"Creating a World Wide Web-based Multimedia Portfolio"
Copyright 1999 by Brian Wasson
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Chapter III-Methodology
Description and Scope of the Project
Introduction
The proposed project will consist of a Web site with the following sections: resume, publications and technology skills, portfolio, and interests. There will also be a home page which will act as an entryway to the various sections of the site. All information to be used in the creation of the Web site is pre-existent; it will be modified to the space and time constraints of the Web. For this reason, this paper will not concern itself with how to produce the content, but will rather detail the information that will be adapted to the online medium.
The primary Web page of each section will have navigational tools which will allow the user to easily jump between the various pages; the tools will remain consistent throughout the site, as will the style of the graphical headers describing each page. The headers will be simple GIF files with my name and the name of the section (e.g., "Brian Wasson: Portfolio"). Since "GIF files take up more room than plain text" (Binder, "The Good Word" 60) they will be used sparingly throughout the site. There will also be a link at the top of each page allowing the user to respond to me via e-mail.
The site will be designed to be fast-loading and easy to navigate (with the notable exception of the portfolio pages which will contain occasionally large graphics files). A clean and professional look will be the goal.
Home Page
The home page will be clean and simple, with the sole purpose of welcoming the visitor to the site and directing him or her to the desired information. It will consist of an imagemap with the four site divisions readily identifiable. In addition to the imagemap there will be hypertext links to the same pages in case the visitor does not wish to wait for the imagemap to load. A response device allowing the visitor to e-mail me directly will be at the bottom, as will a counter to track the site's traffic. In consideration of the literature which strongly advises a home page to load quickly, the file size will be kept as small as possible and simple graphics will be used.
Resume Page
The resume to be used in this project, as it exists in printed form, is two pages long. It can best be described as a "modified chronological" resume, where information is presented in reverse chronological order. It is "modified" due to the addition of several sections, including the "summary," "publications," and "skills" sections.
The first page begins with my name and address, followed by a "summary" section where highlights of my skills and background are noted in a bulleted list. These will remain on the online version, but before the "skills" section there will be a short "objective" section to let the reader know immediately what my career objective is. This section is not on the paper version because I always send a cover letter detailing my career objective.
The rest of the first page of the printed version will appear in much the same fashion on the Web version, with the addition of judiciously applied hyperlinks to other areas on the site which illustrate key points. "Professional affiliations" will be moved from the second printed page to this section as well, and an "availability" note will be added to let potential employers know when I will be available for employment. Finally, there will be a link to the "publications and skills page" as well as an option to download a printable version of the complete two-page resume in Adobe Acrobat PDF format.
Publications and Technology Skills Page
This section of the site will closely mirror the second page of my printed resume, which contains a list of publications and details of my technology-related skills (computer skills, photography/video, etc.). Once again, hyperlinks will allow the user to link to other sites providing further details as well as examples of my publications.
Portfolio Page
The portfolio page will serve as a menu, allowing the visitor to choose to see samples of my writing, photography, and design. The writing and design categories will list individual projects along with a brief description of the projects. The visitor will be able to click on hypertext which will transport him or her to another page containing a text or graphic sample of the noted work. The samples will be in a combination of HTML text, JPEG, and PDF formats depending on the item selected. The visitor will be warned that certain links from this page may be graphics intensive and may take longer to download.
The "photography" link will take the visitor to a separate photography portfolio page where there will be four "galleries" available: photojournalism, nature, travel, and Alaska. These divisions mirror my three main areas of photographic interest (the Alaska site will be there in support of my "interests" section, details of which follow). The photo portfolio page will make use of a single illustrative photo indicative of each division's content. The photo will be a "thumbnail" (scaled-down version) in order to make this gateway page load quickly. Both the thumbnail and the text description will be a hyperlink to the appropriate section. The individual sections will consist of six to 15 photograph thumbnails with a title underneath; by clicking on a thumbnail the user will be able to see a full-screen view of the photograph as well as information concerning where and when it was taken as well as any other pertinent information. The photographs in the photojournalism section will be accompanied by appropriate journalistic "cutlines" (captions). All photo and design samples will utilize JPEG compression in order to obtain the highest possible quality and color reproduction while keeping the file size as small as possible.
