Project: MIT 220 website
Date: Wednesday, July 23, 2003

Background:

For some time now, the instructor of this course has wanted a website to post course notes, assignments, lab schedules and useful resource links for his students.

Client/Key Contact

Mark Rayner, instructor

Communications project leader

Mark Rayner, web designer

Overall Goal

To create an aesthetically pleasing website that will enhance the learning experience of the client's students.

Objectives/Rationale

• Demonstrate good web design principles
• Must be easy to use
• Provide a place for students to gather useful web design information
• Provide the instructor for a place to post course-related information

Target Audiences

• Class of MIT 220
• Other MIT students
• Faculty and staff from FIMS

Key Messages/Themes

• Good design doesn't have to be overly complicated
• Aesthetically pleasing design doesn't have to be high tech
• Good design starts with strategy, and depends on planning and architecture

Strategy

• Pick a theme that will visually reinforce the need for planning and a solid architectural foundation
• Use existing teaching materials to provide content.
• Use links to fill out other areas that haven't been covered in class
• Provide a structure that will enable the instructor to build on the site
• Use humour where possible and appropriate.

Budget

• Zero. De nada.

Timeline

• Organize the site once the class has begun.
• When there is enough material available, build the site.
• Have it ready to go by the mid-point of the course. Yikes!

Potential Issues

• No budget!
• Because there is no budget, the instructor will have to do all the work.
• Not enough time to do the work.

Creative Direction

Use famous art and digitally manipulate it to give a sense of the possibilities of the technology.  Use a split complementary color palette.  Verdana typeface throughout, with Zurich for headers.

You can also download the Word file.