This is the modus operandi of Shawn McCraw, of McCraw Designs, who came to speak to a couple of classes of graphic and web design students, last Tuesday, 2/16/10, at my school, The Art Institute of Austin.

McCraw Design is a full service design shop based in Austin, TX. Their list of clients is as long as it is diverse, including Dell, Inc., Austin Advertising Federation, Little Caesars, and Texas Agricultural Land Trust. They also specializes in brand identity and trade shows. Their client base also includes a mixture of paying and pro bono work.

One thing that I took away from Shawn’s visit with us is that he has a passion for what he does, that this passion is express throughout his body of work, and that his passion can best be described by a simple 3 word statement, that he shared with us, “Solving Problems Creatively.”

In addition to sharing with us what excites him, Shawn shared his process, best illustrated by this graphic from the McCraw Design website:

Other topics that he covered were on the value of networking and doing pro bono work. Shawn stated that he does not advertise for clients, and that most of his clients come to him via networking, and often the networking opportunity came to him via his pro bono work. It should also be noted that McCraw Design treats all of his clients the same, although some jobs require more of his attention than other just by the nature of the job’s profile. As a former freelance, in music and lifestyles street marketing, that was definitely something I could relate to, and was a nice reminder. He also stressed the importance of having a diverse portfolio that contains examples of real world work as well as academic, with a stress on real world.

I thoroughly enjoyed Shawn’s visit with my class. Apparently he did too, because he was only supposed to be with us for an hour, but stayed to answer our questions for the full 4 hour duration. How cool was that?!

So I downloaded the pdf of Gina’s lecture, which she thankfully emailed to me, and low and behold, a good portion covered syntax, score. I also decided to put my data augering skills to work and googled, “JavaScript Syntax” and came across this site,and they had a tutorial on JavaScript Syntax. The great thing about this tutorial site, and Gina’s lecture, is that they both ended with creating an array.

What is an aray? To quote the tutorial,

An array is a grouping of objects that can be accessed through subscripts. At its simplest, an array can be thought of as a list.

Part of our homework assignment was to also create our own array, listing our 10 favorite movies. My array creates a variable named “FAV_MOVIES,” then I assigned values to the variable using [0] to [9]. I declared my variable, and its values in the header of my html document. Within the body tag, I set up 10 “document.write(FAV_MOVIES["#"]);” declarations(?). This is what my code looks like,
.

And this is what came out (it’s a very simple array, so all the words run into each other, but hey, it works, and I can ask question on how to fix that later),

.

All I have to say is, “Yay for me!”

to a happy pet rock.

The script has an onload alert box that says, “hello, I am your pet rock.” Then it proceeds to have a prompt box that asks for your name, then the pet rock say, “Its good to meet you,” with your name inserted. We wrote the script for that in class. After it does all that, then rock changed from frown to smile. I thought I’d augment the script with a new alert box asking the user to scratch the rock, because he had an itch, then the pic would change the happy rock with a pop up saying, “aww, that feels good.” To accomplish this, I thought the best script to use would be the onMouseOver and onMouseOut event handlers, but no matter what I did it didn’t work.

At first all the alerts went by well, but the mouse events didn’t function, I had them between the body tags. From what I understand, when using onMouseOver you have to have it associated to a link and the script would look something like this a href=”#” onmouseover=”alert(‘awww, that feels good.’); return false” onmouseout=”document.getElementById(“rockIMG”).src =”rock_happy.png”. I moved this script to the header and the same thing happened…nothing, no mouse over events. oh the sadness! Then I did something, which I don’t quite remember what it was, and it worked too well. I had so many, “awww, that feels good” pop ups that I couldn’t close one without opening another (it was crazy!), finally, I had to force quite out of DreamWeaver.

Hopefully, tomorrow in class we’ll be able to figure out where I went wrong, correct it, and I’ll be able to post a link to a winner.

In brief, JavaScript is used to provide interactivity, and was especially crucial during the days of slow modem speeds, you know back when 28.8 kbs was blazing! JavaScript is useful because, unlike PHP, it is a client side technology. Meaning that all the magic happens inside the browser, limiting calls to the server. While it is a scripting language, JavaScript is fully programmable. It allows for form validation, can detect browser type, and adds or creates cool visual effects.

Originated by Netscape in circa 1995, JavaScript is made up of 3 parts:

• ECMA Script-provides core functionality, and has similar syntax to ActionScript
• DOM-Document Object Model- provides methods & interfaces for working with the content of a web page.The API are from XML that was extended for use with HTML, and supports CSS. Also supports mouse
  and user interface events
• BOM-Browser Object Model-provides methods & interfaces for interacting with the browser, allowing for manipulation for browser windows.

