The Open University Running Club (OURC) has engaged the services of a web design consultancy to develop a dynamic website to go live later in the year.
In the short term, however they would like to test the concept of providing OURC members with immediate online access to their running data. So, with the consultancy working on the larger site, you have been approached to improve three prototype files that represent part of the proposed website.
There is a transcript of the conversation between the Information Architect and President of the Running Club in the Appendix.
The Open University Running Club are keen to make available running event data in terms of event, runners, demographic and their time posted to the site to be both usable; in terms of being more navigable than from just using the back button of a browser, and that these data are as widely accessible to users as is possible for static web pages.
To assist you in the task you have been provided with access to two short case study videos, the first of which introduces the Open University Running Club (OURC) and the conditions under which they currently operate. The other video explores accessibility and how accessibility is evaluated. It is recommended that you watch these clips before starting your TMA.
Videos:
Introduction to the OURC [Tip: hold Ctrl and click a link to open it in a new tab. (Hide tip)]
Discussing accessibility
In this instance, the club has asked you not for a final site design, but rather one that follows good coding practice in that they want a site that is usable, that is standards-compliant and that is also accessible.
The draft files the Running Club has provided you are located on the TT284 website, in a folder marked TMA01 Zip file, under the Assessment resources link.
• ourc_index.htm
• ourc_data.htm
• ourc_global.css
These files are incomplete and you are asked to amend them files so that they meet the following criteria:
• The web pages should be syntactically error free and should validate as XHTML 1.0 strict.
• The web pages must be usable.
• The web pages must be accessible.
• The web pages must also connect with the provided CSS.
• The style file should validate as CSS (level 2.1).
Part 1: Making the prototype site usable and standards-compliant
For this first part of the TMA you should simply amend the draft html files provided to make both files standards-compliant in terms of XHTML 1.0 strict. You should then link the files to the provided CSS file and you should ensure that this file validates to CSS 2,1. The web pages should be usable in terms of the menu placement and overall look and feel of the site.
You should describe each of the steps you took and explain why you took them in the form of a short section of your written report.
Note: You may also consider using comments in the files to explain any changes you have made, If youdo soplease remember to reference thesecomments in your reports. Comments are written in the following form:
• <!--This is a html comment. -->
• /*This is a CSS comment*/
It is recommended that you test your work in the current version of Firefox; it is this browser that your marker will use to view your work. At the time of writing the current version of Firefox is version 17.0.1. This is available from:
The short report
(a) Write a few short paragraphs describing how you have amended the html templates to ensure the usability of the prototype for the Open University Running Club website.
(b) In your own words, describe your understanding of both valid XHTML and valid CSS and explain the nature of the changes you made to the files provided to achieve standards-compliant coding of the prototype website.
Part 2: Considering the accessibility of the prototype
In this second part of the TMA you are now asked to consider the accessibility of the Open University Running Club prototype templates. In practical terms, this now means considering different visitors to the website and how they might access the website and in considering the accessibility of the site, you might also find it useful to consider how visitors access the running data.