EE Site Planning & Web Development Lifecycle — Vocabulary Flashcards

Vocabulary flashcards covering key concepts and terminology from the Web Development Lifecycle lecture.

Web Site Development Lifecycle

The structured sequence of steps to plan, design, build, test, publish, and maintain a website.

Requirements and Specification

The process of gathering client needs, identifying features, assessing feasibility, defining target users, and creating a detailed site spec.

Information Design & Taxonomy

Organizing content logically, planning navigation menus and categories, and making content easy to find.

Graphic Design & Page Templates

Choosing layout, typography, and colors; designing buttons and banners; ensuring branding and consistency.

Content Development & Construction

Writing copy and preparing images/videos; coding the site (HTML, CSS, JavaScript); uploading media and forms.

Quality Assurance & Testing

Testing across browsers/devices, checking for broken links, load speed, and accessibility/usability.

Publishing Your Website

Deploying the site to a web server via FTP, selecting hosting, and registering a domain name.

Ongoing Maintenance

Updating content, fixing bugs, updating plugins, and monitoring security and backups.

Site Specification

A planning document outlining the site's purpose, goals, audience, scope, and constraints; used to communicate with clients or team members.

Target Audience

The user group the site is designed for; defined in the site specification and audience profile.

Content Goal

The intended purpose of site content (inform, persuade, sell, support); content goals should align with user needs.

Taxonomy

Classification and labeling of content to create logical categories and support navigation.

Wireframe

A visual blueprint of a page layout showing placement of key elements used to plan structure.

Mockup

A static graphical representation of a web page layout used for design previews.

Storyboard

A sketch or diagram mapping the site's structure and navigation paths before coding.

Sitemap

A diagram or list showing the page hierarchy and navigation relationships.

Structure Type: Linear

A simple, book-like flow where users move forward and backward; suited for step-by-step processes.

Structure Type: Tutorial

A linear structure with lessons and reviews; users can start at any point via internal links.

Structure Type: Web

A non-linear structure where users can jump between pages; requires clear navigation cues.

Structure Type: Hierarchical

Top-down organization (main > sections > content) with consistent navigation and sitemap support.

Structure Type: Cluster

Topic-based islands with cross-linked navigation within each cluster.

Structure Type: Catalog

E-commerce oriented structure with search, item views, shopping cart, checkout, and back-end systems.

Billboard Site

A lightweight site like an online business card with basic information and few features.

Publishing Site

A site designed for high-volume content (news, blogs) usually CMS-driven.

Portal

A site offering many services (email, news, search, shopping) from a single entry point.

Nonprofit / Public Interest Site

A site focused on causes or community engagement and advocacy.

Blog

A personal or niche site featuring regularly updated articles or posts.

E-commerce / Shopping Site

An online store built to sell products with listings, cart, and secure payments.

Product Support Site

A site that helps users troubleshoot or learn about a product.

Audience Analysis

Understanding users through personas, needs, and behaviors to guide design decisions.

Analytics Metrics

Quantitative measures like page views, unique visits, entry/exit pages, and location to assess performance.

WCAG 2.0

Web Content Accessibility Guidelines standard for accessible web design.

Alt Text

Descriptive text for images to aid accessibility and SEO.

FTP

File Transfer Protocol used to upload the website to a web server.

Hosting

Service providing server space and infrastructure for a website.

Domain Name

The registered address of a website (e.g., example.com).

Project Manager

Person who coordinates schedule, milestones, and overall project progress.

HTML Developer

The coder who writes HTML, CSS, and JavaScript to implement the frontend.

Designer

Creates UI, layout, and graphics for the site.

Writer

Produces site content with appropriate tone and grammar.

App Developer

Builds interactive functions and client/server-side features.

Database Admin

Manages data storage, security, and database performance.

Server Admin

Manages hosting, security, and server logs.

Site Storyboard

A planning document mapping the site’s structure and navigation flow before coding.

Timeline

Schedule of project milestones and deadlines.

Budget

Financial resources allocated for the project.

Success Metrics

Measures used to evaluate whether the site meets its goals (traffic, signups, donations, engagement).