Final Conclusions from research.
Functions: Most of the sites didn't offer any kind of ordering system. Some of the ones that did used the same system that I have been asked to use, that is ordering over the phone. The other ones that offered completely online ordering were much larger and not appropriate for the size of this business. The lack of completely online ordering systems seemed to indicated people like a bit more human interaction when ordering costumes so calling over the phone should work well if executed right.
Relevance: A major problem with some of the costume hire sites, is the lack of updating that is happening, asthetically and content wise. If a site is out of date the user picks up on it quickly and as a result is offputting, making it less likely for them to order a costume from that company. The sites that were obviously current sometimes changed their page depending what holiday or event was coming up that people would hire costumes for. Eg St patricks day or halloween or something like that. I will talk to indisguise if they would consider doing something like that.
Content:The sites that were the most useful were the ones that had information that was relevant to what the user is looking for, ie costume prices, sizing, and where to pick them up from. Quite a few of the less maintained ones didn't have any information about what sizes were available and how much they were. The most useful sites also had an FAQ section which I will include in the indisguise site. I will also include all the information I can about costume hire and not ramble on about non-relavent information. Some sites gave a long history to the company on the front page which is really not inviting at all and can be offputting.
Asthetics: The most well presented sites were the ones that had lots of pictures, especially on the front page and used the same theme throughout. There were some sites that had no pictures apart from on the gallery, and they were pretty sad as well. Some sites had pictures of the costumes when they are on people at events and they looked really effective. This is a very good idea that I plan to use as it also gives the user a better idea of what the costumes look like in the real world on normal people. I found the easier to use sites had a link bar at the top, and it also looks cleaner too so I will adopt that for my site.
Quality: A few sites were obviously poorly maintaned as there were broken links to crucial pages and missing pictures. This is really offputting, as there was one site where this was the case, that also had an online ordering system. This puts doubts into my mind as i'm sure others as to how secure this service is, if the people can't even build a site properly. I will make sure that my site is rock solid in this respect so people have the upmost confidence in the company.
Monday, March 30, 2009
Monday, March 23, 2009
survey
I have just sent off this survey to indisguise, this is the final copy that will be handed out to customers.
I hope to collect this late next week so i can start on the final brief.
Survey: Indisguise website
Hi there, a new website is currently under construction for Indisguise and I would like to take a few minutes of your time to ask you a few questions about it and how you would like it to be so I can make it as good as possible.
How long have you been a customer of indisguise? (please tick a box)
Less than one month
1 to 6 months
6 to 12 months
1 to 3 years
More than 3 years
Have you been a customer of any other costume hire place in the last 2 years? If yes please indicate which place/places:
On average how frequently do you hire costumes? (please tick)
More than once a week
A few times a months
A few times a year
Less than once a year
Please indicate how important the following factors are when hiring / buying costumes on the internet (please tick the appropriate box)
Not important at all
Only marginal influence
Moderate importance
Extremely important
Website reliability, so can you always access it? From anywhere?
Being up to date
Asthetics (how the website looks)
Relavent information, so is what is presented on the site what you need to know in order to complete your task
Assurance of product, are you going to get what you see on the site
Are The costumes going to be the right size?
Ease of use, how easy is it to get done what you need to?
Awareness of site (how easy is it to get to from a search engine)
The site keeps up to web standards, (will it look the same on your computer as it does on other computers?)
Competition websites, does the site do the same and look just as good as competitor websites?
(sorry about the formatting)
I hope to collect this late next week so i can start on the final brief.
Survey: Indisguise website
Hi there, a new website is currently under construction for Indisguise and I would like to take a few minutes of your time to ask you a few questions about it and how you would like it to be so I can make it as good as possible.
How long have you been a customer of indisguise? (please tick a box)
Less than one month
1 to 6 months
6 to 12 months
1 to 3 years
More than 3 years
Have you been a customer of any other costume hire place in the last 2 years? If yes please indicate which place/places:
On average how frequently do you hire costumes? (please tick)
More than once a week
A few times a months
A few times a year
Less than once a year
Please indicate how important the following factors are when hiring / buying costumes on the internet (please tick the appropriate box)
Not important at all
Only marginal influence
Moderate importance
Extremely important
Website reliability, so can you always access it? From anywhere?
Being up to date
Asthetics (how the website looks)
Relavent information, so is what is presented on the site what you need to know in order to complete your task
Assurance of product, are you going to get what you see on the site
Are The costumes going to be the right size?
Ease of use, how easy is it to get done what you need to?
Awareness of site (how easy is it to get to from a search engine)
The site keeps up to web standards, (will it look the same on your computer as it does on other computers?)
Competition websites, does the site do the same and look just as good as competitor websites?
