January 22

• Overview of the course
• Introduction to Unit #1
• Introduction to HTML markup

January 27

• Fundamentals of HTML
• READ: Robbins, Chapters 4–5

January 29

• Fundamentals of CSS, web typography
• READ: Robbins, Chapters 11–12
• DEADLINE: Register website through Reclaim Hosting

February 3

• Hyperlinks and images
• READ: Robbins, Chapters 6–7

February 5

• Colors, backgrounds, and the box model
• READ: Robbins, Chapters 13–14

February 10

• CSS positioning
• READ: Robbins, Chapters 15–16

February 12

• Advanced web typography, Unit #1 peer critique workshop
• READ:
  • Robbins, Chapter 12 (thorough review)
  • “Web Design is 95% Typography,” by Oliver Reichenstein
  • “Best Practices of Combining Typefaces,” by Douglas Bonneville
  • The Elements of Typographic Style Applied to the Web
• DEADLINE: Rough draft of Unit #1 (postponed due to snow)

February 17

• Advanced web typography, Unit #1 peer critique workshop
• READ:
  • Robbins, Chapter 12 (thorough review)
  • “Web Design is 95% Typography,” by Oliver Reichenstein
  • “Best Practices of Combining Typefaces,” by Douglas Bonneville
  • The Elements of Typographic Style Applied to the Web
• DEADLINE: Rough draft of Unit #1

February 19

• Introduction to Unit #2; responsive web design
• DEADLINE: Unit #1
• READ:
  • Robbins, Chapter 18
  • “Responsive Web Design: What It Is and How To Use It,” by Kayla Knight

February 24

• Review for Exam #1, introduction to Bootstrap
• READ: Familiarize yourself with the Bootstrap website, especially the “Getting started” and “CSS” sections

February 26

• Exam #1

March 3

• Bootstrap workshop
• READ: Robbins, Chapter 16 (thorough review)
• DEADLINE: Select a “client” for Unit #2

March 5

• Formatting tabular data
• READ:
  • Robbins, Chapter 8
  • “Bring on the Tables,” by Roger Johansson

SPRING BREAK: No Classes

March 17

• Wireframing
• READ:
  • “Sketching: the Visual Thinking Power Tool,” by Mike Rohde
  • “Using Wireframes to Streamline Your Development Process,” by Eric Shafer

March 19

• Bootstrap peer help session (Quinn at a conference)
• DEADLINE: Unit #2 wireframes

March 24

• Extending and theming Bootstrap
• READ: Familiarize yourself with Bootswatch and Bootstrap Magic

March 26

• Unit #2 peer critique workshop

March 31

• Introduction to Unit #3 and Unit #4, working with clients
• READ:
  • “Marry Your Clients,” by Shane Pearlman
  • “In Defense of Difficult Clients,” by Rob Swan
  • “No One Nos: Learning to Say No to Bad Ideas,” by Whitney Hess
  • “20 Signs You Don’t Want that Web Design Project,” by Jeffrey Zeldman
• DEADLINE: Unit #2

April 2

• Unit #4 team meetings
• DEADLINE: Unit #4 teams and clients finalized

April 7

• User-centered design, Unit #4 team conferences with Quinn
• READ: Garrett, Chapters 1–3

April 9

• Information architecture
• READ: Garrett, Chapters 4–6
• DEADLINE: Unit #4 MOU, Unit #4 personas

April 14

• Content management systems
• READ:
  • “Why Do I Need a Content Management System?,” by Blue Sky Designs
  • “Designing for Content Management Systems,” by Rachel Andrew

April 16

• WordPress workshop
• READ: Garrett, Chapters 7–8
• DEADLINE: Unit #4 wireframes

April 21

• Usability testing
• READ:
  • “Super Easy Usability Testing,” by John S. Rhodes
  • Review the “Usability Testing,” “Planning a Usability Test,” and “Running a Usability Test,” sections of Usability.gov

April 23

• Usability testing workshop, Exam #2 (take home)
• DEADLINE: Unit #4 first draft (rough), Unit #4 usability testing protocol (at the end of class)

April 28

• Client project team workshop
• DEADLINE: Exam #2

April 30

• Unit #3 peer critique workshop
• DEADLINE: Unit #3 rough draft

May 5

• Client project team workshop
• DEADLINE: Unit #3, Unit #4 usability testing results

May 7

• Unit #4 peer critique workshop
• DEADLINE: Unit #4 second draft (refined)

FINALS WEEK

• Unit #4 due at the beginning of our final: May 14, 10:05 a.m.
• Individual team evaluation forms should be submitted to 427 Shanks Hall or Mailbox #8 next to 323 Shanks Hall