The use of JavaScript, and its maturity, has lead the way to the Web 2.0 revolution. Web 2.0 isn’t a new technology, rather it is a catch phrase that encompasses the 2nd generation of web development. Unlike the 1st generation of the web, Web 2.0 is the combination of technologies that allow for more user interactivity, and has lead the way to user created content. No longer is the web a push medium-meaning that information is being pushed to the end user, its becoming a pull medium allowing the end user to pull the information as they please. Web 2.0 is all about user created content, and it views the web as a platform. Additionally, data is presented in a manner that limits the reloading of the web page.

One of the aspects of Web 2.0 is the hybridization of technologies like JavaScript and XML, leading to the development of Ajax, or Asynchronous JavaScript and XMl. Ajax allows web apps to function more like desktop apps. This ability leads to Rich Internet Application (RIA), which are apps that operate independently from a web browser, are on the desktop, but are reliant on the internet to gather data.

Now that we have a brief background on JavaScript we’re going to delve into learning how to code it, and utilize it in our projects. That will be the gist of subsequent posts.

The Family by Choice site redesign will contain the following information with horizontal navigation. The navigation is illustrated to the right. Bare in mind, the navigation is tentative and may change:

Home Page: Will serve as an introduction to the organization and to the site.
Family by Choice is a non-profit adoption service organization for GLBT, singles, traditional, and non-traditional families throughout the State of Texas. Family by Choice is not a child placement agency, but assists families in locating and connecting to appropriate licensed adoption and foster care placing agencies, as well as other needed services, and to secure second parent adoptions when applicable. We provide information and education in all realms of adoption, foster care, and parenting at no charge. Our agency staff is made up of licensed experienced professionals, adoptive parents, adult adoptees, and volunteers. We were created with the goal of meeting a variety of specific needs of prospective and established adoptive families in an economic way. Family by Choice hosts two support groups for the GLBT community. These groups, “Daddy-Os” and “Mommy-Os”, meet on a regular basis for play dates, education meetings, and a host of other activities that support parents and children. Family by Choice is a member of the Texas Council on Adoptable Children of Texas and the North American Council on Adoptable Children. We work cooperatively with the Human Rights Campaign and the “All Families, All Children” project, with Equality Texas, as well as other national and local advocacy groups. We are a member of the Austin Gay Lesbian Chamber of Commerce.

About Us/Mission Statement: Information about FbC
Family by Choice is a non- profit, 501 C-3 tax exempt incorporation and a member of the Council On Adoptable Children of Texas and the North American Council onAdoptable Children.

Family by Choice is not a child placement agency, but assists families in locating and connecting to appropriate licensed adoption and foster care placing agencies, as well as other needed services, and to secure second parent adoptions when applicable. We provide information and education in all realms of adoption, foster care, and parenting at no charge. Our agency staff is made up of licensed experienced professionals, adoptive parents, adult adoptees, and volunteers.

Program Director: Susan Griffith, LBSW Director: Jose Cardenas, LCSW

Mission Statement: Family by Choices mission statement.
Our mission is to provide Information and increase awareness in the GLBT community about the options of adoption and parenting, as well as to provide support to the families created. It is our goal to help all families succeed in making their adoption dreams a reality.

Services: What services are offered by Family by Choice, one page with general information discussing, one page each per service

Pre-Placement Services
Home Studies
A must for all adoptions, home studies must be precise and contain all necessary information. Experienced FbC staff will customize your home study to your chosen agency’s individual specifications.

Child Agency Search Services
FbC is not a traditional child-placing agency. We offer the service of helping your family locate the child you desire through other private, international, and state agencies.

Child Selection and Travel Companion Services
A professional or experienced adoptive parent can help you in evaluating a specific child and that child’s suitability to your family, as well as traveling with you to bring the child home.

Dossier Preparation
The task of preparing all of the necessary paperwork for international adoptions can be very overwhelming. FbC can spend the time you may not have to prepare your formal adoption dossier.

Post-Placement Services
Counseling
FbC can provide referral to a licensed professional therapist with experience in the field of adoption.

Therapeutic Placement Assistance
Our staff can assist in helping a family locate and access appropriate therapeutic residential facilities for adopted children in need of “out of home” placement. Disruption Replacement Services A licensed professional will work with families in crisis, who have exhausted all other options and resources, to help find another appropriate and qualified adoptive family for a particular adopted child.

Search Assistance
FbC can help adult adoptees cope with and find birth parents if they wish. We can also help adoptive parents find vital information when the adoptee is still a minor.

