Rather than simply throwing together a website in Dreamweaver or FrontPage, students are asked to draft and organize their site prior to beginning the site itself. This is obviously analogous to the drafting process that we have students use in writing research papers or other "traditional" writing documents.
Wireframes are basically sketches of how the pages will look on the site, while information architecture concerns how the site elements will be organized. In other words, which pages will be connected and in what order, etc. Sample readings and assignments below will help you and your students familiarize yourself with these materials.
- "Using Design Games"at Boxes and Arrows
- For design, read Jakob Nielson's most recent web usability article and Tog's Basics of Interaction Design
- To assist in the production of deliverables take a look at "Boxes and Arrows Defining Information Architecture Deliverables"
- Information Architecture Deliverables and Diagrams (sample wireframes are included at the end of the article)
- selections from Dan Brown's Communicating Design
