| I've been asked, "How do I design a
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| | board" complete site re-design.
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| successful Web site?"
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| | Working things out on paper will give you
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| I often respond, "Do you know the fastest
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| | a much better idea of how things will
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| way to ruin a new Web site design?" As
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| | work and how to fix problems. And, if you
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| you might suspect, the answer is, "Lack
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| | have knowledgeable friends, get a second
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| of proper planning beforehand."
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| | opinion.
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| Let's put it another way. In programming,
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| | Once you've completed the on-paper
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| there's an old axiom, which states: "The
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| | process, and you or your web designer is
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| sooner you start your coding the longer
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| | satisfied with the results, you're ready
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| it takes to finish."
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| | to translate it into code. Unless you or
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| Planning out your Web site before you
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| | your programmer is a pro, I would
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| build it is essential. To borrow a
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| | recommend using a "template". These are
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| technique from the film industry, I
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| | ready-made Web site design formats. You
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| recommend that you create a storyboard,
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| | can choose from several templates by
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| which is a type of a flow chart of your
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| | typing "template source" in most search
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| new Web site design. You don't have to be
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| | engines. Many of them are free.
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| an accomplished artist to draw out your
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| | Commonly Asked Questions
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| idea, but it's essential to create it on
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| | Q: For a Web site, do I have to employ a
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| paper first.
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| | pro, or can I call the guidance counselor
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| On each piece of paper, the goal is to
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| | at my local high school and ask for the
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| have room for an image at the top, plus
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| | names of some computer whiz kids that I
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| space underneath for writing down
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| | could call to help me out (for a fee)?
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| information. As you might suspect, the
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| | A: It really depends on what you want to
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| first page to start with is your home (or
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| | do. If all you want is 1-2 pages , you
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| welcome) page, which will typically have
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| | can learn how to build the Web site
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| the most information as it will contain
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| | yourself. If it's an intensive site with
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| the page the people visit before they
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| | many pages, I'd recommend student or a
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| enter your site and as people go through
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| | pro (if you have the budget).
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| your site, the will encounter more
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| | Q: I see a lot of photo-oriented web
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| information (in tiers) as they go down.
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| | sites that have a black background. Is
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| Typically, the home page links to 5-15
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| | this the best color to use?
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| pages below that, which we could refer to
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| | A: Not necessarily. It's a matter of
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| as Tier 2. Each of those pages links to
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| | opinion and personal taste. White can
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| another 5-15 pages, which you could call
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| | work just as well. I don't recommend the
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| Tier 3.
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| | use of other colors as they can compete
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| If you use all of these pages, you'll
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| | with your images.
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| wind up with an extensive Web site
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| | Q: Is "Flash" or audio acceptable?
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| design, of at least 226 pages (including
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| | A: If you absolutely need Flash to
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| the home page).
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| | demonstrate an animation, then by all
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| It's during this process that all sorts
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| | means use it. If it's for a fancy trick,
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| of problems will crop up. But it's much
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| | I recommend leaving it out. It's similar
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| easier to solve them on paper than in the
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| | with sound. Unless it adds to your site,
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| middle of coding rather than when you are
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| | don't use it. And if you do use sound,
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| finished.. If you don't, you might run
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| | give users an option to turn it off. If
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| into a major problem along the way that
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| | you don't, you're likely to lose
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| would require a "back to the drawing
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| | visitors.
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