A Forum

For Indian
Classical
Dancers
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Table of Contents
Criterion A: Inquiring and Analysing
Strand 1: Explain and Justify the need………………………………………………………………………………..2
Strand 2: Research Plan……………...…………………………………………………………………………….….3
Strand 3: Analysing Existing Products………………………………………………………………………………..5
Strand 4: Design Brief……………….………………………………………………………………………………..8

Criterion B: Developing Ideas

Strand 1: Design Specifications……...………………………………………………………………………….…..10
Strand 2: Design Ideas..……………...……………………………………………………………………………...18
Strand 3: Chosen Design…………….………………………………………………………………………………20
Strand 4: Planing…………………….………………………………………………………………………………22

Criterion C: Creating the Product

Strand 1: Logical Plan………..……...………………………………………………………………...…………….26
Strand 2: Techniques and methods used in the implementation of the website .………………………………....…28
Strand 3: Following the logical plan…………….………..………………………………………………………….31
Strand 4: Changes and Justification…….……...………………………………………………………………….....34

Criterion D: Evaluating
Strand 1: Testing methods……..……...……………………………………………..……………………….…...….35
Strand 2: Evaluating the Success of the Solution……………………………. .…………………………………….36
Strand 3: Following the logical plan…………….………..……………………………………………………….....39
Strand 4: Changes and Justification…….……...………………………………………………………………….....40
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Criterion A: Inquiring and Analysing

Strand 1: Explain and justify the need
Establishing the Context: The richness of Indian culture lies in its diverse art forms such as music, dance, literature and
theatre. These art forms narrate legends, myths and historical tales, intertwine various regional customs and beliefs, and
keep generations of cultural values and heritage alive. With the growing Indian diaspora, Indian artists and Indian art
enthusiasts are now all over the world. According to the statistics from the Asian Age, there are about 7,600 classical art
schools outside India and 367,000 recognised classical Indian performers1.The classical dances of India are a medium of
cultural storytelling. India has an uncountable number of dance maestros with immense knowledge of classical dance and
culture, whereas it is a relative struggle for enthusiasts abroad to find teachers who can lead them. Artists who are now
spread around the world have trouble connecting so that they can perform, practice and encourage a sense of community
or in other words create a sense of collaboration which is steadily being lost. The stories that are told through these
dances: their message, values and the time-capsule of culture that they are, have begun to become inaccessible for many.

The Problem: (Refer to appendix A3(i), (ii) for interview and survey) In the present day due to a globalised and
interconnected world, culture does not remain only in the country it is from. Whether it be a person intrigued by a
particular country’s art, or a person connecting back to their culture while living in a different part of the world, Indian
classical dancers and classical dance students are now all around the world. Despite there being online platforms and
resources online for students to learn globally, and for maestros to impart their knowledge, a sense of community is
lacking in this art form due to its wide-spreadness. It is a challenge for older dance maestros to market themselves and it is
also hard for enthusiasts around the world-not only abroad but in the country itself to find a teacher who can guide them,
that they can contact and learn from. Most audiences and students in the modern day are formed through online
marketing; although dancers who have devoted their lives to this art often do not have a platform where they can advertise
their shows, classes, workshops etc. Due to a limited network between classical dancers and dance enthusiasts interested
in this ancient art, both sides face a loss in culture.
As claimed by my client who is a Kuchipudi classical dancer and a guru2 in an interview3, even though the classical dance
community is connected through mutual contacts and other gurus, there is not much scope for direct connection between
people of the dance community which is the reason for disorganisation and limited information. She often faces trouble
connecting with people new to the dance community, especially from outside the country because of the lack of such
platforms and the poor functionality of the existing ones.

Need for solution: Preserving India's diverse art forms is a crucial aspect of safeguarding its cultural heritage and values.
Without intervention, traditional arts risk fading into obscurity due to limited collaboration and communication among
enthusiasts and dancers. Not only the arts themselves but also the artists are under the threat of unemployment if an art
form loses significance due to this lack of communication. An example of the puppeteer artists of Rajasthan4 who now
live in poverty can be taken to predict what may happen to artists whose art loses significance.
The reason the dance community needs a solution is to avoid the loss of this artform to salvage the artists, and make the
art flourish. The benefits of a product that expedites communication among the dance community include fostering
cultural exchange and innovation, providing global exposure to the dancers, preserving culture and bridging the
generational gap between old practitioners and younger enthusiasts which would help preserve and encourage it. Through
better self-marketing the dancers would flourish and through improved awareness, the enthusiasts would nourish their
interest in the art form. Therefore the problem is the lack of a digital Indian classical dance community that encourages
interaction among artists and enthusiasts across the globe.

1
Refer to bibliography 1
2
Guru (/ˈɡuːruː/ Sanskrit: गरु
ु , IAST: guru; Pali: garu) is a Sanskrit term for a "mentor, guide, expert, or master" of certain knowledge or field.
3
Refer to appendix 3 (i)
4
Refer to bibliography 5
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Global context- Orientation in Space and Time5: (Refer to appendix A1(i) for mind map) Indian culture has become a
vital part of the global cultural tapestry, reinforcing the importance of making it more accessible so that the rich heritage
of the country can be shared with more people across borders and generations or in other words across space and time.
This knowledge which creates a sense of community does not simply need to grow between physical global space but it
must also be bridged among time which in this case refers to the knowledge-holding older artists and the enthusiastic
younger generations.
This can be achieved through fostering communication, which is the key concept for the unit. Older generations of artists
that have acquired information over time need a means to communicate this information to younger generations,
especially those who live across the world as they lack the means of finding gurus.
This idea also resonates with the Statement of Inquiry - ‘Design can impact interactions’ since the purpose of creating the
solution is to impact the interaction in a positive manner. A sense of community must be built across the global space and
across generations that allows for a spread of knowledge and culture.

