Description

Home Page

Splash page with the large letters in lowercase c.a.d., red, green, blue and the communication art and design logo below.

• Clicking on the graphic brings the user to the Overview page

described here as the "homepage".

• Orange, black, and white color scheme for top nav. bar
• Navigation bar colors resemble strokes of a paintbrush
• White lettering introduces the Page title "Communication Art and design"
• below that is the navigation bar with a black background Student Work/Courses/Overview/Vision/Oppotunity/Instructors/ATC home/Contact Us
• in transparent lettering at the top right of the page are the words:"web design/illustration/painting/3D/advertising/animation"
• below those words in bold white is the name and address of the school
• The body of the page is white. It begins at the left hand side with two paragraphs with the headings "Words" and "Pictures"
• The columns continue to the right begining with a new heading in orange "Positions you may hold" followed by five small paragraphs with the headings "Graphic Designer" "Art Director" "Production Artist" "Illustrator" and "Job Market"
• There are three columns of text on the front page
• Nearing the bottom of the page is an orange banner with the slogan "Your Future Starts Here" followed by the name of the school and address
• Below this is a copywright, link to MNSCU, phone/fax/TTY, comment links, privacy policy link, and spanish link
• Red and white Alexandria Technical College Logo in the bottom right corner

Student Work

• Red and black top nav bar color scheme with same brushstroke style
• Same nav. bar options and school address
• Link to "Featured Student" and "AdFEd?" in blue
• Red text below those link reads "Current Student Work" and a sentence about it
• a small grid of interactive boxes of student work project a larger image to the right when a users mouse hovers over a particular box
• below in red lettering is "Featured Student"
• Middle column is left blank for the artwork to appear
• Last column begins with a link to Student Quotes followed by "What They Are Saying" in light grey letters
• Three small paragraphs in the last column concerning the types of equipment used at the school in different programs
• The bottom banner has a new slogan "Striving to Be the Best" followed by same info as on homepage bottom banner

Courses

• Purple and black brushstroke banner and nav. bar at the top
• Page is divided into three columns like previous pages, but text is larger and greaphics are included as well
• Links above the class chart go to "Second Year Courses" "Fifth Semester Courses"
• Student work as examples are in the far right hand column
• there is a link in red lettering near the bottom of the grid that says "click here to view dramatic change in students skill
• Horizonally, half the grid is white (top), and half the grid is grey (bottom) used to signify the seperation of the semesters
• The slogan at the bottom reads"First Year/Laying the Foundation" This changes when the user selects Second and Fifth semester from the link bar at the top and bottom of page

Overview/Vision/Opportunity

• Overview is the main page link from the splash page.
• Vision page has four short paragraphs describing the first and second year experince
• A fifth paragraph extending from the bottom of the second column to the bottom of the third column addresses the Fifth Semester
• VISION appears in grey caps below the fifth paragraph
• Opportunity page lists several large companies where graduates have found jobs. A breif paragraph describes the various opporunities.
• Logo on bottom of Opportunity page reads "Your Future is Here"

Instructors/Contact Us

• Two columns
• Four photos of instructors in green tint
• green brushstroke banner at top
• slogan at bototm reads "Learn From Experience"
• Photos of instructors accomp. bio paragraph listing credentials, credits, and education
• Contact info and clickable link to email is included below the bio
• Contact Us divided into three columns
• photos of instructors repeated in contact us page has contact info categorized beside the pic
• Paragraph in thrid column states "We would be happy to visit your school" in bold grey lettering

and accompanying paragragh describes how students can do this

• College for a Day is in bold in the paragraph

Analysis

Patterns

• Repetition: Brushstroke patterns and colors (orange, red, blue, green) on banners. Student work links are available and displayed as well throughout the site. Repetition of slogans on the bottom banner.

• Sequencing: Classes for fall freshman sememster/spring semester, second year, fifth semester schedule divided by grey and white.

• Omission: Students names and photos. No credit is given for the artwork featured on the hover grid. Exception is the featured artist Students work that has failed. Examples of people who did not land the dream job after graduation. Price of admission into the program or credit prices/semester prices are not incicated in the Courses grid.

