CHAPTER ONE

1.0 INTRODUCTION

A website for the department of mathematics, statistics and

computer science, involves many different strategies. A number
of departmental web sites within various universities are mostly in
a first generation design stage.

When establishing webpage for your website, there is the

need to consider your overall purpose, the nature of your content
and most important, and the expectations of your prospective
user. One of the major jobs of a department website is to be the
virtual public relation arm reaching out to an incoming and
potential student within the nation and across the globe. It can be
a cost effective way to publicize department resource for applying
to the department. These students represent one of the five main
circulars for a department website.

These reaches audience are potential students, current

students, staff members, faculty members and alumni, visitor and
friends. A balance must be meet between a site that is visually
compelling and one that efficiently navigate the web user to his
on her designed place within the site.
MOTIVATION

The department of mathematics, statistics and computer

science is a melting point of faculty of science, university of
Abuja, in the sense that almost all the department in the faculty
of science offer one or more course from the department of
mathematics, statistics and computer science.

In addition, the department of mathematics, statistics and

computer science is also like a sub-faculty of its own, due to the
fact that it offers a Bachelor of Science certificate in mathematic,
statistic and computer science which are more or les like sub
department on their own.

More so, it also offers post graduate programme such as

postgraduate Diploma and master in science. Therefore, the need
for a web design for easy and fast information dissemination is
needed, which also help to advertise the capability of the
department.

1.2 AIMS AND OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

This project work is aimed at the following objectives:

 a) To promote easy access to relevant, activate and well
presented information throughout the country and the world
in general.

b) To ensure that it is current and relevant in its provision of

information.

c) For improved Architecture i.e a better structure of the

present system.

d) Increased functionality for improved accessibility.

e) A clear design guideline for maintenance as well as future

and ongoing development.

1.3 SCOPE, METHOD AND LIMITATION OF INFORMATION

DISSEMINATION

1.3.1 SCOPE

The scope of this project is to design a functional website for

the department of mathematics, statistics and computer science
and provide clear design guidelines for the maintenance as well
as future and ongoing development.
1.3.2 METHOD OF INFORMATION DISSEMINATION

The present method of information dissemination in the

department is through the use of circulars, important notice on
notice boards e.g exam time table and student handbook. Some
times it could be published in the school bulletin.

1.3.3 LIMITATION OF THE EXISTING METHOD OF

INFORMATION DISSEMINATION

Lack of web policy by university of Abuja limits the ability of

any single body or department to be able to get information about
the department; therefore, there is difficulty of distance user to
get the desired information regarding the department.

Also, there is difficulty in modification of information using the

present system of information dissemination.

1.3.4 NEEDS FOR IMPROVED INFORMATION DISSEMINATION

The university website has three main purpose,

administration, promotion and teaching. It is worth identifying the
purpose of the department site and who its main user will be prior
to designing the site. We my find that department of
mathematics, statistics and computer science has more than one
purpose:
 a) As an administrative tool, the web provides access to
university statistics, corporate policies procedures, codes,
statutes, by laws and university directory.

b) As a promotional tool, the web provides a means of

presenting information to the wider community, in particular
prospective students, employers and industry partners.
Materials range from general information about the
university.

c) As a teaching tool the web is being used to develop online

teaching and learning through the internet facility.

1.4 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

The World Wide Web is currently undergoing an incredible

growth period. University administrators and academic
departments are beginning to realize that the web is a further
way of reaching students to attend their institution. Department
of mathematics, statistic and computer science, university of
Abuja is no exception.
1.4.1 DESIGN RESEARCH

In the process of designing website for the department of

mathematics, statistics and computer science, university of Abuja,
there is need for conducting a research. Thus, these decisions are
supported by data collected by observations of typical users as
they interacted with the design. The methodology largely consists
of conducting usability tests of design prototypes with the target
audience to identify and remedy problems in an alterative
manner.

1.4.2 METHOD ADAPTED TO ACCOMPLISH THE TASK

i. Interview Process

ii. Organizing data

iii. Testing with paper prototypes

iv. Further usability testing of the electronic design.

 CHAPTER TWO

2.0 LITERATURE REVIEW

2.1 WEB PAGE DESIGN

This is a process of conceptualization, planning, modeling

and execution of electronic media content delivery via internet in
the form of technologies (Such as makeup languages) suitable for
interpretation and display by a web browser on other web-based
graphical user interface (GUI)

The intent of web design is to create a website (a collection

of electronic files residing on one or more web servers) that
presents content (including interactive features or interfaces) to
the end user in the form of pages once requested such element
as texts, form and bit mapped images can be placed on the page
Lessing HTML, XHTML or XML tags. Displaying more complex
medici (sound animations, videds and vectors graphics) usually
sequence plug-ins such as flash Quick time, Java run-time
environment etc. plug-ins are also embedded into WebPages by
using HTML (Hypertext makeup language) tags.