Target audience & client: My primary target audience is my client- Achuta Manasa who is a renowned Kuchipudi artist
and guru, who not only imparts her knowledge to students locally but also internationally. She will be the source of
primary information for me such as interviews, personal inputs, and reviews on my product. My secondary target audience
is the Indian classical dance community which includes classical dancers, gurus, enthusiasts, patrons and anyone
interested in the art form globally.

Strand 2: Research plan (Refer to appendix A2 to see research, appendix A3 (i) for interview transcript and appendix A3
(ii) for target audience survey results)

Aspect Research Relevance of question Sources (primary/secondary) Priority Finish date

question Appendix: (Secondary-A2, Primary-A3) (1-5)

Problem Why is Indian In order to understand the Primary: This question will be part of 4 03/12/2023
classical importance of creating my product, my client interview since she as a High
dance an I must explore the significance of classical dancer and guru will be able priority
important classical dance as part of Indian to provide a great perspective on this
aspect of culture and the reason it must be topic. (Refer to Appendix A3(i))
Indian preserved. This information will Secondary: I will look at articles/blogs
culture? help me create a meaningful that address this topic.
product. Link: Source 1

Problem What is the To find an apt solution for the Primary: This research question will 5 03/12/2023
reason for problem I have identified, I must be addressed as part of an interview Highest
inaccessibility dig deeper to find the root cause of with my client. priority
of classical the problem. According to the (Refer to Appendix A3(i))
dance forms? identified cause, I can create a
product that rectifies it.

5
Refer to Appendix A1(i) for mind map exploring the unit.
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Target Audience How does the dance Communication is a major part of any Primary: I will ask my client this question since she 5 04/12/2023
community currently community to ensure effective collaboration is involved in communicating as a dancer and Highest
communicate? and hence I must evaluate how the dance teacher so she can tell me about the physical/direct priority
community currently communicates. communication.
According to the results, I can decide the (Refer to Appendix A3(i))
features that are needed in my product. Secondary: Through google search, I will look at
online platforms through which the dance
community communicates.
Link:Source 2

Function What are some Since my product will be based on facilitating Secondary: Through looking up websites and blogs 5 05/12/2023
digital features that communication and collaboration among the I would determine what are the best digital features Highest
can facilitate people of the classical dance community, I that facilitate communication. priority
communication and would need some information on what Link: Source 3
collaboration? features are effective and what features I must
add to my product.

Hardware What are the In order to build an effective communication Secondary: I will be looking at articles that will 2 05/12/2023
hardware platform I have to research the required give me information about the possibly required Low
requirements for hardware. hardware in order to create a web design that Priority
building an effective facilitates communication.
communication Link:Source 4
platform?

Software What are the I need to look into the necessary software in Secondary: I'll be reading articles to learn more 3 05/12/2023
software order to provide a platform for effective about the software that would be needed to develop Medium
requirements for communication. a website that makes communication easier. priority
building an effective Link:Source 5
communication
platform?

Aesthetics What kind of Since my target audience is the dance Primary: I will find the answer to this question by 3 06/12/2023
aesthetics will the community, I must know what sort of surveying my target audience. Medium
dance community be aesthetics the community prefers and will be (Refer to appendix A3(ii)) priority
attracted to? attracted to. This includes colour, design Secondary: In order to look into what kind of
elements, font etc. aesthetics dancers like, I must look at other similar
websites to determine their aesthetic choices.
Link: Source 6
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Environmental Is my product Since sustainability is an important aspect of Secondary: I will research this topic through 2 06/12/2023
Concerns environmentally the global context I must evaluate the looking through academic journals and studies. Low
safe? environmental concerns of my product. Link:Source 7 priority

Strand 3: Analysing existing products

Product 1: Instagram- https://www.instagram.com/

About the product: Instagram is a photo and video sharing social media platform where users can post publicly and for
other users to see, react, comment etc. It also has a direct messaging option through which people can contact each other.
Through this platform people can communicate directly and indirectly with each other. It is also a good platform for
marketing and publicity.
Takeaways/Inspiration: I believe that the direct messaging, and the posting format are great ways to foster
communication, and hence I will draw inspiration from them and create similar features in my product.

Strengths:
● The platform is widely accessible and can be used by anyone with access to the internet. It is also a very popular
platform and hence has a huge international audience base.
● It is possible for anybody to post on this platform, and hence it is a pool of undiscovered talent. It has given rise
to many artists who are now popular influencers.
● It is one of the major platforms for marketing- business or self. Due to its algorithm it is a major asset to anybody
who wants to market themselves.
● Content can be created very easily on this platform with inbuilt reel, post and story making options. This results in quick content creation which
encourages more users to use this platform to create content.
● Communication is an easy process on this platform. Users can communicate through direct messaging, commenting, reacting, replying, voting on polls and
joining group chats.

Weaknesses:
● Since it is a social media platform, many influencers and users face cases of cyberbullying and getting trolled online which affects the mental health of the
user negatively.
● The saturated market of influencers makes it very hard for new talent to emerge among the already popular ones with a huge following.
● The complex algorithm is oftentimes inaccurate to the taste of the viewer and hence many artists remain undiscovered.
● The platform is a general photo and video-sharing social platform and is not focused on a particular audience base- in this case the classical dance
community.
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Opportunities:
● Increasing the user base of Instagram is an opportunity to grow its market further and make it a global platform.
● Creating sub-forums for people of specific interests- similar to the discord servers that can be found.
● Recommending certain influencers and artists to users can be an additional boost to them apart from the
algorithm.

Threats:
● The user account is prone to getting hacked. Oftentimes the user has to delete the account and warn all their
followers about hackers who have taken over the account. It is a privacy and safety hazard.
● It is easy to impersonate somebody else through this website since all communication happens online. There have
been cases of impersonation and catfishing on this platform.

Product 2: Narthaki- https://narthaki.com/index.html

About the product: Narthaki is a platform

specifically made as a database for Indian classical
dancers, as it contains information about classical
dancers all across the globe, upcoming events,
interviews, images, dance news etc. This product was
published in 1992 by a chennai based social activist.
Takeaways/Inspiration: The focus of this product on
its target audience and its aesthetics is something that I
want to replicate in my final design idea.

