For diagrams, visual examples and the full layout, open the handout above.
WHY AM I BUILDING THIS WEBSITE?
GRADE 8 DESIGN • PERSONAL WEBSITE • HOMEWORK 01
You have already started building. Now define what the website is actually FOR, so your next decisions are deliberate rather than random.
| PRODUCTPersonal website | USERSomeone other than you | JOBCommunicate who you are |
| A | THE PURPOSE — WHAT JOB SHOULD YOUR WEBSITE DO? |
| Someone spends only 30 seconds on your website. What THREE things should they understand about you?
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| What do you want a visitor to DO? Explore projects? Learn about you? Play with something? Discover your interests?
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| The purpose of my personal website is to…
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| B | THE USER — WHO ARE YOU DESIGNING FOR? |
Choose ONE primary audience:
| □ Other students | □ Teachers | □ Family / friends |
| □ Future school / university | □ Future employer / client | □ Other: __________ |
| My primary user is…
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| What would this person care about seeing?
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| What might make this person leave quickly?
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| C | YOUR MESSAGE — WHAT SHOULD THE SITE SAY ABOUT YOU? |
Choose THREE identity words:
| 1. __________________ | 2. __________________ | 3. __________________ |
Examples: curious • technical • funny • calm • ambitious • artistic • strange • precise • adventurous • playful • serious • retro
| How could your website SHOW these qualities instead of simply writing the words?
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| D | CONTENT BEFORE EFFECTS — WHAT BELONGS ON THE SITE? |
| □ Home / introduction | □ About me | □ Projects / things I've made |
| □ Interests / hobbies | □ Skills | □ Photos / gallery |
| □ Timeline | □ Favorite media | □ Contact |
| □ Interactive feature | □ Game / quiz | □ Other: __________ |
| The MOST important section should be… because…
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| E | AI IS YOUR DEVELOPER — YOU ARE THE PROJECT MANAGER |
When you ask AI to build something, describe the PRODUCT rather than the code:
| CONTEXT | Here is my current website… |
| REQUIREMENT | I want visitors to be able to… |
| BEHAVIOR | When the user does ___, the site should… |
| APPEARANCE | It should look / feel… |
| CONSTRAINT | Keep ___; do not change / remove ___. |
| Write ONE feature you would like AI to build. Describe what the VISITOR should experience, not how to code it.
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| F | THREE FEATURE IDEAS — THINK LIKE A PRODUCT DESIGNER |
| FEATUREIDEA 1 |
What should it do?
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Why would a visitor want it?
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How does it support my purpose / identity?
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| FEATUREIDEA 2 |
What should it do?
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Why would a visitor want it?
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How does it support my purpose / identity?
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| FEATUREIDEA 3 |
What should it do?
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Why would a visitor want it?
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How does it support my purpose / identity?
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| G | YOUR PROJECT BRIEF — THE REASON YOU ARE BUILDING IT |
| Complete this:I am designing a personal website for ____________________. My main audience is ____________________. I want visitors to understand that I am ____________________, ____________________, and ____________________. The most important content will be ____________________. I want visitors to be able to ____________________. The website should feel ____________________ because ____________________.
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HOMEWORK CHECK
□ Clear PURPOSE
□ PRIMARY USER
□ THREE identity words
□ Important CONTENT
□ THREE possible features
□ Completed PROJECT BRIEF
Bring this back next class. We will use it to decide what AI should build — and what it should NOT build.