Information Technology Reference
In-Depth Information
Now, we need to turn our content outline pages and flowchart into site
storyboards and develop a style of our own. This process ties in our brain-
storming activities with visual design. We are beginning to establish a look to
our Web portfolio.
Style
The visual decisions you make about the look, feel, and experience established
within your Web portfolio all contribute to style. Ultimately, the content and
framework that supports the assets and text will define the style. Style and its
connection to the Web portfolio are important because it contributes to
identity. The identity of the Web portfolio is critical to establishing the
appearance of the author. We brought the topic of identity up several times in
this text but now we are going to expand upon it.
Identity defines the Web portfolio. Different identities are needed for different
purposes. For example, a designer needs an identity that projects an image that
clicks with to her target audience. If the designer specializes in pharmaceutical
marketing design, he or she must project a Web portfolio that has clean
typographic stature, vivid photographic elements, and an aura of professional-
ism that is felt the moment you enter the site. If the designer focuses on the
fashion or entertainment industries, he or she must adapt to a style that fits
eloquently into popular culture. This may mean designing towards a certain
target audience to gain acceptance as a worthy partner in design.
The style needed for educator is quite different from that of the cutting-edge
designer. Depending on discipline, educators need to think seriously about their
own style and how it will be blended into the Web portfolio. The style issues
that challenge educators seem to be to achieve the goals of the institutional
audience while feeding their own personal stylistic desires.
I have found that Web portfolios designed by artists seem to be good at meeting
individual and institutional style parameters. In my research and unobtrusive
observation of many other educator Web portfolios in the technology disci-
plines, I found that the sites seem to lack personal identity and were boring or
unattractive. I have noticed that a higher level of style linked to identity is seen
in the Web portfolios of teachers, those specifically in the discipline of
education. My observations also revealed many poor designs by teachers in
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