Interests Page
In order to provide an employer a more well-rounded view of who I am, I plan to include a page with information regarding my interests and hobbies. To a certain extent, the site will also serve double-duty as a personal Web site for friends and family. Categories in this section will be chosen carefully, and will most likely include information related to travel, outdoor sports (hiking, camping, etc.), and a section devoted to information about the state of Alaska (one of my favorite destinations). Care will be taken to not include anything which may cause a potential employer concern. This page will be clean and clutter-free, and will continue the professional look seen throughout the rest of the site.
Web Site Production Software
Introduction
In its most basic form, a Web page may be created in any software application that allows plain text editing. Text can be entered and hyperlinks established using standard HTML codes. Once the HTML code is written, the page may be previewed in a Web browser to see how it looks.
However, most Web authors prefer to use graphics and advanced techniques. In this case, more advanced software tools are required in order to put the necessary information in the digital realm. If a Web author has been working in graphic design most likely he or she already possesses the necessary software to do illustrations, edit graphics and photos, and produce the necessary content. Taking heed of the warning that "Technology should be used because it is applicable, not just because it is available" (Balcavage 21), I determined that the following software will be utilized for the creation of this Web site: Adobe PageMill, version 2.0; Adobe Photoshop, version 5.0.2; Adobe Illustrator, version 8.0; and Adobe Acrobat, version 3.0.1. (The existent design samples were originally created in QuarkXPress, but it will not be used in the creation of the Web site.)
Although there are an increasing number of Web production programs available, I feel the referenced software programs are the best choice for this project because 1) the programs are well-regarded industry standards, 2) I own personal copies, and 3) I know how to use them (a fact not to be taken lightly considering the learning curve of some of the more advanced programs).
HTML Editor
HTML code can be written on the simplest word processing software-it requires no special software tools. However, there are more advanced software applications available that automate many of the HTML coding tasks. These programs usually allow the user to create a Web page in "what you see is what you get" ("WYSIWYG," pronounced "whizzy-wig") mode, which "enables you to focus on the content and style of your Web page instead of learning a computer language" (Kent and Stein 1).
WYSIWYG software allows a user to actually see what the finished product will look like while he or she is working on it, unlike authoring by writing HTML code manually. This software generally facilitates the placement of graphics and text and allows the user to assign colors and styles (bold, underline, etc.) to various page elements. Although some HTML purists declare that Web authors should write code manually, it is my opinion that WYSIWYG HTML editing software has progressed to a point where it is a viable alternative to doing it manually.
There are numerous commercially available HTML editors which could easily do the job. For this project I will use Adobe PageMill, version 2.0. "When Adobe PageMill debuted, it was the first of it kind: a program that let you edit Web pages-without knowing HTML-via a word-processor style interface" (Snell).
PageMill broke new ground in Web design, and still remains one of the top Web design programs despite a bevy of imitators. It allows the page designer to concentrate on creating a user-friendly Web site rather than writing HTML codes. A designer can use its "word processor-like interface and drag-and-drop editing techniques to enter, edit, and format Web pages, add graphics and links to other pages, use complex formatting like tables and frames, and even create forms [. . .] " (Langer 1).
Graphics Applications
Adobe Photoshop. "Adobe Photoshop software is an image-editing program that lets you create and produce high-quality digital images, without the expense of high-end workstations" (Adobe Systems, Inc., Classroom 1). An image-editing program "allows you to edit photos and artwork scanned to disk" (McClelland xii). Photoshop is far and away the dominant force in image-editing software in use today. It is considered by most designers to be the industry standard against which all other similar programs are compared. As with most high-end graphics applications, Photoshop takes an extraordinary amount of time to master.
Photoshop will be utilized for all image preparation for this project. Photographs will be scanned into Photoshop, color-corrected, cleaned up, and saved in the appropriate file format (JPEG). One of Photoshop's strengths is the number of file formats it supports; it allows the saving of files in JPEG and GIF formats, among others. Section heads (discussed under "Description and Scope of the Project") will be produced in Adobe Illustrator and converted to GIF format in Photoshop.
