Introductory Questions

1. My name is Fiona. I am double majoring in Communication Design and Art History. I am currently a junior undergraduate.
2. I grew up in Chicago with a younger sister and my two parents. I'm taking this class because I'd like to have a better grasp on how to apply design to the digital realm.
3. The last time I had any hands-on experience with coding was in my 8th grade Introduction to Computer Science course, so I'll admit I am a bit rusty when it comes to HTML and CSS. However, quite a bit about coding has been coming back to me since working on this assignment and the "Hello World" assignment.
4. In this class, I hope to learn how well-designed websites are coded using HTML/CSS, and to apply such strategies to my own digital design work.
5. I expect that designing for the screen will be less intuitive than designing on paper. Unlike analog design, screen-based design requires a whole new language that must be understood in order to display specific design choices. For this reason I imagine I may get a bit frustrated in the translation process from design idea to coding the idea to its manifestation on screen.
6. I believe a good example of effective web design is Are.na. It is minimalistic, easy to navigate, and centers viewers' attention on posts rather than potentially distracting web design elements.
7. I think a good example of a website with effective communication is Amazon. Information is displayed in hierarchies from most to least important. Product categories are separated into like areas on screen. I feel as though I know what Amazon wants me to look at first, second, and third.
8. I think Chase Bank's website is an example of a website that works well. It is secure, organized, and prioritizes privacy. It also runs both quickly and smoothly.