EMPTECH

Online Platforms for ICT Content Development

Online Platforms for ICT Content Development

Social Media Platforms
– Facebook allows personal accounts, pages and groups, has billions of users, but
restricted to it’s “one-size-fits-all” design
– social media platforms’ popularity is unrivaled
Social Media Platforms
– LinkedIn is another example but focus on business and professional networking
Blogging Platforms
– WordPress, Tumblr, and Blogger focus on content and design
– typically looks like newsletter with option to change design
Blogging Platforms
– amount of customization in blogs is unrivaled depending on the content
management system implemented
Blogging
– an activity that involves posting your thoughts, memorabilia, or works in a kind
of web log or online diary
– more like editorials or opinion-based articles
Content Management System
a computer application (sometimes online or browser-based)
allows you to publish, edit and manipulate, organize and delete web content.
is used in blogs, news websites, and shopping
Video Sites supported
 YouTube ,Vimeo ,Flickr, Hulu, Instagram others (see https://en.support.wordpress.com/videos)
Uses of Blogging

–> Self expression – blogs are like online diaries

–> Online Portfolio – portfolio to promote your skills and talents or showcase your works in the form
of articles, reports and presentations; can be useful indicators of your capacity to work (e.g.
photography, graphic illustration, ad campaigns)

Imaging and Design for Online Environment

Minimize (slide counts to a minimum)
Clarity (avoid being fancy, use fonts that are readable)
Simplicity (use bullets or short sentences – summarize the information)
Visuals (use graphics to help in your presentation but not too many)
Consistency ( avoid having different font styles and backgrounds)
Contrast ( use light font on dark background or vice versa)
Basic Principles of Graphics and Layout
1. Balance
Visual weight of objects, textures, colors, and space is evenly distributed on
screen
Check if one side holds the same amount of weight on the other
2. Emphasis
An area in the design that may appear different in size, texture, shape or color
to attract the viewer’s attention
3. Movement
Visual elements guide the viewer’s eyes around the screen
4. Pattern, Repetition, and Rhythm
The repeating visual element on an image or layout to create unity in the layout
or image
Rhythm is achieved when visual elements create a sense of organized
movement
5. Proportion
Visual elements create a sense of unity where they relate well with one another
6. Variety
Uses several design elements to draw a viewer’s attention

Infographics
 Used to represent information, statistical data or knowledge in a
graphical manner
 Usually done in a creative way to attract viewer’s attention
Online Image File Formats
Website images should be more compressed
Data travels over the Internet and not everyone has fast connection
Even though a variety of websites already support high-definition (HD)
photos, you do not have to use HD all the time
Most of the time, you do not even have to
Plenty of other file formats used in the web
Imaging and Design for Online Environment
 Most of the time you will be using the three – compatibility with
major web browsers
 Need to strike balance between right image quality and the time
for the page to load the images
Tips to Help Edit Images for Websites
1. Choose the right file format
Try to make real-life photograph into GIF
Knowing the purpose is key to finding out the best file format
2. Choose the right image size
Camera with 12 megapixels constitutes bigger image size
Monitors have resolution limit, it will not display all
3. Caption it
Remember to put a caption on images whenever possible
If not related to webpage, remove it