What do you do when every hour, enough information is consumed by internet traffic to fill 7 million DVDs? You compete for their attention. And what best to do it then create an Online Fashion
EXPERT TIPS FOR DIY DESIGNERS Building a Site is Like Constructing a Building (learn…)
The structure of a website is such an abstract idea, it does become difficult to foresee its size. Much like a building, a website should be planned out thoroughly beforehand. If it isn’t, it halts in virtual limbo like all those empty half-built skyscrapers whose developers ran out of money.
Architectural blueprints and floor plans are worked thru many drafts by the developer and architect before a nail is bolted into a piece of wood. For websites, Flowchart with Information Architecture is just as important. A flow chart shows the overall structure of the site like a building blueprint and the information architecture are like the floor plans so that the construction workers (programmers) know where the doors or in web world site functions (rss feeds, join mailing list etc) go.
Lets imagine a simple blueprint & floor plans for a building of three floors, 3 windows per floor and 1 staircase. If once its completely built, the developer comes to the architect and says, he now wants an elevator because its faster, 6 windows per floor because its prettier and a 4th floor because he forgot his mom also needs an apartment, believe me it won’t be a positive meeting.
In planning a website, the same principles exist. The sections of the website (also called webpages) can be considered the building floors, the windows are the functions (rss feeds, join mailing list etc) of that webpage and the staircase is the navigation. All connecting and affecting each other as well as summing up into the time it takes to construct (the building or website) and the materials (or web programming) a building (or website) will need.
Another important factor in constructing a building as well as a website is what is its purpose? A building for parking lots would be built differently then a building for a school. As would a social network vs. a portfolio site. Here, the key is content. What will the building/website hold? Having all your content finalized before even getting into the planning (Flow chart and Information Architecture) of a website will avoid future costly revisions. And not to mention maintain a sane relationship with your web designer.
At the end of the day a successful website is one that a visitor understands the message (be it join, buy or “like” it) and enjoys the experience. With careful planning of the structure and navigation (flow chart and information architecture) based on a well thought thru message (the content) you can be the next face on a Forbes cover like Donald Trump or Mark Zuckerberg.
