Project Four: Using What You Have Learned...

DUE Finals Week: 12/8-12/12 (week 14)

Objective: to use Dreamweaver and Flash to create a meaningful, visually dynamic site that supports its content through technology. To put together the class techniques into a site on the topic of your choice. To create a service or experience of meaning in our information society.

The subtitle of this course is "Users, Services, and Meaning Experiences". Writers throughout history have provided services for readers through "sculpting" content. Now that the technology for writing is the same for some forms of image making (for digital production), we can be producers of both images and text, or more generally, producers of content.

I bring up the notion of "meaning" and "content", because, in lieu of the ability to program or the desire to program, we can still provide services for users. Information, whether visual or textual, is a service to users (when well articulated).

Some considerations: Let the meaning of the site drive the concept. While I am all for focusing on Flash or Dreamweaver in order to really acquire the skills to use these programs, you will have to decide on content. When you do, really think about, "What does it mean for the imagery to be animated, to be linked, to have multiple image states?" Not only should you think of these medium specific questions, but also "What does the technology do to my everyday topic, my extraordinary topic?"

Use the logic of computing to make your work easier. With the concept of modularity and reuse, a lot can be gained in the visual effects of a site through copying and reuse. Take for example, symbols in Flash: Here are objects that serve as 2D patterns, that not only can be copied, but can update the copies--so you only have to add new changes, instead of redoing your work.

Be cautious about the execution/performance/ construction of your site. Again, think of the meaning that you want, and put your design through conceptualization, realization, and most importantly, evalutation.

Assessment

10 points concept

10 points realization/execution/visuals

10 points visual effects and meaning together

Logistics of Turning in Your Assignment

All files necessary for your site will be copied to the server in the folder, "BringmanAssignments". Name the main file with your name and the project number as the title. A folder could also be the main file for your project.