CHArt CHArt Computers and the History of Art - 1998 Conference Paper Abstract
evaluating websites presentation
There is no doubt that the WWW has enriched our visual culture through the provision of a virtual world within which it is possible to combine text, still and moving images and sound in innovative ways. We are therefore able to interact with a new form of visual culture where boundaries with other forms of representation are increasingly blurred and where there is an increasing democratisation of authorship.
This paper will consider the implications of this enhancement of our visual culture by looking at the way 'conventions' are being developed for the design of web pages and sites; how quality is being evaluated and disseminated; who is discussing criteria such as the relationship between technology and usability, form and content; and who is listening.
The contrasts found in this virtual space will be illustrated and discussed through an overview which includes discussion of 'statements of architectural principle' as put forward by Tim Berners-Lee or the evolution of the multimedia plug in solutions common to later developments in webpage production.
It is anticipated that the findings presented here will be relevant for a discussion of the role of the viewer as reader of the WWW information space. This is because issues surrounding standards of design and function are also integral to our understanding of authenticity and truth. It is also noticeable that a critical appraisal of design issues within the virtual world are ever more necessary as part of an informed debate within design education. This is especially evident in the way in which the convergence of media also means the convergence of professional languages with their associated 'design' solutions.
These issues will be discussed through examples drawn from the University of the West of England's contribution to the Foresight funded 'National Creative Technologies Initiative'.