Strengths:
● This platform has a comprehensive
address bank of renowned dancers from all around the
world including their contact information which can
be useful for other dancers and enthusiasts.
● The platform has information about upcoming events in most major cities across the world which makes it a
useful website not only for the local community but also the global community.
● The information in the website is well organised into different tabs and is user friendly to access and understand.
● It is budget and environmentally friendly since it is free of cost, and is an online platform.

Weaknesses:
● Information has to be published by the people in charge of the website and cannot be uploaded by users.
● It does not have any features useful for fostering communication among the dance community.
● It is not very aesthetically designed and has a very basic colour palette and formatting.
● It is not an extremely popular platform and hence people who are new to the dance community may not find it
independently.

Opportunities:
● This platform can be further marketed and developed in terms of aesthetics in order to attract more users.
● It can tie up with smaller local institutes in order to promote more local events instead of being restricted to global
ones.

Threats:
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● The website is not fully up to date and hence can contribute to the spread of misinformation among the
community. The user rate can also decline due to this problem limiting its audience.

Product 3: Shilparamam-https://shilparamam.in/home/
About the product: Shilparamam is an arts and crafts village located in Hyderabad which was made in order to preserve
local and traditional arts. Events are held there year-round in order to engage the audience and remind them of their
cultural heritage. It has an auditorium, one of the biggest in the city, specifically to encourage cultural performing arts
such as classical dance. It is a community where classical dancers collaborate and perform their art together.
Inspiration/Takeaways: My takeaway from this product would be the focus it has specifically on the dance community,
and in creating a space for interaction among dancers. I would like to recreate a similar focused product in a digital form.
Strengths:
● Has an all-year-round market of traditional handicrafts, encouraging traditional artists.
● Located in the heart of the city, making it an accessible place for the general public, widening the target audience.
● The entire area is built with a rural aesthetic making it a great getaway and
tourist spot for the people living in the city.
● It has a stage called ‘shipakala vedika’ and other amenities for the
occasional dance and other classical art performances that take place there.

Weakness:
● Very limited local artists are supported.
● It does aid in preserving the artforms but isn't something that can virtually
foster communication.
● It is limited to the local culture of Telangana.

Opportunities:
● They could build an online platform through which they can further help
artists by marketing them.
● In order to showcase more cultures, they could occasionally invite similar
initiatives from different states to make it a more interesting experience for the
audience.
Threats:
● The lack of new creative ideas being implemented in the space is making it redundant for people to visit, making
the customer base much smaller.

Software analysis:

Virtual Studio Code:

Microsoft created Visual Studio Code, usually known as VS Code, which is a source code editor
available for Windows, Linux, and macOS. Support for debugging, snippets, code rewriting, intelligent
code completion, and embedded Git are among the features.

Advantages Disadvantages

● Fast, efficient and lightweight. ● Overwhelming- has too many options and technical terms.
● Easily installable and accessible on Windows and ios. ● Requires more configuration.
● Many coding language options. ● Has to be installed.
● Free of cost.
● Tutorials and help are easily available online.
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TextEdit:

TextEdit is an inbuilt software, used to read and write text in Rich Text Format, HTML and plain text. It is
the IOS equivalent of Notepad++, ideal for HTML and CSS.

Advantages Disadvantages

● Easy for beginners. ● Limited to HTML.

● No complex technical terms. ● Extremely basic- no technical skills can be shown.
● Single bar for editing. ● Very limitedly used by people for the purpose of coding.
● Available default on IOS software.
● HTML can be edited on this software.
After evaluating both software, I have decided that VS Code is the best fit for me since I will need to depict excellent
technical skills in my work and write some complex codes which may not be limited to HTML.

Strand 4: Detailed design brief which summarises the analysis of the relevant research
Problem statement: The lack of a digital community for Indian classical dancers where they can communicate and
collaborate to celebrate their art form is a problem that affects the dance community around the world. This has been
creating a communication gap, affecting not only possible students but also teachers of the dance community. In summary,
there is not much scope for direct connection between people of the dance community which is the reason for
disorganisation and limited information. A platform which would facilitate this form of collaboration and communication
will have many advantages including;
● The establishment of a digital community where dancers can collaborate and encourage each other.
● A digital platform where new enthusiasts looking to expand their knowledge about the art form can interact with
experienced maestros who can pass on their knowledge.
● Artists who have been devoted to the dance form gain a platform to market themselves, especially older artists
who may find it challenging to navigate social media.
● A platform that encourages the transfer of knowledge between older and younger generations of dancers, across
the global space.

Research Outcome:
Orientation in space and time Existing product research Software analysis

The unit is based on the concept of I looked into three existing products- Instagram After analysing both software- TextEdit and
communication-the key concept of the unit. which is a social media platform, Narthaki VS Code, I decided to use the latter for
Communication is facilitated through digital which is a database of dancers and shows and several reasons. The most major of them is
products that include features such as chat, Shilparamam a hub of arts and crafts in my city. the excellent technical skills that can be
forums, blog pages, comment sections, From the first one, I have noticed that the applied through the software in order to
interactive reactions, calling, videochat, concept of posting is a very relevant and create a useful and efficient product. The
email and so on. According to the target practical solution to this problem. Though the chosen software also allows me to code in
audience and the problem statement, these second product shows upcoming shows around different languages without being restricted
features must be adapted into a platform that the world, it is edited by the creator only and so to HTML when I want to add complex
encourages communication and hence only the shows that the creator is aware of are features to my product. Whereas the other
facilitates collaboration among the advertised on the platform. If the people were software is made for extremely basic usage
community. In this case, communication song able to post, then the the platform would be and will not be as effective and organised as
a wide set of people requires encouragement constantly updated and would be of help to VS Code. It also is a widely used software
and to facilitate this, a feature such as a many more artists. and has countless tutorials to browse from
forum would be most effective.Another and its features have been comprehensively
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feature that could be useful in this scenario is Another thing I would like to incorporate into explained on its website. This will make it
an option for direct messaging where a user my website is user profiles that will form a sort easier for me to research the technicalities
can directly message any other user. This of database of artists, inspired by the second and build my product.
would be relevant to the global context too, product.
since a forum would allow for Making the product interactive like the first
intergenerational and intercontinental existing product would make communication
communication where a large group of two-way an important aspect when it comes to
people can interact with each other across improving collaboration. The existing product
time and space. Direct messaging allows for contains the feature of interacting with posts.
an alternative for private conversations in the Users can react or comment on the posts which
case that a user wants to reach out and makes it a very social platform. I will
collaborate with other users. incorporate these elements into my own product.
Research link: Bibliography 8

