Part 1: Audience and Purpose

As you begin to learn about multimedia and web development, it is imperative that you start to observe the way different websites are structured and the way they relate to their audience and purpose. You can determine some of this information by performing a visual review of the website and an analysis of the media included.

Visit the following websites:

• www.w3.org
• www.cartoonnetwork.com

Based on your observations, analyze the websites. Your analysis should include the following:

• Identify the purpose and the intended audience for each website. Does the audience of any of them overlap? How would you categorize each of these websites?
• Discuss how the use of media has enhanced these websites with respect to the following categories:
  • Visual appeal
  • Presentation
  • Navigation
• Rate each website in the above-mentioned categories on a scale of 1 to 5 (where 1 is the lowest) and justify your ratings. How does the purpose and audience affect the use of media on these websites?

Part 2: Classification

Websites are typically classified based on their purpose, which in turn, determines their design approach. Review one website from each of the following categories:

• .edu
• .net
• .org
• .com

Based on your review, answer the following questions:

• What are the differences in the presentation of information in each of the categories? For instance, is one more formal than another? Does one have more information on a page than another?
• How do the target audiences compare for each category? How does this affect their presentation?

Part 3: Development

Consider the following situation and answer the questions that follow:

Some professionals are of the opinion that the planning phase of website development takes too long, leaving little time for execution, which is more important. Also, as clients often change their requirements after they see the finished product, they feel it is better to start the execution phase without spending too much time on planning.

• What is your opinion of the above statements? Cite logical reasons for your views.
• When do most changes take place while developing a website?
• What can be done to keep the development phases on track without letting planning or execution take too long?