Teaching web site design: science or art?

Abstract

In this paper we discuss an approach to teaching web site design to higher education (HE) students that attempts to balance the artistic and scientific aspects of the web site design process. The design of IT systems has traditionally been viewed as a technical activity. However, unlike existing types of IT systems, an organization's web site is available to the general public, and as such needs to be designed in a different manner, with far more emphasis on presentation and ease of use than existing types of IT systems. This is necessary since if the web site is not appealing to the user they can simply choose another web site, and potential customers or clients are lost. Hence, students need to be taught how to incorporate both artistic and scientific aspects when designing a web site.

Development of Concept-Based XHTML/CSS Pedagogy for Non-Technical Learners

“…(p. 325) This call for a combination of technological and artistic instruction represents an incredibly complex instructional scenario. Still, Taylor et al (2005) offer evidence that it is feasible:…”

“…This is possibly because of the subjectivity often associated with visual style, which CSS mediates (Ariga & Watanabe, 2008;Beriswill, 2005;Taylor, Salces, & Duffy, 2005;Victor, 2002). CSS's conceptual and procedural complexity, the lack of support by Internet browsers, and the overreliance on Webediting software have also likely served as deterrents to thorough investigation.…”

“…Web design is again not only a computer/technological activity, but also a creative/composition activity, which can lead to vastly different trains of thought when it is discussed. The artistic or creative elements associated with the Web design process contribute especially to the difficulty in studying it as an educational topic, since design is often presented as a subjective, reflective, ill-structured action that is difficult to describe, teach and establish evidence for (Ariga & Watanabe, 2008;Beriswill, 2005;Clark et al, 1997;Taylor et al, 2005;Victor, 2002).…”

“…(Kotamraju, 1999, p. 467) Web design as practice exists in this constant state of modification or "maintenance" (Taylor et al, 2005), and establishing evidence and conclusions are difficult, since the technology (evidence) can be "written over, erased, replaced, and forgotten with ease, speed, and low cost" (Kotamraju, 1999, p. 467); "Digital technologies move so quickly that it is a challenge to capture them once, much less to repeat the process" (Kotamraju, 1999, p. 471). Instructional materials for Web design and development are also rarely able to keep pace with the Internet's rapid changes, which has led to considerable amounts of outdated and incorrect reference books or websites still being in circulation (Stepp et al, 2009;Storey, September 2013).…”

“…The 'science vs. art' attitude persists in engineering education in particular-"the worlds of science and engineering and that of art and design are two alien cultures" (Taylor et al, 2005, p. 333)-and unlike the overlap visible in many computer and information literacy courses, computing courses may sometimes suffer from a lack of appreciation of the benefits of artistic creativity in the design process, and art, media and design courses may sometimes suffer from a lack of student appreciation of the benefits of science and theory in the design process.…”