Typically, in web design, web pages are classified as static

on dynamic.

1. Static web Pages: These pages don’t change content layout

with every request unless a human (webmaster on
programme) manually updates the pages.

2. Dynamic Web Pages: These page adapt their content and

appearance depending on the users input or interaction on
change in the computing environment (user, time, database
modification etc) content can be changed on the client side
(end user computer by using client side scripting languages
(such as Java script) to alter dynamic element) HTML
Dynamic hypertext mark up language) Dynamic context is
often compiled on the seven utilizing server side scripting
languages (PHP, ASP, etc)
2.2 HISTORY OF WEB DESIGN

The World Wide Web developed from scientist’s interest to

explore communication methods via the computer network. Tim
Berners Lee who did the initial development stage was interested
in the ability to link academic papers electronically and to utilize
the internet to correspond to people in other laboratories around
the world. Tim worked on the standard hypertext language
protocol and browser program which interrupts the HTML and
converts it into screen based text. The first browser program was
capable of viewing text documents only but from a range of
different computer platforms Tim published what is considered to
be the first website in August 1991. He was the first to combine
internet communication which had been carrying E-mail for
decades) with hyper text (which had also been around for decade
but limited to browsing information stored on a single computer,
such as interactive CD ROM designs.

The early versions of the HTML were very basic, only giving
websites basic structures (such as headings and paragraphics)
and the ability to link using hypertext. This was new and different
from the existing forms of communications users could easily
navigate to other pages by following hyperlinks from pages to
page.
 As the web and web design progressed, the makeup
language changed to become more complex and flexible giving
the ability to add object like image and tables to a page features
like table which were originally intended to be used to display
tabular information were soon subverted for use as increasingly
regarded as outdated. Database integration technologies such as
server side scripting and design standards further changed and
enhanced the way the web in web is made. As time change
websites are changing the code on the inside and visual design on
the outside with ever evolving programs and utilities.

With the progression of web, thousands of web design

companies have been established around the world to serve the
growing demand for such work. As with much of the information
technology industry, many web design companies have been
established in technology pecks in the developing world as well as
many western design companies setting up offices in countries
like India, Romania, and Russia to take advantage of the relatively
lower rates found in such countries.

2.2.1 FIRST GENERATION WEBSITES DESIGN

In 1993, the national centre for super computing developed

the first freeware browser “MOSAIC” within a year, there were
about two million users of this program. The mosaic browser was
capable of viewing text and graphic, but within a very limited
layout arrangement. David sieged author of “Creating Killer
websites”. David’s comment is that they are linear, yet functional
for scientist around the world to share information the technology
of these browsers limited the ability to provide graphic design
information for visual communication.

There was much other associated technological restriction at

that stage which influenced the designs of websites. These
restrictions include:

1) Monochrome monitors

2) Top to bottom interspersed layout

3) Stream separators such as bullets and horizontal lines

The background html was capable of displaying the teletype

model for lying of pages

These sites usually had headline banners, edge to edge text

that ran for the full page with blank line for segmentation. In
1994, the W3C consortium was established to set goals and
standards for the future development of the web language, HTML.
The various level of html code from that time followed through
HTML 2,3 and $ (present) since html ver. 1, the w3c, Microsoft
 and Netscape corporations have worked towards achieving a
greciter ability to provide dynamic content over the web.
Microsoft and Netscape cooperation have been in fience
competition to acquire the dominate market share of their
browser products and their web technology. This competition has
fuelled the rate of progress in the development of the web
technologies.

2.2.2 SECOND GENERATION WEBSITE DESIGN

David siegals philosophy continues in his description websites

where they are based on fist generation design concepts except
for the following characteristics.

i. Icon replacing words

ii. Buttons with beveled edges

iii. Tiled image for backgrounds

iv.Banners replacing headlines

v. Bullet-list menu driven system to present a hierarchy of

information.

Many of these characteristic were driven by the

development of htm. The websites created at this stage tended to
be overdone with technology, without respect to, or consideration
of website purpose. Use of technology for technologies sake, with
no treatment for clean layout reflecting the desire to
communicate pages were over crowded with fleshing icons and
rainbow coloured graphics and backgrounds. However, there were
a few designers such as David Seigal, who were able to utilize the
html code in ways that it were innovative in order to acquire the
page layout they designed. One example of this new approach
occurred when the html tags for table’s designers used the table
code for pouring in the columns of text and graphics just like you
see in the magazine and books. Tables well used to acquire
greater control over element positioning; it was essentially a work
around.