• Anomalies: The phots of peoiple included in the Instructors page and on the contact page. The phot and name of a student appears in the Featured Artist link. The paragraph says he was chosen because of a high weork ethic and design skill.

• Relationships: The user will begin to associate the communication art and design program at Alexandria Tech with success and the quality of work that this department has produced and displayed on this site. The companies and organizations list, the student quotes link, the student skills progress before and after drawings and the featured student artwork all serve to show the user that this program can fulfill the skill development needs of it's students and lead to careers with reputable companies (like Disney and Bemidji State University).

Style

• Shifting color schemes laid over the same brushstroke banner repeated on every page.
• Site language speaks directly to the user, addressing user using "you".
• Site introduces the user to the school and the coursework, showing specific classes and student work from those classes from the first year curriculum through fifth semester.
• Prominent Displays of student work appear several time on the front pages.
• Featured work is visible from the second page.
• Second page is student work-the most important aspect of what this site is trying to emphasize.
• "Just look at what YOU will be doing" mentality.

Every page is asking you to look at the students work, several pieces are featured more than once throughout the site. This visual repetition allows the users to become familiar with the quality of work produces at thtis school, and the language of the site allows the user to envision themselves achieving the same quality in their own work with the help of the school and instructors

Arrangement

• The site is arranged topically, with student work and courses at the front of the navigational bar, then faculty and contact us at the end of the navigational bar.
• Most pages composed in three column divisions with the brushstroke banner always appearing at top and the school slogans changing with the colors at the bottom
• Student work appears in the center column in the Student Work page
• Student work is easily accesible; the user need ne\ot click a link, but only hover over a small graphic box in the left column. Even if the user doe snot want to view the student work, they may inadvertently cross over the graphic boxes with the mouse and cause a larger image to appear in the center column
• An entire page is devoted to showcasing the various companies and organizations that graduates have found employment with. Two columns, one with a short paragraph about the various opportunities for grads, and one side with a full list of successful companies. Disney tops the list, followed by a host of other recognizable companies (many within the state of Minnesota).
• Repeated throughout the site is the transparent lettering that appears on the front Overview page on the top right r\corner of the banner “web design/illustration/painting/3D/advertising/animation”. The user will not be able to forget what the Communication Art and design department specializes in.
• Various slogans appearing at the bottom banner of all the pages compliment the content of the page. This is a repetition of slogans.

Delivery

• Color and graphics are used on white background
• Color and graphics are the department specialty, and are used to relay the recruitment message.
• Language used always refers to the site viewer as “you”
• The site informs “you” of what “you” can accomplish using this program
• The opportunities that await “you” are limitless
• Alexandria Tech will help “you” enhance your skills

Invention

• The site uses ethos to create a positive reputation. The user should think that this school can enhance their existing skills, whatever level they are at, and provide them with a degree that should land them a good job with a reputable organization, possibly a place like Disney.

The student artwork displays and the lists of places graduates were hired serve to enhance Alexandria Tech's credibility.

• In the Opportunities page, the paragraph preceeding the list of companies makes the claim that graduates can find work either in the big city or the country. They can find employment in almost any field in communication including "Graduates find job opportunities at advertising agencies, newspapers, and graphic design firms as well as in-house design departments in major corporations. Employment can be found in large metropolitan areas where most advertising agencies are located or in smaller communities where newspapers and corporate headquarters choose to operate."
• This school promotes the power of it's degeree through induction as they offer several examples (student work, job opportunities, student quotes, students change in skill level link) of how this program has enhanced grads lives and skills.

Summary

The site for the communication art and design program at Alexandria Tech is made up of five pages all using the same three column format (besides the Instructors page) and colored banner display. The site is easy to navigate as the nav bar never changes position and always has the same options. Links in blue lettering are to separate pages within the site so it is always easy to get back.

Student work is emphasized and the user can easily view the artwork large enough to see it clearly. Work is displayed on two main pages with link to more work on the site. Many pieces images are repeated. The work displayed can be called good work and is most likely an example of the finest work students in this program are producing.

The language in this site is directed towards the reader, and it suggests that this program has not only the technology and resources to help further ones career, but can enhance ones skills to professional quality to earn a degree that will land a great job in the field.