The
Pontiac GTO Digital History Project
Technical Plan
IntroductionHomepageScopeSite MapRationaleSite ReviewTechnical Plan
Code E: Fathom Blue |
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As a reluctant Luddite this aspect of the project’s development is the most complicated for me. Undoubtedly, I would need to rely on advice and assistance from those who are more technologically proficient than I am. But I will make the following observations regarding the technical aspects of this web proposal to get the ball rolling.
My proposed project is perfectly suited to a web-based presentation. Combining visual artifacts in the form of the print ads and sales brochures used to sell the GTO to the public, along with some TV spots, a narrative essay that would be the “core” of the project, along with an interactive (and objective) timeline, the GTO project would show the importance of the rise of this type of automobile at this particular juncture in U.S. history. It would be nearly impossible and definitely cost prohibitive to attempt this project strictly in print. With the advantages offered by the web, however, this unique project is quite feasible.
I would use these ads to illustrate my narrative, having hotlinks from the illustrations used in my narrative so that a reader could go between the narrative and the ad database to gather more information about that particular ad. I’m not sure if I would have the time in a single semester to add the following but I believe it would be a welcome addition to the project: I would like to develop an interactive timeline. The timeline would be broken up into “model years” that would have links to the ads and sales literature used for that year, the order forms that show just how a buyer could literally build a car to suit his/her individual tastes (even though it was a mass produced car built on an assembly line the amount of choice available to the individual buyer contradicts many historians’ assertions that the auto industry was producing featureless junk at this time), a breakdown of sales figures and information about the buyers themselves. To fulfill Dr. Paula Petrik’s suggestions, I would also include ads from competing auto companies as well as information on this competition, which cars, differences between them, etc. I would also include multi-media clips of TV ads for various muscle cars, including the Paul Revere and the Raiders singing the praises of the GTO Judge model – a type of GTO that came about because of the TV show “Laugh-In.”
I will be guided by the advice given by Robin Williams and John Tollett as well as the lessons we have covered in class this semester. Williams and Tollett wrote that with regards to navigation design “’clear’ and ‘simple’ should be your goals.” ( 1 ) The layout as I described follows a strictly linear path and each section of this proposed website is clearly marked. Hopefully with this simple design I can avoid the pitfalls of having the site appear differently depending on the type of computer and browser a viewer may use, as noted by Roy Rosenzweig and Daniel Cohen in their "Doing Digital History." The colors I have used for the background of the left indexes is a problem discussed in that article as well since I am not sure if all browsers would show these colors as I intended them to look. As I mentioned earlier, it is with issues such as these that I would need to guidance of a more experienced web designer.
The tools I will use include a Powerspec 520 personal computer. I will scan those images that are not currently available in an electronic format with a Hewlett Packard Scanjet 4C using HP Deskscan II software. All images would be scanned in at least two density levels, 75 dpi and the large-scale format ads at 300 dpi, which is adequate for print publishing if needed and both would be in “jpeg” format. The images would be prepared using Adobe Photoshop 5.5 as well as Microsoft Office’s Photo Editor for small scale editing changes. I would also look into getting technical assistance to see if perhaps I could add some kind of hot spot (using Flash?) on some of the ads to highlight those areas that I would mention in the text of my narrative. The website itself would be built/written using Dreamweaver MX. I would also take into account Rosenzweig's and Cohen's suggestion that a website be accessible to persons with disabilities, including adding "alt" tags to each image. As for the database itself, I would explore using using open source database software that is available, such as MySQL, but as I have no experience with building databases I would need assistance. In the interim, I have added a sample database entry using standard html coding.
I learned a long time ago that when undertaking an automobile restoration project that one needed to develop a comprehensive list of all the parts one would need, along with a work plan containing all of the work needed down to the last bolt. Then you had to add up the costs of all of the replacement parts and how much shop time the car would need for required body and paint work as well as any mechanical help. Once you figured out your costs to the penny and your time to the minute, and you were confident your calculations were accurate, then all one needed to do to be totally accurate was to double both figures. This then would give you an accurate idea of the costs the project would entail. I have a feeling the same would apply here but nevertheless I am confident that I could build this website as I have laid it out here during a single semester. The costs involved, not including labor, are within reason as well.
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1) Robin Williams and John Tollett, The Non-Designer's Web Book, 2nd edition (Berkeley, CA: Peachpit Press), p. 132.
Proposal Introduction - Project Scope - Site Map - Rationale - Site Review - Technical Plan