
Introduction to Web Design
Most people will just jump in and tell you what you should do, but as an engineer I learned that it is best to plan your project properly first.
Recently I came upon an even better method called the Four-Step Formula. I will neglect my duty if I don’t teach you this simple method first, before we look at how you can create your own website.
You can use this method for any project or task that you set yourself. The knowledge of this strategy will allow you to tackle any task, no matter how difficult, and you won’t need anybody else to tell you what to do any more.
It is a very simple formula of only four steps, but it is a very powerful method.
You can watch a short video here.
Below we will go into more detail than was possible in the video. In each upcoming lesson the same will be done. First you can view a short video and then we will discuss it at a deeper level in the lesson.
The Four-Step Formula:
- Your Vision.
- Create an outline.
- Shape and organize it.
- Detailed implementation.
We will now discuss each step in more detail and as we go along, I will show you how you can plan, organize, and create your website so that you end up with a masterpiece of which you can be proud.
Step One – Vision
This is the most important part of this method or in fact anything that you can think of doing, creating or hope to become.
The most important question to answer is WHY do you want to do something even before you ask WHAT. Without knowing the why, you will not take the proper ACTION.
You must have a clear vision of what it is that you want to accomplish. What is the PURPOSE of creating a website?
Do you want to use it for a blog or marketing of your products? Do you want to create landing pages where you want to send people to download a gift or do you want it as a virtual shop window to display your products.
It is however possible to do all the above with a single website or you can develop a series of websites each with a unique function.
I do not want to confuse you with so many options, but I want to show you that there are several options.
The main thing is to have a vision of what it is you truly want.
Your vision will drive your whole project and give you direction. It might still not be completely clear of how you will accomplish your goal but that is where the second and third steps come into play.
Let us now look at the next step in which you will bring your vision to life.
Step Two – Outline
The outline is meant to capture the vision into a firm structure. The outline will then enable you to flesh out your ideas.
What will be the outlay of your website?
How many categories or pages will it have and what will be the purpose of each page?
There are certain basic pages that each website must have like a home page, an about page, a contact page, privacy policy and your terms and conditions. You can also have a product gallery and many other types of pages.
Don’t worry about it too much now because your structure is not cast in concrete like the foundation of a building.
You can always add more categories or pages later and change the sequence to create a better experience for your visitors.
This is where the third step comes in handy.
Step Three – Shape and Organize
In the third step you put everything in the right order and add things that were missed in the first structure.
You fill in all the necessary detail so that you now have a complete picture of how the final product will look like.
With your creation of your website, this is the step where you can adjust the main structure of it to cater for every need you have.
You can add categories and change the sequence of your pages so that it makes sense for your visitors.
It should be easy for them to find what they are looking for.
Again, take your time to test it and compare it with other people’s websites to see that yours comply to your vision and do what it is supposed to do.
Now only do we come to the actual creation of your website which brings us to the final step.
Step Four – Implementation
In the final step you create each part of the whole in full detail.
Because you have a layout and an organized structure, it is now easy to know where to start and how each part connects to the whole.
In the creation of your website, you now have a few specific steps before you can actually start to create each page of your website.
You can create each page as a word document that you can later copy into the live pages of your website.
The first step to create your website will be to determine what name you will use as your Domain Name. This is covered in full detail in the first lesson of this course.
Once you have registered your domain name, you then must get Hosting for your website.
To get your domain name is like registering your company with the authorities.
Getting hosting is like renting a building in town where you can establish your shop or business. This is handled in the third lesson.
The last part of your final step of creating your website is to test your website to see that all your navigation is smooth and that you are taken to the desired pages.
The feel and shape of your website should also be exactly what you envisioned from the start.
Sometimes one finds that something is missing and then you must take a real good look at what your original vision was for it.
It is very important to find that missing link to get the whole picture.
That is when you can stand back and realize that you have created a masterpiece.
When I created my first training course, I looked at it and realized that something was missing. One day when I was looking at some videos on YouTube, I saw this video of Rabbi Simon Jacobson and started to watch it.
It immediately made sense to me, and I knew that this was what was missing in my course. What I give you in this introduction is a summary of that wisdom that the Rabbi shared in his video, and I would like to thank him for sharing it with the world.
You can watch it here if you want to hear his full story of one hour and forty-two minutes on YouTube. (You will need access to the internet for the link to work.)
Remember that in failing to plan, you are planning to fail.
In this course I try to give you the blueprint that will guide you in the creation of your website.
The lessons are organized in such a way that one builds on the next, so it is important for you to complete them in the correct order.
That is unless you are a more advanced user and just want to add a membership to your existing WordPress website. (Lesson – 9.)
Short Summary of What We Cover
- Getting a name for your business and then registering a Domain Name.
- Obtaining Hosting for your website so that it can be viewed online.
- Using a system to form the base of your website like WordPress.
- Completing of all the Settings for your website.
- Uploading the Pages of the website.
- Uploading your Logo and Background Images and Videos.
- Preparing your Header, Footer, and Menus.
- Adding additional parts to your website like a Membership and an Affiliate Program.
- Building your Prospect and Buyers Lists.
- Marketing your Products and Services.
What is Next?
Each lesson ends with a Summary of what was covered in that lesson plus an Assignment so that you can immediately put into practice what you have learned.
This will enable you to see early results and progress that will motivate you to stay till the end to see the Dream Outcome of your Vision and Desire.
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