All photographs will be appropriately sized using the "image size" command in Photoshop, and will be set to a resolution of 72 dots per inch (the resolution of most computer monitors) in the same dialogue box (Adobe Systems, Inc., Adobe Photoshop 46).
Adobe Illustrator. Like Photoshop, Illustrator is one of the premier computer drawing programs available (Adobe Systems, Inc. Adobe Illustrator 1). Whereas Photoshop is designed primarily for handling photographs, Illustrator provides a bevy of drawing, illustration, and type tools. For this project it will be used mainly to set and manipulate type in order to produce the section headers. The Illustrator files will then be exported to Photoshop where they will be converted to GIF files.
Adobe Acrobat. Acrobat is a program that allows files created in many other programs to be converted into a proprietary "Portable Document Format" (PDF) file which can be distributed to and read by others who may not have the original creating application (Adobe Systems, Inc. Adobe Acrobat 1). PDF files are designed to be viewed on virtually any computer platform; the viewer needs only to have a copy of the Acrobat Reader software (available at no charge from Adobe).
PDF has quickly become a standard format, and is supported by most major Web browsers via "plug-ins" (add-ons to software applications which provide increased functionality). "With Acrobat, you can create, view, and navigate documents in electronic form, print them, or distribute them electronically to others" (McCoy 489).
Acrobat will be used to allow projects created in QuarkXPress to be saved in a format (PDF) that maintains the original look of the document while allowing universal access to the file. It will be used for several design layouts, as well as to make a printable version of my resume available for download.
Finally, PDF files tend to be much smaller than the original graphics files they represent (Terra), allowing for faster downloads and more efficient use of disk space on the Web site host computer.
Web Site Production Hardware
A Macintosh-based system will be utilized for all work pertaining to the Web site. I own most of the necessary hardware and it is readily accessible, with exceptions noted. The hardware to be used for this project consists of the following:
1. Computer: PowerMacintosh G3/233 mini-tower. 160 megabytes of RAM, 4.0 gigabyte hard drive, 6 megabytes of video RAM, 24-speed CD-ROM drive, and a 1.4 megabyte floppy drive.
2. Monitor: Sony Multiscan 17-inch Trinitron.
3. Peripherals: Two removable drives will be used for file back-ups and transfers (if necessary): an Iomega Zip 100 drive and an Iomega Bernoulli 230 drive. In addition, an external 1.0 gigabyte hard drive is available for long-term backup or large file transfers (it is not anticipated that this will be used for anything other than occasional backups). A friend's CD-R (CD recorder) will be used to create final archival versions of the Web site.
4. Scanners: Digital acquisition of photographs and some design and writing samples will be done using three different scanners: reflective art will be scanned on my Umax 1220S 36-bit flatbed scanner; black and white negatives will be scanned on Regent University's ScanMate drum scanner; color transparencies and selected color negatives will be scanned on a friend's Minolta QuickScan35 slide scanner. It is anticipated that the bulk of the scanning will be done using the Umax and Minolta scanners due to their ease of use and quality. The Minolta, however, does not handle black and white negatives as well as the ScanMate.
5. Printer: The printer used for proofing will be my Apple LaserWriter Select 360; 600 dpi, 16 megabytes of RAM.
Site Hosting and Archival
Site Hosting
In order for a Web site to be available to the general public via the Internet the appropriate files must reside on a dedicated World Wide Web "server." A server is a computer which is hooked into the Web; it "hosts" Web pages for users. Once a Web page file has been designed on a designer's computer it must be transferred to a Web server, generally via FTP, before it will be available on the Web. There are many Web hosting companies available; some offer free storage space, others charge a monthly fee. If a user has an account with an Internet Service Provider (ISP) a certain amount of Web server space is often available at no charge. Free Web server space is also generally available to university students (as of this writing, Regent University provides two megabytes ("megs") of server space to enrolled students).
Currently I have available space on three Web servers: two megs on the Regent University server (regent.edu), two megs on my local ISP's server (ddaccess.com), and ten megs on my America Online (AOL) server (members.aol.com). For reasons of portability and space availability, I will use AOL to host my Web site. Besides the obvious attraction of having 10 megs as opposed to two megs at my disposal, with AOL I know I will be able to keep the same host even if I move away from the area. Regent's server, of course, will no longer be available to me once I graduate. Finally, as the country's largest online service, with more than 14 million users (Lundquist), I am fairly certain AOL will be around for some time to come.