These sites were still adapting to technology that was

constantly changing. While being aware of the web medium
capability and limitations, the main draw back of the web is speed
of downloading information. People may not be interested in
waiting for content to appeal on their computer screen, and even
of the information does appears, will they be motivated to send
off the screen. Web text is not easy to read because of the
inherent browser characteristic. It is easier to read from books,
magazine and papers, because of the designers input to the
amount of teaching between the lines of text and the controlled
length of text in a measure within a horizontal space.
 These controls do not exist on the web, unless the design
actually inserts the texts as a pixel graphic. The text and font size
can be set on the browser, but how many people know how, or
even if they do, they probably do not know what aspects are
important for legibility, readability and clarity.

2.2.3 THIRD GENERATION WEBSITES DESIGN

From the tradition designer’s point of view, the web has a

long way to go yet because of the many restrictions on the use of
typography. David Siegalls philosophy in third generation
websites is to present information from a designer’s point of view,
and ensure that it is compatible with economic browsers, as well
as being independent of technology trends.

Third generation sites aim to attract and communicate to an

audience in accordance with the particular sites objective. The
site objectives could be to informs, inquire or sell in the shortest
amount of time required. To do thus, there is an emphasis on
project design and management in order to create a site that will
draw the viewer in, so that they will instantly be aware of who,
what where and why sides exist at just a glance. The viewer will
want what is provided at the site and also want to know how to
get it, using an initiatively designed navigation system to find
their way around the website. The site structure is considered
extremely important for the websites design of it is to meet the
above requirements.

Web design has evolved with respect to the constantly

changing technological environment of the webs capability and its
limitations. These was a period of time where interactive CD
ROM’s were used to deliver contents which was technically too
difficult over the web, this situation has now turned around where
by the design philosophies for CD ROM are now being, applied for
the web. The design goal is to create an initiative navigation
system in order to allow the user find what they are looking for
quickly. The users will recognize the function from the viewed
from of the button, i.e form follows functionality. The visual form
of the navigations system must support and or suggest the
function for immediate response to navigate to the information,
they are seeking for.

The third generation philosophy tends to be similar to the

advertizing/marketing strategy of “AIDA” i.e ATTRACT” the
audience in Nulls second hold the INTEREST once you have their
attention, create the desire for the attracted audience, then call
the ACTION line for more information.

On the web, the some approach is used, what will attract the
audience to the website, what will be there when they get there,
 what is the purpose of the website. This web design strategy is
directly influenced by presenting the what, why and who rather
than a technology based design.

2.2.4 FOURTH GENERATION WEBSITE DESIGN

Fourth generation websites are only an extension of third

generation with some unique web-driven selling proposition.
Which can only be delivered on the web? E.g the remote access to
education over the web with all the renise notes, tutorials and
exams.

2.3 WEBSITE DESIGN

A website is a collection of information about a particular topic in

subject. Designing a website is defined as the arrangement and
creation of web pages that in turn make up a website. A webpage
consists of information for which the website is developed, a
website might be comp0ared to a book, where each page of the
book is a webpage.

There are many aspects in this process and due to the rapid
development of the internet, new aspects may emerge. Some of
the few basic aspects of design are:
 1. The content: The substance and information on the site
should be relevant to the site and should target the area of
the public that the website is concerned with.

2. The usability: The site should be ser friendly, with the

interface and navigation simple and reliable.

3. The appearance: The graphics and text should include a

single style that flows through out to show consistency. The
style should be appealing and relevant.

4. The Visibility: The site should also be easy be to find via

most, if not all, search engines.

A website usually consists of text and images the first page

of website is known as the Home page or index. Each webpage
within a website is an HTML file which has its own URL. After each
web page is created, they are typically linked together using a
navigation menu composed of hyperlinks. Faster browsing speeds
have led to more and shorter attention spans and move
demanding online visitors.
 In order to be viewable to the public, once a website is
completed, it was to be published or uploaded. This may be done
using FTP (which is the file transfer protocol) once published, the
webmaster may use a variety of technique to increase the liafer
on hits that the website services. This may includes submitting
the website to a search engine such as Google on yahoo,
exchanging link with other websites, creating affiliation with
similar websites, etc

2.3.1 MULTI DISCIPLINARY REQUIREMENTS

Web site design crosses multiple disciplines of information

system, information technology and communication design. The
website is an information system whose components are
sometime classified as front-end and back-end. The observable
content (e.g page layout, user interface, graphics, text, and id) is
known as the front-end. The backend comprises the organization
and efficiency of the website source code, envisible script
functions, and the serer side components that process the output
from the front-end. Depending on the size of a web development
project, it may be carried out by a multi killed individual
(webmaster) on a project master may oversee collaborative
design between members with specialized skills.
2.4 WEBSITE PLANNING

