1997 - 2006
portals
educational & cultural
commercial

general considerations and analysis of the steps in creating web sites.

January 2001

1- Who is the site for:

• Personal web site
• Small business
• Large or medium business

2- Main Objectives:

• Inform (institutional)
• Advertise oneself (brochure, catalogue)
• Means of communication (by forms, e-mail)
• Sell (e-commerce)

3- Audience:

• Occasional visitors
• Defined audience (professionals)
• Various clients

4- Technological needs according to the graphic content:

• Accessible to all, fast--- (mostly text)
• Accessible to the great majority with images --- (HTML - Javascript)
• Accessible to a small percentage using front-end technology:
  • DHTML (browsers 4.0)
  • Java
  • Plug-ins (Flash, Shockwave)

5- Technological needs according to the function of the site:

• Database with on-line search capability
• Sales (CGI programming, ASP, PHP, credit card transaction arrangements with third party agents)
• Secure Site (restricted access, confidential information, sales)

6- Graphic needs:

• Already has graphic design (just adapting for the web)
• Has no graphic design

7- Site design: Steps

• Site Map (even if it is just for personal reference)
• Creation of the structure of the site with adequate directories
  • This is important in order to publish the site with Search Engines
  • If the site grows, broken links shouldn't be left on the net because the structure has changed
• Decide on a general theme to be used throughout the site (classic, commercial, 60's style, modern, gallery etc...)
• Processing of texts to HTML (manual typing, OCR)
• Processing of graphics (scanning and creating)
• Home Page graphics
• Secondary page graphics
• Creation of navigation buttons and icons
• Banners
• Image-maps
• Conversion of all graphics to optimal size for the web
• Forms
• CGI-ASP-PHP
• Links from and to other sites

8- Server Hosting

• Already has server space?
• Wants to host for the first time?
• In USA or elsewhere? (depends on audience, budget)

9- FTP - Transfer of the site to the server

10- Site Testing

• Internal links
• External links
• Internet download time
• Testing on various browsers and screen resolutions

11- Publishing the site

• Preparation of the pages to publish (meta-tags, text, directories)
• Submission to Search Engines (different systems)
• Regular checks and updating for Search Engines
• Exchange of information with other related web sites

12- Updating

• Link updates
• Information updates
• On-line help / support
• Addition of new sectors (modular approach)