(sorry about the formatting)
Sunday, March 22, 2009
Survey / Updated plan of action
Here is the survey for the clients that the owner will hand out.
Just getting teacher to check before but here is how it stands now:
Survey: Indisguise website
Hi there, a new website is currently under construction for Indisguise and I would like to take a few minutes of your time to ask you a few questions about it and how you would like it to be so I can make it as good as possible.
How long have you been a customer of indisguise? (please tick a box)
Less than one month
1 to 6 months
6 to 12 months
1 to 3 years
More than 3 years
Have you been a customer of any other costume hire place?:
On average how frequently do you hire costumes? (please tick)
More than once a week
Once a week
A few times a months
A few times a year
Less than once a year
Please indicate how important the following factors are when hireing / buying costumes (please tick the appropriate box)
Not important at all
Only marginal influence
Moderate importance
Extremely important
Website reliability
Being up to date
Asthetics (how it looks)
Relavent information
Assurance of product
Ease of use
Awareness of site (how easy is it to get to)
The site keeps up to web standards
Competition websites
(sorry about formatting, but you get the idea)
and here is my updated plan of action:
Plan of Action as at 22 March 2009
(note this is just an initial POA and will be updated as needed)
(also everything in brackets are the resources required for each)
Week ending 27 March
Give survey to client
wait for survey results
draw up initial designs (visual diary)
Week ending 3 April
Get survey results back
collate results (computer)
write up brief for client (computer)
Week ending 9 April (beginning of holidays)
Talk to client about brief
Discuss anything she wants changed
Start research on other competition websites (Computer / Internet)
inform owner of my 2 week absence on holiday
Week ending 1 May
based on research draw up final designs (visual diary)
do research on best coding methods for websites (computer/ Internet)
do research on the best way to display many photo's on a website (computer / Internet)
collect all necessary material for site off the owner
Week ending 8 May
take drawings to client, see what she likes best, and based on that start working on a bare-bones site (Computer / IDE / internet)
collate research and write up reports based on each (computer)
Week ending 15 May
Continue to code website (Computer / IDE / internet)
talk to owner about where her current website is hosted, if she wants to change do research on that for her (computer / internet)
Week ending 22 May
continue / finish website (Computer / IDE / Internet
show owner and make changes as necessary
Week ending 29 May
upload website (Computer / Internet)
write evaluation (Computer)
write up details of how to maintain the site, show owner how to as well.(Computer)
Just getting teacher to check before but here is how it stands now:
Survey: Indisguise website
Hi there, a new website is currently under construction for Indisguise and I would like to take a few minutes of your time to ask you a few questions about it and how you would like it to be so I can make it as good as possible.
How long have you been a customer of indisguise? (please tick a box)
Less than one month
1 to 6 months
6 to 12 months
1 to 3 years
More than 3 years
Have you been a customer of any other costume hire place?:
On average how frequently do you hire costumes? (please tick)
More than once a week
Once a week
A few times a months
A few times a year
Less than once a year
Please indicate how important the following factors are when hireing / buying costumes (please tick the appropriate box)
Not important at all
Only marginal influence
Moderate importance
Extremely important
Website reliability
Being up to date
Asthetics (how it looks)
Relavent information
Assurance of product
Ease of use
Awareness of site (how easy is it to get to)
The site keeps up to web standards
Competition websites
(sorry about formatting, but you get the idea)
and here is my updated plan of action:
Plan of Action as at 22 March 2009
(note this is just an initial POA and will be updated as needed)
(also everything in brackets are the resources required for each)
Week ending 27 March
Give survey to client
wait for survey results
draw up initial designs (visual diary)
Week ending 3 April
Get survey results back
collate results (computer)
write up brief for client (computer)
Week ending 9 April (beginning of holidays)
Talk to client about brief
Discuss anything she wants changed
Start research on other competition websites (Computer / Internet)
inform owner of my 2 week absence on holiday
Week ending 1 May
based on research draw up final designs (visual diary)
do research on best coding methods for websites (computer/ Internet)
do research on the best way to display many photo's on a website (computer / Internet)
collect all necessary material for site off the owner
Week ending 8 May
take drawings to client, see what she likes best, and based on that start working on a bare-bones site (Computer / IDE / internet)
collate research and write up reports based on each (computer)
Week ending 15 May
Continue to code website (Computer / IDE / internet)
talk to owner about where her current website is hosted, if she wants to change do research on that for her (computer / internet)
Week ending 22 May
continue / finish website (Computer / IDE / Internet
show owner and make changes as necessary
Week ending 29 May
upload website (Computer / Internet)
write evaluation (Computer)
write up details of how to maintain the site, show owner how to as well.(Computer)
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Meeting
I had my second meeting with the client yesterday,
i showed her what i had done in terms of brief and plan of action and when i planned to have the website done by.