Design Brief:
The final product for this unit will be a website, particularly a forum website that encourages communication among the
members of the Indian classical dance community. This digital community will have features that focus on interactions
and the transfer of knowledge among the community members which facilitates collaboration.
The website will be created with the use of VS Code mainly with the use of languages- HTML and CSS, although there
may be some use of advanced coding languages to add complex features.
The main communication feature in this website will be a forum page. On the forum page users will be able to post
images and text, and other users will be able to react to these posts. These posts are meant to be how dancers advertise
their shows, workshops, events, classes and so on. Enthusiasts or other dancers will be able to look at these posts and react
to them. Dancers must be able to market themselves which will eventually increase the market value of the art to ensure it
thrives.
Another key communication feature in the website would be a direct messaging option where users can directly contact
any other user. This would be useful if an enthusiast wants to reach out to a dancer or a dancer wants to reach out to
another to collaborate with them.
To improve the usability of the website, a user dashboard page will be created which will contain a Google calendar
allowing the user to mark important dance-related events, the user’s direct messages with other users and a notes section
where the user can jot down reminders.
Features of the website will be as follows:
● An introduction about Indian classical dance: An introduction about classical dance and the website will be given.
● User profiles: Profiles made by dancers and users will have relevant information such as dance style, contact
information and a brief biography.
● User Dashboard: A dashboard page for the users will contain their personal event calendar, their direct messages
and a personal notepad.
● Event posting: Users will have an option of posting which can be used for marketing events, classes, workshops,
shows and more.
● Interaction: Users can interact with posts through reactions and comments.
● Personal communication: Through direct messages, users can reach out to each other
● Indian aesthetics: Due to its Indian classical aesthetics the website will be visually appealing to its target audience.
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Criterion B: Developing Ideas

Strand 1: Design Specifications
Aspect Specification Justification Success Criteria (Lowest-1; Highest-6) Testing Method

Aesthetics Warm colours like yellow and Since the target audience of this website is made 1-2: The website has no aesthetical User Observation & Trial
orange and Indian artistic up of people connected to Indian culture, they elements or images. Surveys
elements such as mudras6 will would find ethnic Indian elements in the website 3-4: The website has images and The aesthetics of the
be used alongside classical eye-catching. Images of dancers will make the aesthetical elements but they are website will be evaluated
dancer images. website lively and attractive while also making it irrelevant. by the creator and a survey
seem authentic and rooted in culture. 5-6: The website uses pertinent question will be dedicated
aesthetical elements and images fulfilling to determine whether the
the specification. aesthetics are appealing to
the target audience.

Cost The website should be In order to encourage a diverse array of artists, the 1-2: The website cannot be accessed User Trial Survey
accessible to the user for free. website should be accessible to everyone without a subscription fee. The users will provide
regardless of their socioeconomic background and 3-4: The website has some premium feedback regarding the
whether or not they can afford to pay for a features. affordability of the website.
website. 5-6: The website is free of cost.

Client & The client for my product is a I have chosen my guru Achuta Manasa as my 1-2: There is no client or target audience. User Observation survey
Target renowned Kuchipudi artist client since she has been part of the dance 3-4: The chosen client and target and Client Interview
Audience Achuta Manasa who will be community for a long time and can give me audience have no role in providing Surveys of the target
providing information and valuable information and input. The target information or feedback. audience and interviews
feedback. audience will be the entire dance community 5-6: The chosen client and target with the client will
My target audience is the which includes dancers and enthusiasts who will audience provide valuable information determine their
classical dancer and enthusiast be the users of my website. and feedback. involvement in the making
community. of the product.

Environm The product should have no The website must only have positive impacts and 1-2: The product has a heavy negative User Trial Survey
ental impact on the natural the most minimal amount of negative impacts environmental impact. The creator will observe the
Impact environment. especially on the environment. Being a digital 3-4: The product impacts are both impact of the product on the
platform will aid in completing the specification. positive and negative. environment.
5-6: The product majorly has a positive

6
A mudra (/muˈdrɑː/ i; Sanskrit: मद्र
ु ा, IAST: mudrā, is a symbolic or ritual gesture or pose in Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism. While some mudras involve the entire body, most are
performed with the hands and fingers.
 11

impacts.

Safety Users with an account can If users that aren't logged in post, that could result 1-2: There are no safety measures. User Trial Survey
access the features such as in inappropriate content being posted which will 3-4: The safety measures are not The security measures of
thread posting, direct messaging violate the security and integrity of the platform. effective. the website will be
and so on. 5-6:The specification is followed to reviewed by a set of people
ensure security on the platform. from the target audience.

