Content Management

Course code : DESI1051
Course co-ordinator : Tom Turner

Introduction

This course introduces students who have studied, or are studying, the design of webpages and websites to the issues involved in planning and managing the content of large and small websites.

Course Diary

The course diary gives an overview of the timetable, weekly topics and submission dates for this course. There may be occasional changes, so check back frequently.

2009-10 Session
DateRoomTitle
20th January 2010Tower Lab CWeek 1
27th January 2010Tower Lab CWeek 2
3rd February 2010Tower Lab CWeek 3
10th February 2010Tower Lab CWeek 4
17th February 2010Tower Lab CWeek 5
24th February 2010Tower Lab CWeek 6
3rd March 2010Tower Lab CWeek 7
10th March 2010Tower Lab CWeek 8
17th and 24th March 2010: Website Planning (weeks 4 & 5)
Easter break (3 weeks)
21st to 5th May 2010: Website Planning (weeks 6 to 8)

All sessions will take place in Tower Block Lab C unless otherwise indicated. Each session is 3 hours long and begins at 2.00pm.

Course Documents

There are currently 1 files in this section

File Listing
  Filename Size (KB) Date Modified
Course Brief 07-08.pdf 39.7 28th Mar 2009

Aims and Outcomes

The course takes an overview of the factors which influence decisions about managing the content and organization of large websites. Content is reviewed from a number of standpoints, including those of:

The focus is on undertaking a critical appraisal of website content, not on design or technology as such.

Students taking this course will learn to:

Indicative Content

Usability and information architecture. Methods of website appraisal. Uses of server logs and other statistics. Reviews of "Top Ten" website lists with regard to aesthetic, technical content and business model considerations . Uses of subwebs, databases and content management software for updating, editing and publishing web content. Search position optimisation. Copyright issues.

Main Learning and Teaching Activities

The coursework will be organised as follows:

  1. Introduction to course
  2. Review of issues in study guide
  3. Student-led seminars on selected topics

The student-led seminars will have the following format:

  1. Presentation of topic by student
  2. Illustration of topic by student using selected websites as examples
  3. Verification/testing of topic presentation (either in class-time or study-time)

The topics for the student led seminars will be agreed according to the following principles:

  1. To achieved a balanced coverage of the issues
  2. To meet the particular interests of class members

The seminar topics are like beads on a string. The "string" is a type of website chosen by the student, at the start of the course, to which reference will be made throughout the course. Please note (1) if you change your mind about the type of website part way through the course, you can also change the website type (2) there is no harm in choosing a website which you will use for your Web Thesis Project. If you are a full-time student, this is a sensible thing to do. If you are a part-time student, you would be as well to choose a website type which interests you (eg a hobby). Examples of website types (1) photography websites [micropayment, equipment, galleries, etc] (2) Teaching websites [computer software, health, languages etc] (3) Retail Websites (4) Fine Art Websites (5) Religious Websites. The reasons for taking website types as examples are (1) to provide continuity for the seminars (2) to explore the many aspects of web content planning and management (3) to prepare for and/or support the Web Thesis Project.

The following list is provided as a typical set of weekly seminar topics. We will discuss it in the first session and agree what to consider: students are welcome to suggest alternative topics. The only mandatory seminar topic is the first item on the list.

  1. The Vitruvian principles "with due reference" to website content and as assessment criteria for website content
  2. "Business objectives" for the content of public sector websites (and/or The relevance of commerce to public sector websites)
  3. "Business objectives" for the content of private sector websites (and/or The relevance of public service to commercial websites)
  4. "Business plans" in relation to website content
  5. The economics of eTailing vs retailing
  6. Resource needs for websites (design, publication, marketing, management)
  7. Search engine marketing/optimisation (approaches, techniques, budgets)
  8. Content management software: shoe-string, low-mid-range, upper-mid-range, top-end
  9. Content management: a survey of the job-market
  10. A survey of websites and ezines relating to content management
  11. Design theory - Christopher Jones and his successors
  12. The Pattern Language approach to web content design
  13. Content design: the graphics-led approach (inc discussion of software)
  14. Content design: the technology-led approach (inc discussion of software)
  15. Content design: the information-architecture-led approach (inc discussion of software)
  16. Envisioning information
  17. Designer's accounts of website content creation: examples, appraisal and analysis
  18. Systematic testing procedures for website content
  19. The geography of the World Wide Web: niches, habitats, linkage, etc.

Key Texts

Copyright David Watson 2005–2010
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