DUE Thursday, Feb 02 – 6 points
(Friday NOON deadline)

• Gradebook Declaration: I have published a blog post on my course blog that is between 300 and 1000 words long. The post contains at least one image and at least three text hyperlinks to other web sites. I have spellchecked and proofread the post.

For this assignment, you will need to create a post in your course blog reviewing a web site along the lines of the material we have discussed so far in class on branding and on the responsibilities of web site owners. You’ll need to spend 30-60 minutes navigating the site and reading its content in order to research this post. You can pick any site, though a content-rich site (like ESPN.com) might be easier to write about than a web application (like GetDropbox.com). Be sure you can write a full blog post about it; as much as I love sites like [http://dowebsitesneedtolookexactlythesameineverybrowser.com/], there might not be much to say about it. Please be tasteful in your selection: pick a site that you wouldn’t mind your mom or legal guardian knowing you visit regularly because other students will be reading your reviews. (You can find instructions for creating a blog post with the Introductory Blog Post assignment.)

Here are some ideas and topics to get you started on your blog post:

• How would you describe the branding of this site? What is the site’s “unqiue selling proposition”? What would you say is the site’s “elevator pitch”? Describe what the site offers in brief summary. Do the design and the domain name contribute to that or detract from that brand?
• Who is responsible for the site? You may not know the person’s name, but how many people and what kind of people (marketing, IT, etc.) do you think they are? Does the site have multiple sections that all have their own site owners?
• Does one person write all the content? Does the site have multiple contributors? Or can you not tell? Would you describe the owner of this web site as a “curator”?
• How often is the content updated? When was the most recent content added? Is the content made up of mostly timely content, timeless content, or a good mixture of both? Should it be updated more often, or is the content all still fresh and relevant? How are the site’s objectives related to the frequency with which the content is updated?
• What do you think the site’s objectives are? Who is its intended audience?
• How has the site evolved over time? Has the site stayed stagnate? Has it evolved well? Has it become overgrown with so much information and functionality that it is no longer useful?
• Have they added new features that you particularly like? Are there features that you wish they would add?
• What do you think of the site design? How does it contribute to the overall brand?

If you are having a hard time thinking of a web site to review, here are some that I would recommend: Smashing Magazine, EMAC at UTD, Journey to the Sea, CNN, The Hog’s Head, AcademHack, Common Craft, Project Gipf, Boagworld, ESPN, A List Apart, Subdivided, IMDb, SimpleBits, Settlers of Catan, Headscape, The Atlantic.

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Once you have completed this assignment, make your gradebook declaration.

DUE Thursday, Feb 02 – 6 points
(Friday NOON deadline)