Function -The website will have a The login/sign-up page will act as authentication, 1-2: The website has none of the features User Trial Survey and
sign-up/login page through which and personal profiles will allow enthusiasts to find mentioned in the specification. Client Interview
users will create accounts and log other artists’ profiles. 3-4: The website has 2 of the features Questions about the
into their profiles for a user The forum page on the website allows for mentioned in the specification which may functionality and user
dashboard, in order to post,
communication among enthusiasts as each can or may not be properly functional. experience of this website
comment, direct message and
discover other profiles. post about their upcoming classes, workshops, 5-6: The website has all the features will be asked of the target
-The forum website will have a events and more. The commenting and reacting mentioned in the specification and they audience as a survey.
navigation bar to ensure a smooth options allow interaction on the website, as are all perfectly functional. An interview with the client
user experience in terms of interested enthusiasts can interact with the posts. will be held to determine
navigation. However, interaction is not limited to the forum, their opinions on the
-A forum page will allow users to as there is an option of direct messaging effectiveness of the
post text threads and media, accessible in the user dashboard for those who functional features of the
comment and react to posts and prefer a more private form of communication. website.
comments. This will allow users to express queries, or
-A profile dashboard will contain
contact other artists.
an event calender, which will
contain a personal event calendar The dashboard encourages a more personalised
to which the user can add experience for each user. The event calendar
dance-related events/classes, a allows them to note down events they are part of,
personal notes section, and a direct and classes or workshops they are taking to avoid
messaging option. overlap. They can also make additional notes on
their dashboard.

Material The material required to make it In order to code in the languages HTML, CSS and 1-2: The specified material is not used. Observation (self and
must include my laptop, VS JavaScript to create an effective webpage, I will 3-4: The specified material is used but client)
Code software and the internet. need the software VS Code and a laptop. not in an effective manner. The creator of the website
5-6: The specified material is used under the supervision of the
effectively to display excellent technical client will be
skills. self-evaluating the usage of
material in order to produce
expected results.
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Timeline The product must be done by It will be vital to finish the product by January 1-2: The specified deadline is not Observation (self and
Requireme the end of the month of the since the deadline will be around the same time. followed. client)
nt month of January. Finishing the product earlier than the deadline 3-4: The work is done but client feedback The creator of the website
will allow me to get feedback from my client and is not taken in order to improve. under the supervision of the
improve the product. 5-6: The specified deadline is followed client will observe whether
along with improvements suggested by they have followed the
the client. timeline requirement
correctly.

Accessibil The website must be accessible Accessibility on all sorts of devices will increase 1-2: The website is not accessible on any Observation (self and
ity on smartphones, tablets, laptops the audience base as not everybody has access to type of device. client)
etc and the size of the website laptops and they will be able to access it through 3-4: The website is only accessible on Through observation, the
must adjust. their smartphones/tablets. Whereas the students laptops/ PCs. creator and the client will
who do not have access to phones will be able to 5-6: The laptop is accessible on each determine whether the page
access it through their laptops. device mentioned in the specification. is accessible on all devices.
The target audience will
comment on its
effectiveness.

Usability The website must have good A user-friendly website has more chances of 1-2: The website's features are not User Trial Survey and
text size, good colour contrast, getting popular among a community. It is vital for responsive, the layout is not organised Client Interview
features for easy navigation and my website to be easily navigable so that it can and the navigation menu is hidden. Through a survey of the
responsive design. serve its target audience which includes elder 3-4: The website features are responsive target audience and an
The layout of the functional dancers and gurus as well as young dancers who and navigable but the text is hard to read interview with my client, I
elements must evenly fill up the are each very important in forming the target and the layout is unorganised. will determine whether the
page in an organised manner so audience. 5-6: The website is responsive, navigable website is user-friendly.
that the user can find each of easy to read and understand and well
them. organised.

Content An introduction to the classical A page dedicated to an introduction to Indian 1-2: There is no content page about the Client Interview
dances of India and their classical dance will help foster the interest of classical dances of India. There is no The content I have written
history, significance and budding enthusiasts. It will also bring more traffic content on the home page. about classical dance will
importance will be explained to the website as the search engine will show this 3-4: There is minimum information or be sent to my client for
alongside images. website when someone searches for information content in only one of the pages. feedback and she will
Information about the website about classical dances of India. 5-6: There is adequate content, good determine whether the
and its intention will be part of The about us information will allow the users to images and pertinent information about content is adequate and
the home page. understand the intention behind the creation of the the intention behind the creation of the accurate.
website. website.
 13
Strand 2: Developing a range of feasible Design Ideas

Design Idea 1:
Strengths: Basic usage of a warm colour as mentioned in the specification is seen in this design on the login page as well as the navigation bar. The idea seems
extremely user-friendly due to the simplicity of design and the navigability seen on the forum page. Each of the actions of the functional buttons has an icon as
well as written text describing the function of the button, making it easy for older and younger users who aren’t completely familiar with the technology to use

the website. The forum page consists of icons and buttons for creating, reacting to
a post, and commenting fulfilling the function specification in the context of the
page. The user dashboard page also has all of the required functional elements
including direct messaging, event calendar and personal notes. One of the
technical problems that could occur is that users might have to click on ‘add new
chat’ to text a person with whom they already have a messaging history. This
would make it challenging in terms of usability.

Weaknesses: The design doesn't fulfil the aesthetic specification due to the very
minimalist approach devoid of any use of Indian aesthetic elements which might

make the website less attention-grabbing for the viewer. It also has very
minimal usage of colour.
The layout of the forum is not ideal since there is a lot of empty space on the
page and due to the big icons for each action, only one thread post is visible
on the screen. The user must scroll to see more than one post which might
make the design less eye-catching.
The link from the main pages to the user dashboard has not been shown, as
the user dashboard is not a part of the navigation tabs. One of the technical
problems that could occur is that users might have to click on ‘add new chat’
to text a person with whom they already have a messaging history. This
would make it challenging in terms of usability.
 14
Opportunities: Better usage of colour would not only
make the website more appealing, but also increase the
contrast between functional buttons and the
background making it more usable. A more concise
layout could be used for the forum page to ensure that
more than one post is visible to the viewer on screen
which would make the website more interesting. An
example of this could be creating two columns of
thread posts which would also amend the layout of the
design. The website’s name and logo could be
displayed as part of the header.
The display of the history of chats on the user
dashboard can be changed in order to avoid a
complicated user experience due to the technical
challenge mentioned in the weaknesses.

