“How can I build a website?”

I attended a very interesting and informative conference today #BIBA (Big Ideas, Big Action) in Washington, D.C.  It was an interesting mix of artists, government agency workers, technical consultants, and entrepreneurs.  Although there were a number of great conversations to be had, the most interesting one wasn’t about the newest technologies or the hardest problem to solve but was instead based on a simple question that no one really had an answer for: “Where can I go on the web to get the bare essential information for understanding how to develop a website and how to understand the underlying technologies?”  The only answers anyone could come up with were 1) Visit wikipedia… and 2) a list of outdated websites.  So my goal over the next few weeks will be to walk you through the very basics of creating a website that utilize Web 2.0 technologies.  Hopefully, some of my fellow tech geeks will help fill in holes that I miss or correct any mistakes that I make.

So, the lesson for today is “What steps are necessary to build a simple, interactive website based on current Web 2.0 technologies?”

The answer to today’s question is going to be a very simple checklist for each step in the process.  In each subsequent post, I will break these broad steps into small pieces that can be accomplished in no more than a single 8 hour day.

• Decide upon a Topic or Idea that you care enough about to make a site
• Select a Target Audience
• Pick a Development Framework
• Create your Layout/Look-and-Feel
• Design your Flow Path (How do you allow users to find exactly what they are looking for as fast as possible)
• Develop the Backbone
• Add Content
• Add User Management (if necessary…)
• Pick a Name
• Find a Host
• Upload your site
• Maintain your site
• Monetize your site (if you so choose…)

So that sounds easy enough!  Now on to how to accomplish each of these steps and the basics for each of the technologies required for each step.  Coming tomorrow: “How to choose the right topic for your site?” and “Why does it matter who my target audience is when choosing a development technology?”