Before creating and uploading a website, it is important to

take the time to plan exactly what is needed in the website
thoroughly considering the audience on target market, as well as
defining the purpose and deciding what content will be developed
are extremely important. The following should be considered
when planning the website.

i. Purpose: It is essential to define the purpose of the website as

one of the first steps in the planning process. A purpose
statement should show focus based on what the website will
accomplish and what users will get from it. A deculy defined
purpose will help the best of the planning process as the audience
is identified and the content of the website will help make the
purpose clean and plan for the future when expansion,
modification and improvement will take place. Also goal setting
practice and measurable objectives should be identified to track
the progress of the site and determine the success.

ii. Audience: Defining the audience is a key step in the

website planning process. The audience is the group of people
who are expressed to visit your web site the market being
target. These people will be viewing the website for a specific
reason and it is important to know exactly what they are
looking for when they visit the site A clearly defined purpose on
goal of the site as well as an understanding of what visitors feel
 when they come to your site will help to identify the target
audience. Upon considering who is most likely to need on use
the content, a list of characteristic common to the uses such
as:

a) Audience Characteristics

b) Information preferences

c) Computer specification

d) Web experience

Taking into account the characteristic of the audience will allow

an effective websites be created that will deliver the derived
content to the target audience.

iii. Content: Content evaluation and organization acquire that

the purpose of the website be clearly defined. Collecting a list of
the necessary content then organizing it according to the
audience need is a key step in website planning. In the process of
gathering the content being offered, any items that do not
support the defined purpose on accomplish target audience
objectives should be removed. It is a good idea to test the content
and purpose on a focus group and compare the offering to the
audience needs the next step is to organize the basic information
structure by categorizing the content and categorizing it
according to user needs. Each category should be named with a
concise and descriptive little that will become a link on the
website. Planning for the sites content ensure that the wants on
need of the target audience and the purpose of the site will be
fulfilled.

iv. Compatibility and Restrictions:

Because of the market share of the modern browser, the

compatibility of your website with the viewers is restricted. An
example of webpage design restrictions is the use of different
image file formats. The majority of users can support GIE,JPEG,
and PNG( with restrictions) Again internet explorer is the major
restriction here not fully supporting PNG’s advanced transparency
features resulting in the GIF format still being the most widely
used graphic file formant for transparent images. Many website’s
incompatibilities go unnoticed by the and unreported by the user.
The only way to be certain a website will work on a particular
platform is to test it on that platform.

v. Planning Documentation: Documentation is used to visually

plan the site while taking into account the purpose, audience and
content to design, the site structure, content and interactions that
are most suitable for the website. Documents may be considered
a prototype for the website-a model which allows the website
layout to be reviewed, resulting in suggested changes,
improvements and/or enhancements, this review process
increases the likelihood of success of the website.

First, the content is categorized and the information stile hue

is formulated. The information structure is used to develop a
document or visual diagram called a site map. This creates a
visual of how the webpage will be interconnected, which helps in
deciding what content will be placed on what pages. There are
three main ways of diagramming the website structure.

a) Linear design website diagrams will allow the users move in a

predetermined sequence.

b) Hierarchical structures (for tree design website diagrams)

provide more than one path for the users to take to their
destination.

c) Branch design website diagrams allow for interconnections

between webpage such as hyper links within sentences.
 In addition to planning the structure, the layout and interface
of individual pages may be planner using a storyboard, in the
process of story boarding a second is made of the description,
purpose and title of each page is the sire, and they are linked
together according to the most effective and logical and drawing
lines to connect them, or creating the story board using computer
software’s.

Some or all of the individual pages may be designed in

greater detail as a website sire frame, a mock up model on
comprehensive layout of what the page will actually look like. This
is often done in a graphic program, on layout design program.
The wire frame has no working functionality only planning.

2.5 Principles Of Design

The basic principle of web design shows how to put together

design element in effective manner. Design is more than just
putting HTML tags up onto a page. Using the design principle will
help in building a more pleasing and useful design. These
principles are briefing explained below:

(1) Balance: This is the distribution of heavy and light object on

the page larger, dacker element appear heavier in the
 design than smaller, lighter elements. The principle of
balance shows how to layout pages so that they work.

(2) Contrast: This is also an important factor more to contrast

than ordinary black and white colours could be contrasting
shaped (square Vs circle) on contrasting sizes (large Vs
small) or even contrasting texture (rough Vs Smooth) which
paints out the picture of the design clearly.

(3) Emphasis: This is what eye is drawn to it is tempting give

everything equal emphasis or try to emphasize everything
in a design, but this ends up making the design bland and
flat instead a designer should determine the hierarchy of
the page and then apply the emphasis to the element of
the page based on the hierarchy.

