Great Valley Computer Contest

Part of the contest is adding a Web 2.0 component to your website.  Here are three suggestions.

1. Create a Twitter Account for your client.  Add a Twitter feed to the client’s website and teach them how to update it.  It’s a quick way to post updates without knowing any programming.
2. Create a Facebook Page for your client.  Incorporate the client’s logo and messaging.  Add a “Facebook Connect” button to the main website to encourage visitors to connect.
3. Do a video tour of the business.  Create a youtube account and embed the video tour on the website.  Do this for your client’s existing TV commercials.

One note about video and load times:
Stay away from embedding Windows Media.  With services like YouTube, there is no reason for you to host or stream media from your server.  Upload the video to YouTube and use the embed code to make load times fast and efficient.

Design, General, Programming, Web 2.0

Mr. Dawe’s favorite editor is PSPad, since it’s free and awesome.   Take a look at this post for the 15 Most Popular Text Editors for Developers: http://sixrevisions.com/web-development/the-15-most-popular-text-editors-for-developers/

Thanks to Workforce Development and Human Capital Expert Karla Porter from the Greater Wilkes-Barre Chamber for sharing the link.

Programming, Tools and Resources

Project management is necessary for your website to be delivered to your customer.  It allows you to manage all aspects of development and keep communication flowing with your team members. Not doing this will make the project seem difficult and ultimately let your customer down and all the team members.  If you follow some of the basic principles set forth in our Project Management 101 talk, you raise your chances of success!!

At a minimum, you need a plan.  This plan, however detailed, should at least provide the following:

• Communication Plan
  Know how you will communicate with other via email, txt messaging, online meetings, etc.
  Know when you will meet.  Set at least one day a week to meet at a set day and time.
• Timeline
  Know when the project needs to be completed, then work backwards to fill in all the deliverables such as the framework of the website, content pieces, graphics, scripting for functionality, video, etc..
  Be prepared for things to not always go well.
• Delegate
  Everyone on the team has a role to play, otherwise you wouldn’t need a team.  Use your team wisely by knowing who is capable of what and tasking them.  Once you give someone something to do, make sure they know when to turn it in!
• Status
  Eliminate surprises by having status updates for all to see.  Everyone needs to report to the team lead as to what they have or have not accomplished.  If you find out you still have much to do, reassign people who are done to a task that needs help.

Communication is the key to project management.  If you can all work together and communicate well, there isn’t a project that you can’t handle.

General, Project Management

General

General

Project Management

In the past, we have required students to contact the individual sponsoring organizations to obtain images and URLs to link to from your contest entry site.

This year, we are providing the images.   There are two formats.

http://www.gvhscontest.com/images/sponsorsrow2.jpg

http://www.gvhscontest.com/images/sponsorscolumn2.jpg

You should insert this image into your design and link it back to this site (http://www.gvhscontest.com).

You should NOT use the image from our server, but rather download the file and upload it to YOUR project’s hosting.  The image will not be available if hard-linked on the day of judging.

General

E-mail marketing is a powerful tool that allows you to keep in touch with customers, drive repeat business and reinforce a brand. But it’s more than simply typing up a quick letter. There’s technique, best practice guidelines, regulatory compliance, look, feel and other aspects that go into sending a successful, well-received e-mail.

Your sites could collect e-mail addresses through a web form and your community partners then can e-mail them (making sure to use a good e-mail marketing software like Vertical Response to comply with e-mail privacy regulations.)

At any rate, no matter how you manage it collecting e-mail addresses is a great way to build loyalty.

Speaking of which, use the links on the left navigation to sign up for the contest e-mail lists.

General, Marketing, Tools and Resources

At w3schools.com you’ll find all the web-building tutorials you need, from basic HTML and XHTML, to advanced XML, CSS, and more. You also have access to a “lab” where you can try out different code and see how it will interface online. http://www.w3schools.com

Another great reference for CSS is CSSZenGarden.com.

Now, part of the contest is ensuring your site is programmed using CSS and that CSS is “external.”  What does that mean and why does it matter? Read more…

Design, Presentation, Programming