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Draft Proposal
The Austin History Center Association web site
A project on information architecture redesign
INF385E Fall 2004
1. Introduction
The Austin History Center Association (AHCA) is a nonprofit membership organization that supports the Austin History Center. The Austin History Center, which houses the local history archives of the Austin Public Library, aims to collect, preserve, and provide access to materials that document the storied history of Austin and Travis County.
2. The Project
2.1 Purpose
This project will thoroughly evaluate the Austin History Center Association’s website. Our group will analyze and offer improvements on the AHCA’s present web design. These improvements will take form as blueprints and templates that the AHCA may choose to implement as they see fit.
2.2 Objectives
- Define the mission and direction of the AHCA website
- Assess the current AHCA website in relation to its mission and projected direction
- Design and implement an alternative information architecture strategy
2.3 Assumptions
The direction and focus of the project will be further clarified with more detailed specification upon meeting with AHCA’s representative and team members. Individual and group responsibilities will be clarified as the project evolves
2.4 Constraints
- Limited amount of time to satisfy project requirements
- Limited budget
- Working within the framework of the AHCA’s present website
2.5 Risks
Challenges |
Steps to be taken |
Lack of proficiency in use of required technology, e.g. lack of HTML/Dreamweaver knowledge and experience
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All group members to learn and familiarize themselves with HTML/Dreamweaver and put new skills to practice
->All group member finished studying how to use HTML with tutorials
in IT lab and read some books about Dreamweaver MX.
on 10/17/04
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Meeting AHCA’s design requirements and wishes for website functionality that may or may not be within the capabilities of group members
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Clarify design requirements with AHCA. Even if particular requirements are not within the capability of group members, group members will as far as possible pave the way architecturally for future improvements/developments of the web site.
->After the group metting on 10/14/04, we clarified deisgn requirements with AHCA :
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Lack of familiarity with content of site and Austin, in general of majority of group members.
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Group members to familiarize themselves with all site content. Knowledge will be gained through work on the project.
-> On group meeting days, group member checked the our AHCA web site
regularly and each member visited our web site frequently.
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2.6 Team Members
- Hye-Young Kim hykim7229@mail.utexas.edu
- Jong-Hun Kim goldenrkim@hotmail.com
- Helena Loh helena5@ischool.utexas.edu
- Curtis Thomas cth@mail.utexas.edu
2.7 Team Responsibilities
- Attend, participate and contribute during group meetings
- Maintain communications within the group through email, web, etc.
- Satisfy individual assignments, deliverables such as learning the use and application of Dreamweaver/HTML, etc.
- Maintain communications with AHCA through e-mail, telephone, etc. in order to ensure clear direction of the project
2.8 Individual Responsibilities
- Work on site redesign
- Develop prototypes, templates, wireframes when process begins
Tasks |
Steps to be taken |
Work on site redesign |
Redesign/restructuring of home page
Redistribution of site content
Labeling
Uniformity of all pages on site to promote site branding
Combining sections and introductory text of each section to make site less text-heavy in certain areas e.g. Waterloo Press and catalog description
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Develop prototypes |
Developing site maps
Storyboards
Sketches of pages
Wire frames
Site template and navigation
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Develop working site template |
Use web space on ischool account to build working site template
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3. Project Planning
3.1 Project Scope
- Redesign and construct an information architecture for the content of AHCA’s existing web site
- Lessen clutter on current web site to make navigation and efficiency of site use
- Maintain a distinct identity (branding) for the AHCA web site without confusing it with the Austin History Center web site.
3.2 Deliverables
- Templates
- Presentation of Project
3.3 Timeline
Description |
Dates |
Notes |
In Charge |
Week One (13-17 Sept 2004) |
Individual site assessment |
14-15 Sept |
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Team meeting 1 |
16 Sept |
(i) brainstorm project concept
(ii) prepare project proposal
(iii) identify skills, knowledge and potential roles of team members
(iv) prepare for meeting with AHCA such as preparation of questions, design suggestions, comparison of sites, questions to elicit clarification of goals, etc. |
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Week Two (20-24 Sept 2004) |
Dreamweaver/HTML tutorial |
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Individual team members to complete tutorial before practical design work begins |
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Meeting with client |
pending client’s response |
To identify and clarify AHCA’s expectations regarding end result and direction for focus of project |
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Week Three (27 Sept-1 Oct 2004) |
Meeting with client:
Austin History Center Association
- Sharmyn Lilly, Executive Director
- Russ Rhea, Director of Media Services
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27 Sept |
Clarification of AHCA’s expectations:
- Who is target audience/potential audience
- What distinction to emphasize between Austin History Center and the AHCA’s newly designed web site
- What should user accomplish through use of AHCA’s website – seeking resources? News on events, notices, calendar, current information? Potential sponsors/supporters of AHCA?
- What priorities for audience when visiting the site – what emphasis?
- Clarification regarding book purchasing – e-commerce required?
- How many levels for the web site, e.g. as a link to refer users to the AHC web site? As a resource on its own with the AHC just as a link?
- Clarification regarding users of the site i.e. current users of both web site and AHCA and other potential users
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Preparation of new design sketches |
27 Sept onwards |
Team members to sketch web pages individually, compare notes and select the most suitable. |
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Week Four (4-8 Oct 2004) |
Set up of working site |
8 Oct |
Set up of working site on ischool web space |
done |
Week Five (11-15 Oct 2004) |
Group meeting |
14 Oct |
Comparison of design sketches and selection of template
Redistribution of site content
Headings and labeling
Development of site map – testing of site navigation and expected work flow
Tasks at hand:
Jong Hun, hyeyoung – to re-distribute home page content according to selected template
Curtis – to contact AHCA with updates and remind them to provide tagline (as they requested)
Helena – update project proposal and combine text as discussed in meeting
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done(10/22/04)
ongoing
done(10/20/04) |
Week Six (18-22 Oct 2004) |
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Annex 1
Meeting with AHCA, 27 September 2004
Sample Questions
- What distinction you wish to emphasize between the Austin History Center’s website and the Austin History Center Association’s newly designed website?
- What do you expect the user to accomplish through use of AHCA’s website?
- Seeking resources?
- News on events, notices, calendar, current information?
- Potential sponsors/supporters of the AHCA?
- What are your priorities for your audience when they visit your website? What do you want to emphasize? \
- Clarification regarding book purchasing
- How many levels do you want the website to work at? E.g. As a link to refer users to the AHC website? Or as a resource on its own, and the AHC just as a link?
- Clarification regarding the users of the site i.e. their current users of both website and AHCA and other potential users. Are they also aiming for the addition of other types of audiences who may not currently be users of the site?
Annex 2 – Site Map
Annex 3 – Redistribution of content and labels
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