(4) Rhythm: Also called repetition, this brings an internal

consistency to web designs. Pattern is easy for human to
comprehend and repetition provides pattern that make
your site easier to comprehend.

(5) Unity: Also called proximity. It is the principle of keeping like

element apart also pulls elements together.

2.6 BRIEF HISTORY OF DEPARTMENT OF MATHEMATICS

STATISTICS AND COMPUTER SCIENCE
 The University of Abuja itself came into existence by the
promulgation of decree No 109, establishing the University of
Abuja as a conventional one. The first vice chancellor then set in
motion, machinery for the recruitment of academic staff. By
February 1991, this (Department of mathematics, statistics and
computer science) and other department were established and
their respective head of department appointed with Professor M.O
Adewale as the first head of this department.

This facilitated the inauguration of the university senate,

made up of cleans, directors and head of department. After the
inauguration ceremony, the vice-chancellor informed the senate
member about forwarding of the academic brief of the university
to the Nigerian Universities commission (NUC) for approval. The
then requested each head of department to collaborate with the
department staff to draw up suitable the chairmanship of the
departmental head. The departmental staff up the course and
syllabi for the three disciplines of the department, with strict
adherence to the stipulated circular as contained in the “Approval
Minimum academic standard in science” handed down by the
Nigeria universities commission to the university.

When this department was established at offered B.Sc

mathematic is B.SC computer science and B.Sc statistics, with
B.SC computer science starting in 1993. Hater on, it developed
into offering post graduate diploma in computer science and
statistic and recently mathematics.

After the tenure of Professor M.O Adewale, he handed over

to Dr. Franklin Olusodayo Oguns as the second Head of
department and then Dr. E.O Oku Ukpong being the third Head of
the department and presenting again, Professor M.O Adewale who
was appointed again in 2005

LABOURATORY

The department currently has two laboratories which are

situated in the computer center of the university. When the
computer center was established in 1992, it had six pioneer staff
and additional staff joined afterwards. Although the centre is a
unit on own, the student of the department of mathematics,
statistics and computer science use it for research and other
practical work.

When the computer science programme (undergraduate)

started in 1993, very low population of the student was its
pioneers. About twenty computer science student to thirteen
staff. In 1999, the student population increased astronomically
without corresponding increase in staff.
 Today, the number of staff in the department sums up to
twenty one with the inclusion of the Head of the department.

The facility of the computer laboratory has been developed

to fourteen standard computers all with internet facility, a
projector and two air-conditioners.

Presently, the department offers:

i. B.Sc Mathematics

ii. B.Sc Computer Science

iii. B.Sc Statistics

iv.Post Graduate Diploma in computer Science

v. Post Graduate Diploma in Mathematics

vi.Post Graduate Diploma in Statistics.

2.7 OBJECTIVES OF DEPARTMENT OF MATHEMATICS

STATISTICS AND COMPUTER SCIENCES

1. To offer undergraduate degree of Bachelor of Science in

mathematics, statistic and computer science.
 2. To offer post graduate diploma in mathematics, statistics
and computer science.

3. To carry out research in broad spectrum of mathematics,

statistics and computer science.

2.8 SETBACK OF PRESENT INFORMATION SYSTEM

i) The present information system is all in hand copy.

ii) The information provided is only for local user and they are
not in a aimly and visually attractive manner

iii)It is tedious for the staff to go through the database of a

particular file.

2.9 THE NEED FOR WEB DESIGN

i) Poor performance of the present information system.

ii) The need to change from the old information system to the
present day information system.

iii) The desire to integrate the isolated information system

which will facilitate data sharing effectiveness and
efficiency in the performance of the cooperate
organization.

iv) The web provides a means of presenting information to the

wider community, for particular prospective student and
employers.

v) To display the capability and achievement of the department

in a much quicker and advanced way to local users and
prospective users.
 CHAPTER THREE

3.0 SYSTEM ANALYSIS AND DESIGN

3.1 ANALYSIS

Before any work can begin on the design of a website,

considerable effort has to be devoted to thorough analysis of the
requirements. It is necessary to examine the current procedure
and information flown in the organization. This will help to identify
the limitation of the existing system, required resource and
improvements.

Analysis therefore is a process of gathering and comparing

information about the web and its operation, by arranging the
item of information based on their level of importance on
priorities in orders to develop a functional and a successful. It
involves analyzing the information gathered about the user for its
relevance so that the aims and objectives of the project could be
achieved.

3.1.1 FEASIBILITY STUDY

A feasibility study is a formal study to decide what type of

system can be developed which meets the need of the
organization. The following are the categories of feasibility
 studies. Technical feasibility study, economic feasibility and
operational feasibility study.

