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Web design

Explore the dynamic evolution of web design, from the early days of computer labs and relational databases to the modern concepts of content management systems and encrypted pages. Learn about the importance of functionality, secure communication, site structure, and common design mistakes. Discover how to create effective web designs and protect user data in a constantly evolving digital landscape.

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Web design

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  1. Web design Dr. Tim King

  2. My CV • Computer Lab 1973-1981 • Wrote a relational database for Ph.D. • Lecturer, University of Bath 1981-1983 • R&D Director 1984-1986 • Wrote AmigaDOS • Founded Perihelion with Jack Lang 1986 • Distributed OS, embedded systems, database systems • Founded UK Online 1994 • First UK ISP with content • Sold to EasyNet 1996 • Independent consultant • Technical Due Diligence for VCs • E-business advice for Sainsbury’s, Sony, Diageo etc • Strategy for small companies and following M&As

  3. I have an idea • Can you source? • Purchasing: where from and with what? • Can you fulfil? • Warehousing • Tesco vs Sainsbury model • Delivery • Returns • Electronic fulfilment • Stock control • Do it? Show it? Pending delivery? Dabs.com • Cannibalisation • Can you make money from it? • Simple fact which seemed to elude people 1998-2001

  4. Domain Names • All 5 letter .com URLs now taken • Be inventive • Greetingcards.com, Cybercards.com, Mousegreetings • Fish4cars, fish4homes etc • Business.com went for $10m • $25,000 for CitiCorp registered that morning • .com .net .co.uk .fr .de .be .biz • The isles of Tivalu and Tonga • .tv and .to

  5. Web design • Design is important • But functionality more so • Many web design houses don’t understand about databases • Managing Directors do not make good web designers • It’s another type of publishing • Web publishing is no different from other types of publishing • Spelling, grammar, point size, broken links, incorrect captions • Navigation is important • Three clicks maximum to get anywhere • Hard when Sainsbury’s have 25,000 line items

  6. Common mistakes • Too much text • Frames • Huge images • Distracting colour schemes • Flashing gifs, scrolling text • Music • Unclear navigation • Unreadable • Cluttered www.websitesthatsuck.com

  7. Poor design example

  8. Good design example Quick links to sub areas Search clearly available Services for subscribers Pop-over sub-menus Special event links Recent news stories Discussion forums Clear link to technical support Consistent navigation

  9. Protected pages • Most web sites are open to all • Protected pages for • Subscribers • Suppliers • Customers • Staff • Protected by • Username / pw • IP address • Domain name of browser • Combinations of these

  10. Dynamic pages • HTML with extra tags pre-processed • Java Server Pages (JSP) • Active Server Pages (ASP) <HTML> <HEAD> <TITLE>Connecting to an Access database</TITLE> </HEAD> <BODY><TABLE><% SET myConn=SERVER.createobject("adodb.connection") strConn="PROVIDER=Microsoft.Jet.OLEDB.4.0;DATA SOURCE=emp.mdb" myConn.Open (strConn) SQLStr="SELECT Empno, ename, deptno FROM Emp ORDER BY deptno, ename" SET result=myConn.execute(SQLStr) %> <H2>ASP Example</H2><P>Connecting to an Access Database</P> <TR><TH>Employee No</TH><TH>Name</TH><% WHILE NOT result.EOF%> <TR><TD> <%=result("empno")%> </TD <TD> <%=result("ename")%> </TD><% result.movenext() WEND %> </TABLE> </BODY> </HTML>

  11. Encrypted pages • Most traffic to and from web sites is in clear • Potential eavesdropping possible • Secure Socket Layer (SSL) encrypts data • Computationally expensive at server • Hardware assist boards are available • Widely used technology • In all browsers • Used whenever privacy is important • Payment • Secure communication (spooks, terrorists, medical)

  12. Site structure Home page Help Company Products Services Support Product search Service 1 Free Paid Search Sitemap About Us Contact Service 2 Downloads Chat Payment Service 3 Static pages Service 4 Protected pages Dynamic pages Applications Shortcuts Search from every page Payment from free support page Encrypted pages

  13. Content Management • Change once, changes all versions • Input • Data and news feeds • Editorial, pictures • Price, stock, changes • Output • Staging server • Business/advert manager • Web farm • Content Management Systems (CMS) • Intewoven • Vignette • ATG Dynamo • Broadvision • MS Siteserver

  14. Multiple targets • Different devices • Different browsers • Different bandwidth, resolutions, screen sizes, colours, printers • Phones & PDAs • TV: Open TV, DVB-TAM-HTML, WebTV • XML helps, but doesn’t solve everything • Phones and PDAs have different physical characteristics • WAP issues • Small screens • Battery life essential issue • Java Midlets a step forward • TV and other streaming media have different metaphors to the Web • Device limitations • Audio important • High colour depth, poor display quality • Evolution: Text -> Still Pictures-> Moving Pix-> 3D

  15. Workflow New products Content repository Press releases StagingServer Web Job vacancies Template repository Compliance officer Web designers Database designers Webmaster/editor

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