Design Document: Determining the Site Structure This section of the Design Document deals with how the content will be organized within the web site. In section 3 - Content Identification and Grouping, you had defined explicitly what the content is going to consist of and how it is to be grouped. This section deals with organizing the content in a logical manner which will provide the user with the simplest access to your information. This is important as it helps to establish which navigational systems will be employed within the site design.
Now that we can see what the content is and how it is grouped, we can begin understanding how it will be best laid out as a web site. Things to consider: - What is the lowest sub group? How will the user get to that information with the fewest possible number of clicks?
- Can additional content can be added and not destroy your navigational system?
- What are the largest content sections? Do they break down into manageable pieces?
- Are you 100% sure of all the content that is to go within each group and sub group?
Site Structure Listing
This is a text based listing of the layout of your web site. Each section of the site is defined numerically with each sub-section cascading downwards from that. Developing the site structure listing provides a simple form to layout the skeleton of the site. You will find this listing much simpler to make changes to than the full blown architectural blueprint which follows. The listing is also much easier to work with when dealing with large web projects. The site structure listing will look something like this: 1.0 Homepage (section 1) - Welcome to Classic Horror Authors 2.0 Section 2 - 17th & 18th Century Horror Authors
3.0 Section 3 - 19th Century Horror Authors
4.0 Section 4 - 20th Century Horror Authors
5.0 Section 5 - Recommended Readings
6.0 Section 6 - Thoughts and Comments
2.0 Section 2
2.0 Section 2 - 17th & 18th Century Horror Authors
2.1 Section 2 content 1 - Thomas Parnell (1679-1718)
2.2 Section 2 content 2 - Daniel Defoe ( 1660 - 1731 )
3.0 Section 3 3.0 Section 3 - 19th Century Horror Authors
3.1 Section 3 content 1 - Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley (1797-1851)
3.2 Section 3 content 2 - Edgar A. Poe (1809 - 1849) 3.2.1 Section 3 content 2 - subcontent 1 - The Cask of the Amontillado
3.2.2 Section 3 content 2 - subcontent 2 - The Raven
3.3 Section 3 content 3 - Bram Stoker (1847-1912)
4.0 Section 4 4.0 Section 4 - 20th Century Horror Authors
4.1 Section 4 content 1 - H. P. Lovecraft (1890-1937)
4.2 Section 4 content 2 - Stephen King (1947 - ) 4.2.1 Section 4 content 2 - subcontent 1 - Richard Bachman ( ? - 1985)
5.0 Section 5 5.0 Section 5 - Recommended Readings
6.0 Section 6 6.0 Section 6 - Thoughts and Comments
6.1 Section 6 - content 1 - Reader Survey
6.2 Section 6 - content 2 - Book Reviews by You
6.3 Section 6 - content 3 - Guest Book
Architectural Blueprint - Architectural blueprints are visual representations of the site structure which show how elements on the site are grouped and how they link or relate to one another.
- Important as many people find it difficult to look at a text based diagram (site structure listing) of the site.
- From the text based diagram, prepare an Architectural blueprint.
- You create the blueprint from the site structure listing.
- Create a legend of the elements on the map to describe links, groups, components
- Also distinguish between functional and transactional pages, dynamic pages and plain text
- For large sites, create a general blueprint, then diagrams that breakdown the structure into greater detail - zooming in
- A key element in defining the navigational system
Define Navigation Well thought out navigation will make the site much easier for the user to understand and to get around. Defining the navigation helps - to guide users from one place to another
- prevents them from getting lost
- user to understand how to get around
Points to Consider - You know how to use a magazine, know the size, how to turn pages, where to look for the table of contents etc. How can you provide this information for your web site?
- Show what you've got and how to get there.
- Need to balance between the casual user and user looking for specific information. You want to entice the casual user to stay, yet not deter the user looking for specific info with too much glitz or unnecessary information.
- Users do not want to learn how your site works - they want your content.
- Provide your content in the simplest manner possible.
Global Navigation - navigation that is available consistently throughout the web site. What were the major content areas? Use these. Try to limit the global navigation to 6 or less items. Local Navigation - navigation that is available to use for a section or subsection only. Very important to define and document as many of the Global and Local navigation systems as possible. It is best to keep local navigation systems consistent with one another. | Section 4 - Site Structure | | | 4.1 Site Structure Listing | | | 4.2 Architectural Blueprints | | | 4.2 Global and Local Navigation Systems |
modifed: 2007-04-18 |