These categories are explained below:

1) Technical feasibility study: Most of all the hardware and

software required for this project are readily available in a
standard computer laboratory.

2) Economic feasibility study: The expected cost of hosting a

website should be estimated before the design phase can
be considered, which depends on the weight of the site in
Megabytes (MB) which is not beyond the capacity of the
university.

3) Operational Feasibility study: This will have to do with the

institution been able to manage, maintain and update the
site. The department of mathematics, statistic and
computer science has good computer initiate as their
employees.

3.1.2 The user analysis involves the audience information, which

includes the target audience for the web as well as the
actual audience that make use of the information. The
 information includes audience’s background, interest and all
helpful details required in shaping the information to suit the
user needs.

A. current student (undergraduate and postgraduate)

i. Characteristics: They are highly educated, computer

literate, research oriented, have limited access to certain
information and very busy.

Possible information: the following are the possible information

likely to be enquired by user about administration activities,
course credit system, scholarship opportunities and awards,
accommodation and about current events and happenings in the
department.

B. Prospective Student (Undergraduate and Post Graduate)

i. Characteristics: May or may not be web literate limited

access to internet and very busy.

ii. Possible Information: The possible information for the

prospective students is entry requirement course and duration,
about admission procedure, and may be accommodation.

C. Administration Staff:
 i. Characteristics: The characteristic for administration staff
are highly educate, busy, financially stable, research
oriented and regular access to the internet.

ii. Possible information needed: information about staff,

breaking news, current and happening on campus, and
progress in academic activities.

3.1.3 GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT USERS

This section views the general behaviour of users as they

navigate through the web contents.

i) User scan select: user scan and select in most encounter

with the website. Users always navigate to the page they
need, they do the scattering through and selecting or
searching seldom through and selecting or searching
seldom reaching more than a few words.

ii) Content Pages: Even on content pages users scan and

select, in a research conducted by Nelson, CA Professional
web developed, he found out that 80% of users skimmed
and scanned through web pages, which suggests that web
user don’t want to read a lot. www.Useit .com.
 iii) Non-reading user: in most cases, users try to find a specific
piece of information on the answer to a specific piece of
question. They only want to get the exact information
they want and reading a lot is an obstacle to competing
the goal.

3.1.4 Web Element Analysis

The following are to be put into consideration.

1. Purpose statement: The purpose of this website is to provide

relevant information to:

a) All prospective students wishing to apply for admission into

the undergraduate or post graduate course in the
department of mathematics, statistics and computer
science.

b) All current student already in the system

c) Staff
2. Objective Statement: The objective statement defines
what specific goals the web should accomplish. The objective
statement of this project is that information will be provided
for:

i. All prospective students wishing to apply for admission into

undergraduate and postgraduate course in mathematics,
statistics and computer science department, admission
requirement and about accommodation procedures.

ii. All researchers in need of information about the department

of mathematics, statistic and computer science, and all
staff in need of information.

3. Web Content Analysis: Majority of the content of this

project work was acquired from the lectures and the some
documents of the department. Thus some of the content
would need constant updating like session by session such
as:

a) Content Update

i. Admission requirements
 ii. Current visitor and officers

iii. Scholarships

iv.News and Events

All these are responsibilities of the web editors

b) Content Inventory:

This inventory presents just the major division of the information

and hints of content. The content inventory contains the complete
information of the site map.

4) Information Architecture: The success and usability of a

website depends on the simplicity of the site structure and
organization, which in turn depends on the organization of
the information.

Since most websites are hierarchical in structure which

means users navigate from the more general menu to more
specific content pages most hierarchical structure have three
levels and at times sublevels.

The levels are explained below:

Level One: contains the homepage which serves as the major
table of content and contains links to other web pages that
constitute level two.

Level Two: It consists of page which constitutes submenus and

content pages. The submenu pages contain links to pages that
constitute level three.

Level Three: It consists of mainly content pages such as

information on the undergraduates and post graduate courses
(Course credit load and duration).

3.2 SITE STRUCTURE

 HOME

HISTORY STAFF OTHERS

COURSES
OF MATHS STRENGT JOURNALS ACTIVITIE
OFFERED
DEPTS H S

Postgradu
Undergradu ate Non-
Academic
ate Courses courses Academic
(diploma)

Statist Comp.S Comp.S

Maths Maths Statistic
ic ci ci

3.3 DESIGN

This chapter involves working within the web’s specification,

decision making about how a web’s actual component should be
constructed. In this chapter, the web purpose, audience,
objectives and domain information are taken into consideration.
Which implies that a thorough grounding implementation
possibility as will as knowledge about how a specific web
structure affect users.
 The following are the significance point needed to be
considered. Content organization and assembly:

a. Edited texted and proofread

b. Photography

c. Interface design and master page grid templates completed.

d. HTML template pages

e. Graphic design specification for all page type

i. Interface graphic for page templates

ii. Header and footer graphics, logos, buttons and backgrounds.

