A question for my classmates
How are you approaching the manual for the website design for the artist? Are you doing it from the perspective of the client working with the program that you used or from the client working in the code itself?
posted by Jessica Badger at
5:30 PM
5 Comments:
Good question--I'm going to assume that the client has a basic, bare-bones text editor program, like Notepad (I'll actually recommend Notepad++, I think). Most of the things that need explaining will be done just as I did them: straight in the code (like some copy/pasting of JavaScript, etcetera).
I think I'm actually going to approach this through short (no more than 60secs if possible) videos, which might make it easier to explain (for me, anyway, as I'm pretty visual myself).
I have been struggling with this question too Jessica. I think I did decide to use the same approach Chris is using - telling them how to edit the code because I think that the things the artist will want to change or update are text and images and that can be done in the code. I'm making my site in Dreamweaver, so I wondered if I could write from the Dreamweaver perspective. It would be a lot easier since Dreamweaver has a WYSIWIG view.
-Ashley
I have NO idea, so I'm glad you asked and got these answers. I've not even started thinking about the manual, but I have put notes in my code so anyone who accesses the code can see short notes on what can change. I may just integrate my manual into the code so the user can go into the code and change whatever she wants without having to fumble through a different document. What do y'all think of that idea?
That's a good idea also, Carie--I've tried to integrate as many comments into my markup as is reasonable for whoever may use them.
One thought I had for those who are designing in a program such as Dreamweaver or Wix or some other web authoring program (and that I think I am going to use for my manual) is to design a "split-screen" manual. After an introductory statement that provides an overview of how the original site was created and through which metaphor, I'll then split the page into two vertical halves. On one side will be instructions for updating in Dreamweaver, which I used for my artist website, and on the other side instructions for updating the code through a basic text editing program - this side will focus primarily on the appropriate HTML code.
The code editing option allows some basic updating - using primarily cut and paste. The information on the Dreamweaver half will provide more advanced options for updating the site in the program through which it was originally designed. Including this split option will also help me in the writing of the manual and I think will be a good personal exercise to further familiarize myself with HTML coding.
Because I also have backgrounds created in PhotoShop, I will also create information about the creation and modification of these background images.
Just one route... A little extra work perhaps, but I think, for me, it will actually keep my thoughts on track to execute the manual this way.
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