site map, storyboard, and wireframe).
Create an early graphic design of the Web site homepage.
Lesson 8 Overview

3. Guiding Questions
List stages (in addition to discovery) in the design process? Briefly explain each.
Describe three prototypes used in Web design. Briefly explain each.
Post one or more of these questions in an area where students can read them and allow time for students to respond to the questions in their journals. Discuss the students’ answers to these questions. Possible focus points for each question appear in parentheses after the question.
What are some methods, other than discovery, that should be used in the design process? Briefly explain each. (Value Proposition – develop a meaningful statement that sets your client apart from the competition; Exploration – consider various design types for the site; Prototypes – create models that illustrate the design of the site)
Describe three prototypes used in Web design. Briefly explain each. (Site Map – text-based outline of the entire Web site; Storyboard – graphical representation of the entire Web site that shows the navigational structure and page hierarchy; Wireframe – diagrammatic representation of each page in the Web site. Placement of various elements on the page should be represented with simple drawings.)

4. Value Proposition
A value proposition is a clear statement of the tangible results a visitor gets from the Web site. The more specific the value proposition, the better.
Why should the customer buy, visit, or join what your client has to offer and not a competitor?
Explain what a value proposition is and discuss why it's an important element of a Web site. A value proposition is a clear statement of the tangible results a customer gets from visiting the Web site. The more specific the value proposition is the better. Why should the customer buy, visit, or join what your client has to offer and not a competitor?

5. A Value Proposition Is Not
a slogan
a list of features
a sales pitch
an elevator speech
a mission statement
A Value Proposition is not a slogan, a list of features, a sales pitch, or an elevator speech. Give several good examples, have students search for other Web sites, and have them share examples with the class.

6. Value Proposition A question to ask your client:
What do you see as the benefits to the customer if they deal with your particular company (or class, or club)?
A good question to ask your client to help you determine the value proposition is “What do you see as the benefits to the customer if they deal with your particular company (or class, or club)?”

7. Quick Task
Working in groups of two, search for a Web site that has a value proposition that you think makes the company or organization stand out from the crowd.
Find two other competitive sites that you did not choose based on the value proposition or lack of one.
Share with the class.
Working in groups of two, search for a Web site that has a value proposition that you think makes the company or organization stand out from the crowd. Find two other competitive sites that you did not choose based on the value proposition or lack of one. Share with the class.

8. Exploration
Experiment in your group to develop several different design possibilities for the client-based Web site.
Visualize solutions to discovered issues
Create a design based on information and navigation
Develop an early graphic design
Discuss the exploration phase. Experiment in your group to develop several different design possibilities for the client-based Web site. Visualize solutions to discovered issues. Create a design based on information and navigation and develop an early graphic design.
Use the answers to the client interview worksheet to formulate some rough sketches for the overall basic Web site. The teacher should monitor this discussion carefully. After about 5 minutes of discussion, introduce the three basic prototypes that the teams will use to design their site.

9. Rapid Prototyping
Once ideas have been formulated, it’s important to start formulating prototypes to begin the design process.
Site map—a text outline of the entire site.
Club homepage
Bylaws
Schedule
1st semester
2nd semester
Showcase of pictures
Directions for joining
Discuss Rapid Prototyping. Once ideas have been formulated, it’s important to start formulating prototypes to begin the design process. Three types of rapid prototyping will be used: site maps, storyboards, and wireframes.
Use the answers to the client interview worksheet to formulate some rough sketches for the overall basic Web site. The teacher should monitor this discussion carefully. After about 5 minutes of discussion, introduce the three basic prototypes that the teams will use to design their site.

10. Storyboards – graphical representation of the entire site

11. Wireframes – a “shell” showing the actual pages that will be created in the Web site

12. Lesson Review Designed to target specific audience
Focuses on content rather than technology
Opens with a splash page
Provides a user-friendly navigation system
Organizes content with columns or other dividers
Gathers information with easy-to-use forms
Employs CSS (cascading style sheets)

13. Value Proposition Assignment:
Answer the question: What do you see as the benefits to the customer if they deal with this particular company (or class, or club)?
Work in your team to develop a quality value proposition for your client’s company.
Submit that statement to your instructor and your client via when complete.
Search for examples of your ideas on the Web and record the URLs for later reference.
Take your ideas from the exploration phase into the rapid prototyping phase and create rough sketches or drafts of the three types of prototypes that you feel might fit your client.
Assign the following task to the classroom teams: Answer the question: What do you see as the benefits to the customer if they deal with your particular company (or class, or club)? Work in your team to develop a quality value proposition for your client’s company and submit that statement to your instructor and your client via when complete. Explore various options for the design of the Web site that is going to be developed by the team. Explore various options for the design of the Web site that is going to be developed by the team. Record the URLs for the Web sites used in your research and document them in the daily log or journal. Take your ideas from the exploration phase into the rapid prototyping phase and create rough sketches or drafts of the three types of prototypes that you feel might fit client.