Design Idea 2:

Strengths: The aesthetic of this design is very pleasing due to the usage of colour
and pattern. It has a login page and a forum page as well as a navigation bar. The
colours provide a good contrast which not only makes the website pleasing to look
at but also increases the readability and in turn the usability. A different form of
organisation is used in the forum page which uses the space provided in an
effective manner. It has a header above the navigation bar which also adds to the
element of organisation. The forum page has the option of posting as well as
commenting and reacting.
The user dashboard page has a typical chat layout, as seen in most common social
media platforms and hence is easy to use and optimal.

Weaknesses: The aesthetic elements of this design are not based on what attracts
the target audience. The colour scheme also consists of cool colours which goes
against the design specification of using warm colours. The layout of the forum is
well-spaced although it doesn't resemble a typical forum website. The navigation
of the website is rather complex and would’ve been simpler if there were buttons
 15

for certain main actions such as creating a thread post.

The navigation button that leads to the user dashboard is missing in this design also. The layout of the chat dominates the dashboard, leaving little space for the
calendar and the notepad.

Opportunities: Opting for aesthetic choices that appear more cultural rather than relating to the natural world would make the product appealing to the target
audience. Instead of changing the layout of the forum, a typical thread format along with images, preferably of dancers would look more aesthetically pleasing as
well as accurately fit the theme of the website. The layout of the page dedicated to classical dance could use content and images.The features of the user dashboard
might be used more extensively if the layout is modified, and each of the elements are sized similarly to each other.

Design Idea 3:
Strengths: This design comprises most of the basic and advanced features required in the website including a login page, a forum page for posting threads,
available options for reacting and commenting which aids in effective communication and so on. The design is also aesthetically pleasing and uses elements that
would be attractive to the target audience. The warm colour scheme is eye-catchy and the contrast of colours and the font size is adequate. The design has content
and images related to the topic which makes it comprehensive. The design also includes the name and logo of the website above the navigation bar to appear more
authentic.
 16

The format of the navigation bar is easy to understand and

appears minimalistic and usable. The row allows the user to see
all of the pages at once, and makes it easier to access them. The
colour change of the background of the name of the page on the
navigation bar when the page is changed is also an important
feature which allows the user to remember the page they are on
currently.
The user dashboard page has the required features and is
formatted in a unique manner with a more concise chat box and
equal focus on all of the three features. The chat box is also
well formatted with one conversation history under the other in
a column.

Weaknesses: The forum page seems empty and the layout isn’t
satisfactory as there is some empty space. There is also a lack
of background colour in the design idea which would improve
the aesthetics. The website isn’t navigable enough as there is no search bar. The buttons for posting threads are also not visible.
The user dashboard format isn’t compact and intuitive as the calendar occupies a lot of space while not the notes and the direct messages get pushed below. As an
important feature that facilitates communication, the messages should be given priority in the format.
 17

Opportunities: The design can include a search bar that helps find threads if the user types in some keywords. The design can also include buttons for ‘create
thread post’ and ‘add comment’ which would make it easier for the user to do these actions. The design idea also must rearrange the chats such that they get
priority on the page since the purpose of the website is to facilitate collaboration. A monthly calendar instead of the weakly as shown in the idea might be useful in
order to give a larger picture of the upcoming events, making sure nothing slips the mind of the user.

Design Idea 4:
Strengths: As a variation of Design 3, this design idea has a has an
integrated version of the user dashboard in the forum website. This
compact version of the user dashboard in the forum page of the
website allows a quick check on their personal profiles while they
scroll through the forum. The full sized user dashboard can also be
accessed through the navigation bar. These features reduce the
unused space on the forum page making it appear aesthetically
pleasing. The layout on the Classical Dance page has also been
modified to make it appear filled and engaging. The images in
between paragraphs of text on either side provide a pop of colour
and break the monotony of the text. In the forum, reaction and
comment buttons are titled instead of being icons to make it easier
to understand and access.

Weaknesses: This design idea has a different navigation bar which

opens when the menu icon on the top is accessed. This makes the menu
hidden and the user might even have to refer to the menu a second time
to check the page they are on. This feature may seem less intuitive to
some of the older users, making it comparatively less user-friendly. The
use of colour has been inverted compared to the previous idea. The use
of colour is more minimalistic and only adds accents. The target
audience would rather prefer to be engulfed in the warm tones that
remind them of the dance form.
The user dashboard is a separate page with a title rather than being
accessed through the user icon on the top right corner of the screen. The
lack of a search bar has not been rectified.
 18
Opportunities:
Bolder colour choices can make the aesthetics of the website more captivating, encouraging the viewers to interact with it.
Since chats are such an important aspect in this website, it can have a separate page where it expands into the full screen. This chat page can also be shown in the
navigation bar allowing better usability. The login page/sign-up page can share a similar aesthetic and functionality sense.

Strand 3: Present the Chosen Design and justify the selection

Rating 1 2 3 4 5 6

Weightage Poor Adequate Average Substantial Good Excellent

Client/self rating table: (Refer to Appendix B1(i) for client ratings)

Srl. Specification Design 1 Design 2 Design 3 Design 4
No.

1 Aesthetics Client rating: 1/6 Client Rating: 4/6 Client Rating: 6/6 Client Rating: 5/6
Self rating: 1/6 Self Rating: 3/6 Self Rating: 6/6 Self Rating: 5/6

There are no aesthetical The aesthetics of this website are This design uses warm colours as Use of similar colours is
elements in this design such detail-oriented and appear mentioned in the specification. visible in this idea, although
as colour or artistic elements. eye-catching. Although the cool Patterns inspired by Indian it lacks the patterns seen in
colours and the flower motifs are mandala art are a major part of the the previous idea. The design
not according to the preferences aesthetics adding a cultural flair to therefore appears simple and
of the target audience, and are not the website, and attracting the minimalistic.
relevant to the theme. target audience.

2 Cost Client rating: 6/6 Client Rating: 6/6 Client Rating: 6/6 Client Rating: 6/6
Self rating: 6/6 Self Rating: 6/6 Self Rating: 6/6 Self Rating: 6/6

There is no intended cost in There is no intended cost in this There is no intended cost in this There is no intended cost in
this design. design. design. this design.