3.3.1 TEMPLATE

Since some page will constantly appear in the web at

constant position, it is then important to make a general
template that will save as a basic building block for web pages in
the website. The goal of this design as to make web pages that is
much alike across different browser.
 Design template below:

NAVIGATIONAL BAR

BANNER
Header’s Graphics Navigation
Bar
LOGO

TEXT AND PHOTOGRAPHS

EVEN
COLUMN
TS

LINK TO WEB MASTER

3.3.2 Page Dimensions

a) Width: The width of all the pages in the site will not be more
than 650 pixels. This is because many users have the display
screen which can display only at 640* 480 screens, other s
also have monitor which display 800*600 pixel screens.

b) Height: Some pages have about four (4) screen of

information; this is because the information chunks are so
related that it is logical to have them on different web pages.
 c) Margins: The margins will be set via table cells consistently
throughout the site. The line text will be restricted to twelve
(12) words on less per line.

.4 NAVIGATION SYSTEM

We have two types:

a) Local Navigation: Consist of all link on a page that take

one to a named area. A good navigation and structure will
provide users with sign post so that they don’t feel lost a link
back to the homepage and will work well with all levels on
this site.
 NAVIGATIONAL BAR

BANNER
LOG Header Graphics Navigation Bar
O Header Graphics Navigation
Bar

Even Undergraduate Courses

ts
Postgraduate Courses

UNDERGRADUATE COURSES

POST GRADUATE
COURSES

Link to webmaster

b) The Global Navigation: These types of navigation enable a

user to have access to different pages on the same website
global navigation is used on the home page.
 NAVIGATIONAL BAR

BANNER
LOG
O PHOTOGRAPHS

EVENT
S TEXT

Link to Webmaster

.5 SITE ORGANIZATION

The intrinsic organization of the site is hierarchical and

includes various types of significant pages. However, several
navigation concepts such as the two mentioned above (local and
global navigation) allows for both hierarchical and non
hierarchical navigation of the site.

.6 SITE HIERARCHY

The hierarchical site is organized in such a way that, at the

highest level, it encompasses several sub-hierarchies, each
containing a collection of pages related to a broad topic.
 3.6.1 Department:

It contains general information about the department. E.g

History, lectures name, course credit system. Etc.

3.6.2 Events:

These include the happenings in the department, lecture,

seminars, news, calendar event, etc.

3 Undergraduate and post graduate program:

Relevant information about the undergraduate and post

graduate degree program can be found here. Information such as
ore course required credit unit etc.

.7 Minimizing Download Time

The bandwidth on the capacity of the lines carrying data to

and from a computer is perhaps the most important factor that
guide web pages design. The bandwidth in affected by various
factors such as user’s modern speed and also it could be affected
by the number of time and also the speed of the server he/she is
connected to:
 The patience limit for download time limit seems to be
around 10 seconds. However there are quite different variations,
some writers suggest that the pages can take up to 15 seconds to
load, or as much as 30 seconds. Jacob Nelson in his book reminds
designers that human factors research has shown that response
lines must be faster than a second. Without that response, people
get frustrated on loose attention.

FILE SIZE: An obvious way to make a webpage download is to

make it as light as possible. Although, there is no specific number,
bandwidth stretched the possibilities over a wide range of file
size.

The consensus of pages size is with interbiznet and its under

30kb pages size. Although some designers place a 10kb limit on
the page size while others give as much as 10kb.

.8 CODING

In this perspective, coding can be defined as the process of

using a computer formal language to convert the design
prototype on paper into a full functional model, by working with
the universal grid and link diagram from the design process as
well as the web specifications and domain information. Coding is
done following the detailed site map diagram from the design
process.
 At this stage, the actual construction of the web pages
begins implementation of the design specification and other
standard are actualized using HTML.

The tools used for the coding are PHP, HTML and for the data
base, my SQL will be used. Comment will be used for proper
documentation of the coding for easy understanding of how the
HTML language is generated and for maintaining the website for
future update.

At the end of this stage, the typical produces includes:

i. Finished navigation link structure

ii. Finished HTML for all web pages, all pages contents in place

iii. All programming in place and linked to pages ready for

better testing.

iv.Testing of site reader support procedures.

v. All graphic design, illustration and photography in place.

vi.Final proofreading of all site content.

vii. Testing and verification of database reporting features.

 CHAPTER FOUR

SYSTEM IMPLEMENTATION

Before the website is host on the World Wide Web, there is a need
for registration with an (ISP) internet service provider encoder for
it to be viewed globally.

