Final Learning Proposal

Name: Julie Yarnold
Student Number: 84123455

Personal Learning Needs

Develop skills in ascertaining and using appropriate technologies to create an interactive web site that conforms with current standards and requires very little modification to be deployed on mobile technologies, perhaps as an app.

SWOT Analysis

Strengths

Basic familiarity with HTML and CSS principles
Intermediate level of proficiency with MS Access
Minimal familiarity with Filemaker Pro
Minimal familiarity with Visual Basic
An eye for detail, which is useful when proofreading
Experience using both PC and Mac devices
Methodical
Attention to detail--ensuring work is completed to the highest standard
Flexibility and adaptability
Structured approach to problem solving
Graphic design background, which will help with visual aesthetics
Completion of Digital Information and Interaction Design subject, which will help with information architecture and user experience

Weaknesses

No experience with web scripting/programming
Almost no experience using mobile devices for internet access
A tendency to over-analyse, thereby taking up time
Procrastination

Opportunities

The possibility of my site/application template being adopted by other professionals
The possibility of help from people more experienced than I am with web technologies (lecturers and fellow students, and to a more limited extent, some staff at my place of employment)
Developing skills that could expand my earning and professional options

Threats

Competing priorities from work
Family commitments and interruptions, including those from noisy neighbours
App overload--will people think they need another app?
Time constraints including not knowing a realistic timeframe for solo development of my proposed application as I have not undertaken such a project before
Hardware and software compatibility and availability issues, which could stall development, as development will occur on a number of different devices with different software and operating systems

Learning Needs in DMT

To:

Extend current coding knowledge
Learn, understand and apply scripting language/s as appropriate
Develop knowledge and understanding of available technologies and their suitability for various applications
Understand and assess hardware requirements for deployment of an application with the aim of avoiding compatibility issues

Learning Plan

Objectives

What do I want to learn?

To:

Achieve proficiency with HTML, applying current standards, ie, XHTML 1.0 Strict
Achieve proficiency with CSS and its most efficient uses and applications
Incorporate a database as part of a web site
Develop skills with technologies that allow interactivity to be built into a web site
Incorporate a blog as part of a web site, if time permits
Deploy the site as an app, if time permits

Strategies

How will I do it?

By:

Developing a website (and possibly a mobile app) for a self-employed personal trainer that incorporates the technologies I wish to learn
Surveying stakeholders to ascertain required features and functionality of the proposed site
Researching technologies to determine the most appropriate to use
Obtaining appropriate software for development of the site
Completing tutorials in the required technologies, (w3schools, 2012)
Researching and incorporating, if appropriate, some ready-made applications, eg event management (Setmore: Online Appointment Booking, 2012)

Resources

What exactly will I use?

Desktop PC
Desktop iMac
Laptop PC
Macbook
Digital Camera
Online coding resources, eg, HTML dictionaries (w3schools, 2012), code validators (w3.org, 2012)
Text editing software
Image editing software
Coding software
Database software
Web hosting software
Drawing program for wireframing
Flowcharting program
Event and Venue Management software
Government standards

Proposed Project Description

What will you build?

An interactive web site for a self-employed personal trainer, allowing clients/potential clients of the trainer to access information about the trainer, including background; professional services; to sign up for an email newsletter; to access information on preparing for an exercise program; to book and pay securely online for training sessions; to contact the trainer via a form; and to view a Frequently Asked Questions list.

Possible additions, depending on time/resources/skills: reminders sent to clients' mobile phones; trainer's blog; an exercise library with videos and fact sheets.

Additionally, trainer should create a Facebook page in his or her business name (to allow for 'Like' buttons, etc) as well as a Linkedin profile in his or her business name.

Proposed pages for inclusion

Home/About
Contact form
Services/information about exercise programs
What you need to know about preparing for exercise
Appointment booking page with interactive timetable
Email newsletter signup
Secure payment form
FAQs

Possible additional pages:

Blog
Exercise library of videos/fact sheets

Schedule

What do I plan to do when?

