Beginning Phase 6

Today we turned in our Process PDF for Phase 5 and discussed our layout issues with Eddy. At present, most of the pages are too sparse, and could accommodate much more content. I'm reevaluating the layout and navigation options. My goal for Friday is to have explored a few more approaches that work within our established grid system, so we can begin actual page production then.

At present we're planning on producing some of our merchandise items via zazzle.com. Eddy advised us to reassess the placement and scale of the logo on some of the items first, before placing an actual order.

I've drawn up a schedule for us for Phase 6, and been busy toying with new layout possibilities for the collection. Catie, meanwhile, has been taking note of which Lynda tutorials we'll need to review within the next week or two in order to successfully produce a fully functional site.

A copy of our production schedule may be downloaded here.

Over Spring Break

We were able to get together over on the Sunday before the end of Spring Break. We planned on getting together a couple times, but we've both been sick and waiting for each other to recover. Instead of coming up with our own grid, which we seemed to be having a hard time with, we decided to borrow other grids to help us with the process. We put together potential web page designs and Mike worked on the stages in which a certain page might work. We have yet to brush up on our Dreamweaver skills and will do so once we decide how everything needs to function. Hopefully, we won't run into too many problems with that part. With what we have put together for now, we are looking forward to receiving feedback so we can keep moving forward with the project.

Content Development

For the past week we've been continuing to develop and organize content for the web experience. I've generated a wire frame of the primary pages for the site, focused more on general organization than specific layout and appearance. The next logical course of action will be to develop a working screen grid and begin developing some page designs.

Some suggestions from our latest critique included the prospect of doing a periodical newsletter as part of the physical aspect of the project, as well as a design for a booth at a gun show. We've also been discussing our merchandise ideas, and how they need to be focused rather specifically on the subject matter of the web experience. (Some of the objects may be rather difficult to physically implement the logo onto.) Another idea was to include merchandise with designs/phrases other than just the IN SIGHT brand identity. This idea might be worth pursuing with some prototype designs to an extent.

The greatest challenge I foresee on the horizon will be physically manufacturing the site, as the levels of interactivity we're planning are well beyond anything either Catie or myself are versed with in Dreamweaver/Flash. (On the note of Flash, I've also discussed with Eddy the possibility of incorporating some bits of motion work as part of the web experience. Such elements could be exported as FLV and woven into the design of the site.)

Another conceptual issue that arose in our last crit was the nature/mood of the sight. Should it remain as serious as it is? Or should it become somewhat humorous in some aspects. Personally I lean more towards serious, with some personal touches to keep it from becoming a dry, business-type site.

To date we've collected 107 bullets so far. We still need to document them all in preparation for visual presentation. This is another task I hope to accomplish before Friday.

Site Map / Development Process PDF
Site Wire Frame PDF