Designing and testing a website requires a local host for it to be

viewed on how it works and for this project, a WAMP sever is used
as the local host server. This server has spache as the root and
driving internal server of the WAMP server. The WAMP server
allows you to manage your web, database and local directory and
it is the root of the webserver in a system on network. The WAMP
server is easy to manage and administrer services because it
makes provision for PHPmyAdmin which is a graphical database
management tool, MySQL which is a command based database
management tool, the “WWW” directory which houses all the
hosted webpages.

Moreso, for a website to be hosted successively, a minimum of

the following should be obtained:

a. Intel Pentium 4 on higher processor

b. Minimum of 124MB of RAM

 c. Minimum of 2 Gigabytes of hardware and for the
software, a windows XP operating system could be used
to run it, HTML, PHP, Macromedia Dreamweaver 8 and
Macromedia Fireworks could be used to design the
webpages.

4.1.1 INTENDED USERS

a) Current student (Undergraduates and Post graduates)

b) Prospective Student (Undergraduate and post graduates).

c) Administration staff.

d) Researcher within the country and all over the world.

4.2 INPUT SPECIFICATION

i. The homepage should be compact: tell user what they are

getting and provide links to all the real content:

ii. Length of pages should be put into consideration: Most

people do not read texts contained in pages that scroll for
a long time even they wait for the page to load.

iii. Speed up page-loading by providing layout information for

images and tables.
 iv. [Image src = “Senate g.f] tells the computer that the page
includes an image.

v. [image src =” Senate g.f width =”60” height “150”] tells the
computer the space to be allocated for the image allowing
the rest of the page to load at the same time and the
images.

vi. Front page specifies the dimension of image automatically.

4.2.1 CHOOSE APPROPRIATE FILE FORMATE FOR IMAGES

i. When using images use their actual size because some web
editing package (front page) make it easy to resize
images on the screen.

ii. GIFs are best for smaller images, or images with less detail
and colors, it is also ideal for buttons, icon, graphics etc.

iii. JPEHS: Are best for detailed photographic images with lots of
colors highly compressed.
 JPEGS lose quality: JPEGS at different levels of
compression find a good compromise between qualities of
images and file size.

4.3 OUTPUT SPECIFICATION

4.3.1 Consistency:

There should be consistency of layout, colours fonts, navigation,

backgrounds, etc, through the pages but they must not appear
identical.

4.3.2 CHOICE OF COLOURS:

i. We bear in mind the needs of user with poor eyesight, colour

blindness etc.

ii. Colour and underlining indicates a hyperlink, so text colour

should not be change unnecessarily.
 iii. Apply colour scheme consistently throughout the site, no
different colours for every page.

4.3.3 PAGE DESIGN

Traditional graphic designer have complete control over their

work. They can specify dimensions, fonts, pages, size, colours
and so on, in the knowledge that the end product will look as
intended. Web designer must not be flexible.

I. For main areas of colour (test and background) we use “web

safe” colours.

II. Check pages with different web browsers, both Netscape

navigator and Microsoft internet Explore as a minimum.

III. We do not specify unusual fonts in WebPages, if we do; we

make sure we specify a safe alternative.
 IV. We work in terms of different area of the pages, main
heading area, a contents listing the body of the page, a
footer area.

CHAPTER FIVE

5.1 SUMMARY
 In summary, websites are becoming widespread due to the
advancement in technology, therefore, the need for a website for
an organization is highly important, for the purpose of
advertisement and easy information dissemination.

Therefore, a websites for the department of mathematics,

statistics and computer science should not be an exception with
this web design, user do not need to get whatever form of enquiry
they need to know about the university department. It also shows
the qualification of the lectures in the department which explains
their capability.

5.2 RECOMMENDATION

In view of the need for efficiency and effective development for

the departmental website, constant update and good
maintenance should be put into consideration. For proper
maintenance of the site, there is a need to have trained
competent personnel headed by the site editor to meet the site
maintenance needs, such as:

i. Technical Maintenance: It enable keeping the with

technological advancement in hardware and software
requirement for operating the site.
 ii. Content Updating: Content Updating is needed because
some information on these webs will be obsolete with time
and need to be replaced with current and relevant
information. We need to make sure that the content is up
to date.

5.3 CONCLUSION

In conclusion, the web development methodology

(processes) adapted in this project follows a linear approach. This
approach varies from development. In some projects, it is often
not linear and tasks from different phases may be taking place
concurrently.

The primary goal of this website (project) was to design a

website underpinned by clear guidelines for ongoing design,
content management and future development of the web for the
department of mathematics, statistics and computer science,
university of Abuja. Therefore the website is a fundamental
outreach and information resource for the university department.
 Finally, we discussed earlier, the selection of website design
features, and how each design can add to the impact and success
of the website.