I discussed giving out a survey and she was fine with that, i will get that out to her in the next few days. I will collect the survey in 2 weeks and collect the results and use them to write a final brief from.
here is the brief as it stands now:
Brief for website of the costume hire shop Indisguise.
(13-03-09)
Issue:
Indisguise is a costume hire company that wishes to expand to selling costumes online. They have a website already but this does not show what costumes are available for sale and is not aesthetically pleasing. The owner wishes to change this in a bid to boost costume sales and raise awareness of the business.
Purpose:
The purpose of this website is to sell costumes to customers, through effectively showing them what is on offer to increase sales. This is to be done in a very easy to use and aesthetically pleasing way to encourage repeat business.
Audience:
The intended audience of the site will be costumers, potential and regular. Also competition and members of the public who want to contact the owner for whatever reason
Text Formatting:
The text will be formatted in the following way,
The heading will be size 14pt and will be the colour black and in the font Veranda
The body text will be the size 10pt and will also be the colour black in in Veranda
Graphics to be included in the website include:
The indisguise logo
Pictures of costumes for hire, initially about 80 but in time will grow
border around each page, which will be of curtain / drape design
Content to be included in the site:
introduction to the costume company, stating what the site is for and giving a greeting
information on how to buy costumes and where to pick them up from / how much shipping will be
pictures / descriptions for each costume
theme ideas for costumes
information about hiring out costumes, also telling them this can only be done in house, you cannot do it online
contact information
Page Layout
The page layout will be included in a separate document
Constraints:
The website has to load relatively quickly, even on a 56k connection
the website must be fully functional with no dead links
the website must be easy to navigate and understand
the content must be current
the site must be consistent throughout in terms of colour schemes, so it looks professional and like it is regularly updated.
Completion Date:
The planned completion date of the site is the week of the 8th of May, will update this as necessary
i showed her what i had done in terms of brief and plan of action and when i planned to have the website done by.
I discussed giving out a survey and she was fine with that, i will get that out to her in the next few days. I will collect the survey in 2 weeks and collect the results and use them to write a final brief from.
here is the brief as it stands now:
Brief for website of the costume hire shop Indisguise.
(13-03-09)
Issue:
Indisguise is a costume hire company that wishes to expand to selling costumes online. They have a website already but this does not show what costumes are available for sale and is not aesthetically pleasing. The owner wishes to change this in a bid to boost costume sales and raise awareness of the business.
Purpose:
The purpose of this website is to sell costumes to customers, through effectively showing them what is on offer to increase sales. This is to be done in a very easy to use and aesthetically pleasing way to encourage repeat business.
Audience:
The intended audience of the site will be costumers, potential and regular. Also competition and members of the public who want to contact the owner for whatever reason
Text Formatting:
The text will be formatted in the following way,
The heading will be size 14pt and will be the colour black and in the font Veranda
The body text will be the size 10pt and will also be the colour black in in Veranda
Graphics to be included in the website include:
The indisguise logo
Pictures of costumes for hire, initially about 80 but in time will grow
border around each page, which will be of curtain / drape design
Content to be included in the site:
introduction to the costume company, stating what the site is for and giving a greeting
information on how to buy costumes and where to pick them up from / how much shipping will be
pictures / descriptions for each costume
theme ideas for costumes
information about hiring out costumes, also telling them this can only be done in house, you cannot do it online
contact information
Page Layout
The page layout will be included in a separate document
Constraints:
The website has to load relatively quickly, even on a 56k connection
the website must be fully functional with no dead links
the website must be easy to navigate and understand
the content must be current
the site must be consistent throughout in terms of colour schemes, so it looks professional and like it is regularly updated.
Completion Date:
The planned completion date of the site is the week of the 8th of May, will update this as necessary
Sunday, March 15, 2009
Brief
The brief has been completed, and includes information on the fonts, the content, the constraints, completion date, graphics included.