3 Client & Client Rating: 6/6 Client Rating: 5/6 Client Rating: 6/6 Client Rating: 6/6
Target Self Rating: 6/6 Self Rating: 6/6 Self Rating: 6/6 Self Rating: 6/6
Audience
This design has been This design has been made This design has been formulated This design has been
formulated keeping in mind keeping the client and the target keeping in mind the client and the formulated keeping in mind
the client and the target audience in mind in all of the target audience. the client and the target
 19

audience. aspects except for aesthetics audience.

4 Environment Client Rating: 6/6 Client Rating: 6/6 Client Rating: 6/6 Client Rating: 6/6
al Impact Self Rating: 6/6 Self Rating: 6/6 Self Rating: 6/6 Self Rating: 6/6

There are no negative There are no negative There are no negative There are no negative
environmental impacts in this environmental impacts in this environmental impacts in this environmental impacts in this
design idea. design idea. design idea. design idea.

5 Safety N/A N/A N/A N/A

The safety of this design The safety of this design cannot The safety of this design cannot be The safety of this design
cannot be determined since it be determined since it is just an determined since it is just an idea. cannot be determined since it
is just an idea. idea. is just an idea.

6 Function Client Rating: 4/6 Client Rating: 5/6 Client Rating: 6/6 Client Rating: 6/6
Self Rating: 3/6 Self Rating: 5/6 Self Rating: 6/6 Self Rating: 6/6

This specification has been The functional elements have All the specifications in terms of All the specifications in terms
partially followed since this been partially fulfilled in this the functional elements of the of functionality of the website
design idea does not have the design as there is no button for website have been fulfilled in this have been fulfilled in this
option of commenting and creating a thread post. design. design.
reacting on the thread posts.

7 Material Client Rating: 6/6 Client Rating: 6/6 Client Rating: 6/6 Client Rating: 6/6
Self Rating: 6/6 Self Rating: 6/6 Self Rating: 6/6 Self Rating: 6/6

This design can be created This design can be created with This design can be created with This design can be created
with the specified material. the specified material. the specified material. with the specified material.

8 Timeline N/A N/A N/A N/A

Requirement
The time required to make The time required to make this The time required to make this The time required to make
this design idea cannot be design idea cannot be design idea cannot be this design idea cannot be
predetermined. predetermined. predetermined. predetermined.

9 Accessibility Client Rating: 6/6 Client Rating: 6/6 Client Rating: 6/6 Client Rating: 6/6
Self Rating: 6/6 Self Rating: 6/6 Self Rating: 6/6 Self Rating: 6/6

This design will be created This design will be created This design will be created This design will be created
 20

keeping the accessibility keeping the accessibility keeping the accessibility keeping the accessibility
specification in mind. specification in mind. specification in mind. specification in mind.

10 Usability Client Rating: 5/6 Client Rating: 4/6 Client Rating: 6/6 Client Rating: 6/6
Self Rating: 5/6 Self Rating: 4/6 Self Rating: 5/6 Self Rating: 5/6

This website design is easily Some features that increase The layout of the user dashboard This design is user-friendly
navigable and usable although usability such as a create post gives prominence to the calendar except for certain elements
the number of features is not button are not part of this design and the chats and notepad seem such as a search bar and the
sufficient. idea. The direct message history secondary. The calendar is weekly navigation bar which must be
in the user dashboard dominates which allows only limited opened separately.
the page, limiting the space for perspective on the user’s month
the calendar and the notes. ahead.

11 Content Client Rating: 0/6 Client Rating: 4/6 Client Rating: 6/6 Client Rating: 6/6
Self Rating: 1/6 Self Rating: 3/6 Self Rating: 6/6 Self Rating: 6/6

There is no content in this A page for content on the classical All of the specifications for All of the specifications for
design idea apart from that of dances of India is shown although content have been followed in this content have been followed in
the forum threads. the page itself has not been design. this design.
included in the design.

Total rating Client rating: 40/54 Client rating: 46/54 Client rating: 54/54 Client rating: 53/54
Self-rating: 40/54 Self-rating: 45/54 Self-rating: 53/54 Self-rating: 52/54

Chosen Design (design idea 3) shown below:

 21
The ratings of the above table are based on
the client and the candidate’s rating for each
of the specifications. The swot analysis of
each design including the design idea was
sent to the client, according to which the
client rated each specification. Based on the
above table, the idea with the highest rating
is Design Idea 3, majorly because of its
aesthetics compared to the rest of the designs
and its integration of all the required features.
Despite some features of the fourth design idea being better, for example, the minimised user dashboard, it would imply
inefficiency in the process of making these features.
Based on the physical sketch and the justification provided below for the chosen idea 3, a final design idea will be made
digitally which will resemble the final website taking inspiration from some of the features of the other design ideas too to
create the best version of the website design.

Specification Justification

Warm colours and Indian artistic elements such as Warm colours have been used in the background and navigation bar of the
mudras will be used alongside classical dancer design. The artistic elements specifically mudras can be seen on the
images. login/sign up page. Images of dancers have been used in the forum page and
the content page to fill the layout of the page more effectively as well as in
the home page as a background for the content. Compared to the other
designs, the chosen design has a greater focus on aesthetics and is most
accurate to the specification, hence this design is chosen.

The website should be accessible to the user for This specification was not only met in this one but also all of the other design
free. ideas. Since this website requires no cost to build, it will have no user cost as
well.

The client for my product is a renowned This design has been specifically crafted keeping the target audience and
Kuchipudi artist Achuta Manasa who will be client in mind. The aesthetics, functions and usability of the design is
providing information and feedback. completely based on the requirements of the target audience and the client,
My target audience is the classical dancer and collected through interviews and surveys.
enthusiast community.

The product should have no impact on the natural Like all of the design ideas, given that this product is being made on online
environment. software and will be used online, it has no direct environmental impact.

