Final checks

With all the validations out of the way and all your comments considered, please view the amended website.

If you manage to spot something wrong with it, please use the feedback form to comment on it. I now realise why some of you were having trouble validating the feedback form. Although I am probably the last one to complete the website, if anybody is still struggling to validate the form I found this site really helpful to get thing into a logical order.

Although I experienced a few errors linking up the feedback form to the thank you reply, it seems to be working successfully now. If I have time after writing up the evaluation I will add an accessibility section.

To complete the assignment:

1. Generate statistics from usability feedback
2. Update sketch book with printouts
3. Update this weeks timesheet
4. Write up evaluation for A5, reflect on compromises and alteration incurred
5. Complete Merit and Distinctions
6. Add accessibility section

A steep learning curve

Again as the deadline is upon me, I feel apprehensive that I will complete it on time and to a standard that I am pleased with. Thank you to those of you who completed the usability testing I am not quite sure how to fix some of these problems until I do a little more research. It is my intention this week to evaluate the feedback received, make changes to the website and evaluate the site against my project goals.

This assignment has been a steep learning curve for me. Overall, I feel happy with the progress I have made with the assignment and pleased with the website I have created. At times I have struggled and found the whole experience frustrating for instance trying to force the website to do something but not possessing the required knowledge to do anything about it until after hours of research.

I may be isolated, but at least I'm validated

Until recently, I have been unaffected by the isolation of working from home. Validation problems and recent notification from my web host confirming they offer no cgi service, means I will need to transfer my domain name after all. The system of the transferring will take a while; therefore I am now going to look into getting a domain name and web host again. I am now apprehensive that I will be able to complete this assignment in time.

Thanks to those of you who assisted me with the validation on Monday, however after Johns advice I started the whole website again. John advised me about how to layout html in an order way. Despite the temptation of validating the site as transitional, I decided to stick to the goals and try and validate the web page in strict considering my new knowledge of html.

Glad to say it passed strict html 1.0. I am so pleased with myself. The five-minute tutorial from John really helped me understand the layout and therefore I was able to identify when Dreamweaver added bits of unnecessary code.

Over the next few days I will have to research into web hosts that have cgi capabilities and purchase a new domain name. Any suggestions are welcome. I understand that many people have had problems with cgi and any advice would be appreciated, I could really do without any more problems.

I have no attributes

Through validation, I have definitely completed the third target I assigned myself from last week. At the last count 27 possible improvements were identified. The main problem seems to be missing attributes, that include bgcolor, width, cellpadding, and height. If anybody has any solutions to these problems feel free to offer possible useful references or advice.

On the plus side, I have managed to keep the page size under 50K with the use of a combination of .jpgs, .gifs and slicing the header into sections.

Impatiently, I am blundering my way through solving problems and creating others on the slow journey to validation. My enthusiasm is hampered by validation although not completely diminished. I have realised that by attempting to create a website using the ‘strict 1.0’ is quite a challenge, however by creating it should increase my understanding of coding.

Unfortunately, I can only upload a taster of my website but hopefully by the end of the week I will have completed it.




My targets to complete this week include:

• Solve all validation problems with the web page before using as a template
• Upload my website for testing
• Identify possible improvements

Regaining clarity

Firstly, I’d like to say thank you to those of you who commented on my previous blogger. I especially found Craig’s point useful about relative font sizes, accommodating larger fonts within the design. Secondly, I would like to thank Steve for re-directing my stubbornness and restoring my focus.

Although previously discussed at tutorials, I naively thought keeping a web page under 50K was and easy task. The realisation of how difficult this is now a reality. Without altering the initial designs I have considered using hotspots, background repeat CSS and table borders.

What is more important, keeping to the original design or keeping to the set goals?

Reluctantly, I have adapted my initial design and revised it inline with the set goals. I find all technical re-considerations frustrating probably because I am so used to completing a piece of printed work that is WYSIWYG. In conclusion this week has given me clarity. Now with more confidence than before, I feel I can do it. Validating the template to XHTML Strict 1.0 is tricky, although all problems have solutions, or do they?

My targets to complete this week include:

• Uploading my website for testing
• Gaining feedback from the dasforum and elderly users
• Identifying possible improvements