Site Archival
Although the Web is an ideal medium for the distribution of the proposed content, it is recognized that viewing the completed project on the Web may not always be the most convenient method. Further, archival copies need to be made to accompany the final bound copies of this portfolio which will reside in the Regent University library. Several archival methods are available, including floppy disk, Zip 100 media, and CD-Recordable (known as "CD-R"). A floppy disk will not hold the anticipated five to 10 megs of data, and Zip disks are prohibitively expensive at 10 to 20 dollars a disk. CD-R media, at approximately one dollar a piece, seem to be the ideal choice. CD-Rs are "individually produced with an optical drive connected to the computer and require pregrooved CDs. Once recorded, the discs are like other CDs" (Catalano). CD-Rs can hold approximately 650 megs of data, and are "mainly used for archival and distribution purposes" (Catalano) due to their inexpensiveness and ruggedness.
CD-Rs are also a good medium due to the speed of CD-ROM drives compared to most Internet connections: "a [single speed] CD-ROM drive is a hundred times faster than your typical modem connection" (Jackson 68), which allows a viewer to access the information much faster.
For potential employers who may not have Web access, it may be possible to send them a CD instead of requiring them to view the Web version. Such a CD could include a Web browser and all necessary viewing software (plug-ins, etc.). At this point, I only have sporadic access to a CD recorder, so this approach is not immediately viable.
Project Assumptions and Parameters
Introduction
In order to put parameters on the project, certain assumptions must be made concerning the potential site visitor. Graphics, content, and hardware considerations all come into play. The following assumptions will be used to guide the design and content of the project.
24-Bit Viewing Platform
Due to the graphics-intensive nature of the proposed Web site and the need to accurately portray portfolio samples to the viewer, the site will be designed using 24-bit color images. Although many user's monitors may not support millions of colors, it is assumed that the target audience of journalism and communication professionals will have higher quality computer hardware than the average user and will appreciate the high quality color graphics on the site. Further, even most new low-end computers are capable of displaying 24-bit graphics; in fact, a recent survey by Georgia Tech's Graphics, Visualization, and Usability Center determined that 54% of Web users had a computer capable of displaying 24-bit color (GVU, Monitor).
Relatively Fast Connection
Although the site will be optimized as much as possible for fast file transfers, the nature of a portfolio site necessitates a certain amount of large graphics files. Given the increasing speed of computer modems it seems reasonable to assume that most users will be accessing the site with at least a 28,800 baud modem, if not higher. A survey by Georgia Tech bears this out: 31% of Web users were found to have a 56,000 baud modem, with 33% having at least a 28,800 baud modem (GVU, Connection). So, 64% of Web users have at least a moderately fast connection to the Internet. In addition, most businesses have much faster Web access through the organization's internal network.
Desire to View Page
Since this Web site will primarily be used as an adjunct to printed materials and will be marketed accordingly, it is assumed that most of the site's traffic will be there on purpose. Of course, the random "Web surfer" may happen upon the site, but he or she is not the intended audience. Assuming at least a moderate desire to view the site's contents obviates the need to go out of the way to entice visitors into the site. This is not to say that the site should not be inviting, just that it is not as important a goal as providing useful information to the directed visitor.
Repeat Viewing Not a Goal
The goal of most Web sites is repeat viewership. This site will not concern itself with drawing "repeat business." It will be designed to be a single-viewing experience site, providing needed information to a potential employer on an individual basis. Some pages in the "interests" section may draw repeat visitors, but that is not a primary objective of the site.
Visitor Using Netscape or Internet Explorer
Netscape and Internet Explorer are far and away the dominant Web browsers on all platforms. The site will be designed for and tested on only these two browsers. Statistics at "Browserwatch," a Web browser survey site, show that fully 85% of users utilize one of the two noted browsers (48.6% use Netscape, 36.4% use Internet Explorer) (Garaffa).