Hello FBLA judges!

Welcome to Polk County High School's 2010 E-Business entry.

There is a whole lot to check out on this fully-functional site, so the development team here at PCHS has decided to dedicate a page just for you to explain the process behind the site and introduce you to some of the site's top features.

Process:

Research Phase

Our first step in creating what would become the 2010 PCHS E-Business entry was organizing our team.  The team was carefully chosen ensuring that the team could work together efficiently.  Then, after reviewing the 2010 FBLA project guidelines, we began our research.  We decided to develop a site that was based around the 50th reunion of our school's class of 1960.  After that,  we reviewed other sites to find out which methods work and which methods do not.  We then focused in on our target audience to create targeted designs and content.

E-Business Phase

In this phase, the “e-business” aspect of the site was formed. Through our research, we decided upon several products which would appeal to our target audience. Next, we focused on how our customers would pay for their purchases. Our primary concern throughout this was the security and privacy of the customers. In order to solve this issue, we used PayPal, a secure online payment gateway. Finally, we focused on marketing. We used SEO (search engine optimization) to ensure our site would be easily accessible to the “spiders” of Google and other search engines. We created an interface that would be simple and intuitive while also encouraging the user to purchase from our store.

Web Development Phase

All of the content having been organized, we turned our sights to the designs.  The team created several rough drafts, considering styles and designs both relevant to the information and attractive to the target audience.  After deciding upon a layout, we converted the paper design to a digital one, primarily using Adobe Photoshop CS4 to create and optimize the graphics for the web.   Next, we proceeded to the coding step, in which we converted our design to a fully-functional website.  The website layout was entirely hand coded in Microsoft Expression Web 3.  We used XHTML 1.0 Transitional to develop our template used throughout the site and CSS 2.1 style sheets to ensure our design remained consistent throughout the site.  Other innovative technologies used include JavaScript, Flash, and the Google Maps API to increase interactivity.

Testing Phase

The next step was to test our design.  We surveyed our target audience to ensure the site’s design was intuitive and usable. After allowing them to survey the site, we asked them a series of questions regarding usability, after which we returned to the development phase to correct our errors.  This process continued until our target audience was satisfied.  Finally, we proceeded to ensure that our site was compatible with current standards and accessible to as many potential viewers as possible.  We validated our website as both valid XHTML 1.0 Transitional and CSS 2.1 and tested our website on a wide range of browsers.

 

Site Features:

In order to allow the attendees of the reunion the ability to stay connected before and after the reunion, we have created a Facebook group just for the Class of 1960. Members can become a fan and stay updated on events and connected with each other.

Our team has provided the PCHS Class of 1960 with a virtual yearbook to allow them to view all of their classmates and remember all the good times from high school.

We have created a fully functional store that uses PayPal to provide a secure payment option for our customers. It also offers a convenient and easy method for paying online.   All of the items shown on the site are real. They can be purchased and will be delivered to the buyer.
*Shipping defaults to the $4.99 Pickup, but can be changed upon checkout.(user must be logged into paypal to view the options.)

We have included our reunion attendees with the opportunity to quickly register using the form on our registration page. People attending can also select between several packages.

Our team has provided the attendees of the reunion with an interactive method for obtaining directions to the events. The user can enter their address and receive directions generated by Google® Maps®.

In order to provide our customers with the best service possible we have provided them with a working contact form that will allow them to contact us. The form also validates to ensure that all of the information entered is correct.

The development team here at PCHS has provided a page that thoroughly explains the development, design, testing, and legal process took to create this site.  We ask that you review it to receive the maximum understanding of our team's experience.

During the drafting process the team decided to form a Terms of Use page to help ensure a stable environment and state all legal responsibilities of the organization and user.

 

We hope you enjoy your experience reviewing our site.

 

Thank you,

The 2010 PCHS FBLA E-Business Team