I plan to update this as new information comes to light, and will make a record as such in my visual diary
I plan to update this as new information comes to light, and will make a record as such in my visual diary
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Plan of Action
Plan of Action as at 11 March 2009
(note this is just an initial POA and will be updated as needed)
Milestones to have been finished week ending 13 March
- Plan of action
- Initial Brief
- Second meeting with client if possible
- research other sites with similar functions and see what works well with theirs and also review their weaknesses
Week ending 20 March
- Second meeting with client if not already done
- Survey
- Final Brief
- Start initial designs
Week ending 27 March
- finish initial designs
- take designs to client
- research what coding languages to use with the website / what the competition is using
Week ending 3 April
- Based on clients feedback start final design
- take design to client and if OK start website coding
- if not OK make modifications, get the go ahead and then start coding
Week ending 9 April (beginning of holidays)
- continue website coding
- do research on the best way to display many photo's on a website
- collect all necessary material for site off the owner
- inform owner I will be on holiday for next two weeks and will not be working on site during this time
Week ending 1 May
- Do final work on website, bring forward to client for approval
- talk to owner about where her current website is hosted, if she wants to change do research on that for her
Week ending 8 April
- Finish site
- Finish research / prepare to upload website
(note this is just an initial POA and will be updated as needed)
Milestones to have been finished week ending 13 March
- Plan of action
- Initial Brief
- Second meeting with client if possible
- research other sites with similar functions and see what works well with theirs and also review their weaknesses
Week ending 20 March
- Second meeting with client if not already done
- Survey
- Final Brief
- Start initial designs
Week ending 27 March
- finish initial designs
- take designs to client
- research what coding languages to use with the website / what the competition is using
Week ending 3 April
- Based on clients feedback start final design
- take design to client and if OK start website coding
- if not OK make modifications, get the go ahead and then start coding
Week ending 9 April (beginning of holidays)
- continue website coding
- do research on the best way to display many photo's on a website
- collect all necessary material for site off the owner
- inform owner I will be on holiday for next two weeks and will not be working on site during this time
Week ending 1 May
- Do final work on website, bring forward to client for approval
- talk to owner about where her current website is hosted, if she wants to change do research on that for her
Week ending 8 April
- Finish site
- Finish research / prepare to upload website
Sunday, March 8, 2009
Plan of action for week starting 9 March
This is just a brief plan of action for the week
Write up a brief summarising what the websites purpose is, what is needed in it and any constrainsts put on it
Finish doing research on competition sites, local and abroad
Write up a survey to hand out to customers regarding the site
Have another meeting with the business and show them the brief after it has been checked with teacher, and also give them the survey
Write up a brief summarising what the websites purpose is, what is needed in it and any constrainsts put on it
Finish doing research on competition sites, local and abroad
Write up a survey to hand out to customers regarding the site
Have another meeting with the business and show them the brief after it has been checked with teacher, and also give them the survey
Updated Stakeholders
After talking with my teacher i realised that my stakeholders were inadiquite.
Here is an updated list of them and why they are stakeholders in this project, and also the brief is still to come.
Owner of Business
- Site Reflects on business
- Site could increase/decrease business depending on quality
- Site directly relates to the day to day running of her business
Staff
- Will impact on their workload
Me
- Reflection on my website building ability
Competition
- Site could decrease their business
Police
- If the site has illegal content on it they will have to get involved
Costume Owners
- If pictures are used of theirs without permission
Members of the public
- Site could be offensive to them
Server Owner
- If illegal content is hosted on it they will have to pull it off
Customers
- Site will impact how they deal with the company
This is not the final list, but is very close to what it will look like.
Here is an updated list of them and why they are stakeholders in this project, and also the brief is still to come.
Owner of Business
- Site Reflects on business
- Site could increase/decrease business depending on quality
- Site directly relates to the day to day running of her business
Staff
- Will impact on their workload
Me
- Reflection on my website building ability
Competition
- Site could decrease their business
Police
- If the site has illegal content on it they will have to get involved
Costume Owners
- If pictures are used of theirs without permission
Members of the public
- Site could be offensive to them
Server Owner
- If illegal content is hosted on it they will have to pull it off
Customers
- Site will impact how they deal with the company
This is not the final list, but is very close to what it will look like.
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Meeting
On Monday i had my initial meeting with the client.
Went well and i have confirmed that i am ifact doing it with the costume hire place "indisguise."
I am going to meet with my company every two weeks to discuss progress and they are also going to monitor my progress on this blog.
In the meeting we discussed the questions mentioned earlier on. The main points are i don't need to do any forms on the website and i can use all the images that she has.
She doesn't want to hire out from the website; just sell costumes.
I will write up a brief shortly and will post it when done
Went well and i have confirmed that i am ifact doing it with the costume hire place "indisguise."
I am going to meet with my company every two weeks to discuss progress and they are also going to monitor my progress on this blog.
In the meeting we discussed the questions mentioned earlier on. The main points are i don't need to do any forms on the website and i can use all the images that she has.
She doesn't want to hire out from the website; just sell costumes.
I will write up a brief shortly and will post it when done
Monday, March 2, 2009
Meeting with client today
The grape vine indicates a successful meeting with the potential client this afternoon. I look forward to seeing a posting of the initial proposal ... then watching it develop ...
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