Campaign Website Project: Questions to Consider

Content Questions:

  1. What is the candidate’s media strategy? On which media platforms have they concentrated their campaign activity?
  1. How does the campaign portray its candidate?
  1. How is the candidate’s campaign financed? Do they have any PACs or Super PACS?
  1. How has the candidate fared over time in the polls? When have the candidate’s poll numbers peaked and fallen? What campaign events corresponded to those moments?
  1. Link to at least three examples of the candidate’s media strategy. These can be anything from campaign commercials to campaign merchandise available for purchase.
  1. How has the candidate fared in the political press?
  1. How has the candidate been portrayed by political satirists?

Design Principles:

  • Easy to understand navigation
  • Proper use of color
  • Proper use of animation
  • An easy to use layout
  • Pleasing to the eye
  • Appropriate to the topic
  • The design elements don’t get in the way of the content
  • Great content that’s easy to find, navigate, consume, and share [1]

On academic web design, see also the following (somewhat dated, but still useful) sites:

Basic Web Design Principles – ECE, University of Michigan

Web Design Principles Checklist, George Mason University

Here is a brief discussion of web design features on a commercial site:

Brandon Hill, 5 Web Design Practices for a Great Website, July 19, 2013 at Mad Science Dept

Final Word:  Don’t stress too much about design; WordPress offers basic templates, which constrain creativity but make elements like navigation much easier.

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