Support Groups (sub page, tentative)
FbC sponsors two support groups for Gay/Lesbian parents and their children. “Daddy-Os” and “Mommy-Os” meet regularly for play dates, a variety of fun events, and educational meetings. The groups are open to any GLBT family in the state.
A support system provides lasting friendships and leads to successful family life and parenting .

Contact Us: Whereby viewers to the site can submit emails to contact the organization or request a press kit

Donate: One page explaining how visitors can donate to the organization and how the donations are utilized.
Donations are always needed and are tax-deductible. We do not have salaried staff, and your donations go directly to providing additional services and community awareness and education.

Checks may be made out to Family by Choice and mailed to the address on the of this brochure. Please provide a return address, so that we may mail a tax receipt to you.

Events: Information on past, present and future events, may contain links to review of past events. This page will contain relative links to Lovexotic, as well as review of the previous event.

Adoption FAQ: Frequently asked questions regarding adoption

Adoption Resources: Viewers can find additional sites related to yours, such as sites that show the community, other related sites, etc. It is important, but not mandatory to have a links page. Link pages can bring in extra traffic to your website.

Roger (L) and Thomas(R)

Getty Images

Roger is a high school teacher and Thomas is an account manager with a major tech company. They have been together for 10 years, and were married in California in 2008. They both native Texans and currently live in Dallas, Tx. Roger is 39 years old and Thomas is 45. Combined, they have an annual income of over $100,000. They are both very tech savvy, using the internet at least 4 to 6 hours a day.

Thomas uses the internet at work to communicate with co-workers on projects, for project management, and to communicate with clients.  Roger uses the internet as a teaching tool, he distributes class assignment via email, and teaches his students how to use the internet as a research tool for papers and other class assignment.

Leisurely, they both use the internet to stay in contact with family and friends, they frequently shop online, and also use the internet to access entertainment using services like iTunes and Hulu. They also love their iPhones! They also like to keep up with latest music, fashion, and gadget trends.

They are looking to adopt their first child within the next year. They intend to use the Family by Choice website to access information on adoption, parenting and to network with other GLBT parents. They’re also looking to retain Family by Choices services to assist them in the adoption process. They have also considered using a surrogate.

Mary (L) and Elizabeth (R)

Getty Images

Mary and Elizabeth have been together for 5 years, and married for 2, they were married in Canada in 2007. They are both 35. They both work in customer service as managers, and have a combined income of $80,000. They currently live in San Antonio.

Neither of them feel that they’re tech savvy, although they both have Facebook pages, they estimate that they use the internet about 8 to 10 hours a week. They prefer keeping in contact with family and friends via telephone, they are avid texters. They both enjoy gardening, and often entertain friends at home by hosting dinner parties.

They are interested in becoming foster parents, and are planing to conceive a child through artificial insemination sometime within the next 5 years. They are interested in learning about 2nd parent adoption. They intend to use the Family by Choice (FbC) site as a resource in how to become foster parents, and once they begin the conception process they will turn to FbC for assistance in navigating that process.

Please note, these are fictitious profiles and were created as part of a class assignment.

Client Name: Family by Choice
Contact: Susan Griffith
Number of Employees: 2
Client type: Site redesign
Current URL: familybychoice.org

Family by Choice (FbC) specializes in pre and post adoption services, they are not a licensed adoption agency; rather, they assist their clients navigate the adoption process. The organization provides serves to the gay lesbian bi-sexual, and transgendered communities (GLBT), as well as non-traditional families and single parents. The purpose of the redesign is to increase the site content. The updated site will provide an overview of FbC, the services they offer, and serve as a point of contact for current and future clients. Family by Choice is a 501.3(c) non-profit organization, they will also use the website to solicit tax deductible donations, and to advertise their various fundraising activities throughout the year.

Please note, I am no longer working with FbC as a client, this information is solely being used for the purposes of a class assignment.

A great way to do this is to initiate a client survey. Now, initiating a client survey can be done a few ways: the survey can be delivered to the client, have them fill it out, and return it to you within a prescribed time; or you can sit down with the client, ask them the question, and fill it out with them. The way in which the survey is complete isn’t as important as it is to have the same standard survey for all clients.

Below is the client survey that was used with Family by Choice. Private information has been redacted, it is also is being hosted on scribd.com. Please note, this is being used for the purposes of a class assignment, I am not working with FbC at this time.

Until recently, I was in discussions with a potential client, Family by Choice (FBC). Family by Choice is an adoption resource service that caters to the gay, lesbian,bi-sexual, and transgendered community. Their website is www.familybychoice.org.

Attached is the Request For Proposal that I sent to FBC to initiate our discussion, its hosted on www.scribd.com. For the purposes of this assignment, I will be using the information that was gathered regarding Family by Choice. Any, and all private information has been blackout.