Project timeframe - 11 weeks: 27 March to 5 June 2012

Week -2 commencing 13 March 2012

Commence working through tutorials

HTML
CSS
Javascript
Various (XHTML, CSS, Internet Security, HTML) at UTS Online Digital Media Technologies, Websites/Resources

Research requirements for mobile technologies

Week 1 - commencing 27 March 2012

Decide upon 'look and feel'
Identify any risks/threats to completion; decide whether site to go live in stages or at completion
Research web hosts if necessary; sign up for web hosting plan
Register domain name if none already exists
Create/download QR Code (QRStuff.com, 2012) that links to website for use on business cards, etc
Set up Paypal account, if required
Research secure payment options
Develop questions for surveying stakeholders

Week 2 - commencing 3 April 2012

Survey stakeholders; collate responses
Conceptualise/brainstorm ideas for web pages and content for inclusion
Conceptualise/brainstorm ideas for possible mobile app
Finalise list of inclusions for web site/app
Research technologies for site functionality
Research resources for chosen technologies/functionality; bookmark/commence related tutorials as appropriate (eg SQL, etc)

Week 3 - commencing 10 April 2012

Research functioning inclusions, eg interactive online bookings, blogs, etc
Develop navigation structure/flowchart
Develop wireframes
Client to collate and forward information/graphics files for inclusion in soft copy
Complete image optimisation, proofreading, etc

Week 4 commencing 17 April 2012

Site plan including navigation structure/flowchart (Cacoo, 2012), (LovelyCharts, 2012) and wireframe signoff

Week 5 - commencing 24 April 2012

Create folder structure
Commence building prototype; backup all work

Week 6 - commencing 1 May 2012

Prototype/s
Commence building and documenting site

Weeks 7-8 - commencing 8 and 15 May 2012

Continue building and documenting site
If time/resources available, build app

Week 9 - commencing 22 May 2012

Site and app Testing
Validation (w3.org, 2012), error resolution, final 'tweaks'

Week 10 - commencing 29 May 2012

Go Live

Week 11 - 5 June 2012

Post-go-live error resolution if necessary

References

Cacoo - Create diagrams online Real time collaboration. 2012. Cacoo - Create diagrams online Real time collaboration, viewed 25 March 2012, <http://www.cacoo.com/>

Lovely Charts | Diagram software. 2012. Lovely Charts | Diagram software, viewed 10 March 2012, <http://www.lovelycharts.com/>

QR Code Generator: QR Stuff Free Online QR Code Creator And Encoder For T-Shirts, Business Cards & Stickers. 2012. QR Code Generator: QR Stuff Free Online QR Code Creator And Encoder For T-Shirts, Business Cards & Stickers, viewed 25 March 2012, <http://www.qrstuff.com/>

SetMore: Online Appointment Booking. 2012. Home - SetMore: Online Appointment Booking, viewed 23 March 2012, <http://www.setmore.com/>

The W3C CSS Validation Service. 2012. The W3C CSS Validation Service, viewed 10 March 2012, <http://jigsaw.w3.org/css-validator/>

The W3C Markup Validation Service. 2012. The W3C Markup Validation Service, viewed 10 March 2012, <http://validator.w3.org/>

UTS Blackboard. 2012, Digital Media Technologies, Subject Materials, viewed 10 March 2012, via login at <https://online.uts.edu.au>

W3schools CSS Tutorial. 2012. CSS Tutorial, viewed 10 March 2012, <http://www.w3schools.com/css/>

W3schools HTML Tutorial. 2012. HTML Tutorial, viewed 10 March 2012, <http://www.w3schools.com/html/>

W3schools JavaScript Tutorial. 2012. JavaScript Tutorial, viewed 10 March 2012, <http://www.w3schools.com/js/>

W3schools PHP Tutorial. 2012. PHP Tutorial, viewed 10 March 2012, <http://www.w3schools.com/php/>

W3schools SQL Tutorial. 2012. SQL Tutorial, viewed 10 March 2012, <http://www.w3schools.com/sql/>

Home

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