Users with an account can access features such as During the making of the product, this specification will be kept in mind to
thread posting, direct messaging and so on. ensure safety and authentication. This design idea consists of a login/sign-up
page. In this design the user will have to log into the website in order to post
so as to ensure the integrity of the website.

-The website will have a sign-up/login page through The design idea has a sign-up as well as a login page which will be the
which users will create accounts and log into their landing page when the website is opened. Unlike designs 1 and 2, the forum
profiles for a user dashboard, in order to post, website has a navigation bar that has three tabs- home, forum and the content
comment, direct message and discover other profiles. page. It is also linked to the user dashboard which opens up the page that has
-The forum website will have a navigation bar to
a personal calender, chat option and notes. Users can post, comment and
ensure a smooth user experience in terms of navigation.
-A forum page will allow users to post text threads and react in the forum as well.
media, comment and react to posts and comments. The layouting of each of the pages is made according to the specifications,
although what makes the design stand out is its user friendly details such as
 22
-A profile dashboard will contain an event calender, an easily navigable navigation bar, and good formatting of the chat option.
which will contain a personal event calendar to which Hence, compared to the other design ideas this design idea fulfils all of the
the user can add dance-related events/classes, a expected specifications based on function more effectively and .
personal notes section, and a direct messaging option.

The material required to make it must include my The chosen design specification can be created using the mentioned
laptop, VS Code software and the internet. materials- hardware and software. It requires no additional material and
hence fits this specification.

The product must be done by the end of the month Although the time cannot be predicted, this design idea if planned can be
of the month of January. executed in the given span of time.

The website must be accessible on smartphones, Although this feature cannot be pre-determined, it will be ensured that this
tablets, laptops etc and the size of the website design will be accessible on all devices as intended in the specification.
must adjust.

The website must have good text size, good colour This website has a good text size and contrast which makes it visually usable.
contrast, features for easy navigation and for It also has good navigation and layout features which is the reason for this
responsive design. choice.
The layout of the functional elements must evenly Compared to the other ideas, this design idea has a better integration of text
fill up the page in an organised manner so that the size and colour. The content too, is arranged appropriately in a way that fills
user can find each of them. up the page as well as is readable and appeals to the audiences’ eye.

An introduction to the classical dances of India This is the only design idea out of the 4 which fulfils this specification
and their history, significance and importance will properly providing a page of information on Indian classical dance along
be explained alongside images. with relevant images.
Information about the website and its intention
will be part of the home page.

Strand 4: Planning Drawings

Chosen design after improvements:
23
 24
Changes in the final design:
1. A sign-up page was created so that the user can create a new
profile and the login data can be saved for the next time the user
opens the website. It is vital to ensure user authentication which is
important for the safety and integrity of the website as mentioned in
the specification of safety.
2. A search bar has been added to the design to aid with
navigation and make it easier for the user to find a particular post.
The search bar has been placed above the navigation bar alongside
the website name and logo, and the profile icon.
3. A button instead of an icon has been added for the action ‘add
comment’, to make it easier for the user to access it. The comment
box which would pop up if a user clicks on the ‘add comment’ button
has been shown as well in the 5th image.
4. Images have been added to the forum page on the right side of the thread posts in order to make the website seem more aesthetically pleasing by balancing
the layout of the content. The images also make the page appear more attractive.
5. Some content about the website has been added to the home page.
6. The direct messages have been moved to the left of the page next to the monthly personal calender. This format inspired by design idea 3 allows the user to
access the direct messages easily. The personal notes have been moved below the calendar since oftentimes the users must have something related to
events and the event calender to jot down. This seemed to increase the usability of the design too.

Planning diagram & Sitemap:

 25
List of Requirements:

Skills Required Material Required Hardware and software Required

● Thinking Skills will be ● Content is required to make ● The most important hardware
applied extensively during the the website informative and requirement is a laptop on
creation of the website. engaging. According to the which the software will be
Coding and the creation of the specification mentioned downloaded and used for
website, writing the content, earlier, the website needs to website building.
and making changes in terms have content about Indian ● The Internet will be required
of usability will require classical dances, which will as well, to facilitate my use of
critical thinking skills. The add value to the website. web browsers.
layout, aesthetics and CSS ● Stock Photos will be required ● According to the previously
styling will require creative to fulfil the aestheticisation of done software analysis and
thinking skills. the website and the the design specification, the
● Problem-Solving Skills: requirements of the chosen most effective software
Much like critical thinking design idea. This will add an choice would be Virtual
skills, problem-solving skills artistic, eye-catching flair to Studio Code since I will be
will be applied during the the design. using the languages HTML,
coding process. Despite the ● Fonts that have been CSS and Javascript.
research, according to the mentioned in the specification ● Web browsers will be
requirements of each website, and the chosen design are required for content research,
problems always occur, required while creating the software usage tutorials and
requiring troubleshooting. In website. The font that will be for selecting images that will
this scenario, problem-solving used extensively in the be used in the website.
skills will be applied. website will be Poppins, ● I will also require document
● HTML and CSS languages which is required for the writing software such as
must be mastered in order to website creation. ‘Google Docs’ in order to
seamlessly create the website. ● Research resources write down and edit the
Through the numerous especially to reference code is content before I use it on the
resources on these languages important to avoid errors and website.
available online, one must obstacles in the process of the
gain the skill of mastering product creation. W3 schools
them to create a website is an example of one such
efficiently. resource which will be
required.
 26

Criterion C: Inquiring and Analysing

Strand 1: Logical plan with time and resources

Srl. Task Description Tools and resources Technical/ATL Duration

No. skills

1. Downloading The software required to write code for my -VS Code website -Thinking skills 12th January
the required software is Virtual Studio Code, which must be -Laptop 15 mins
software. installed on my laptop. I will be using the official -Internet
website to download the software on my laptop.

2. Reviewing the For this website, the required languages include -YouTube tutorials -Research skills 13th-14nd
required HTML, CSS, and Javascript which need to be -W3 schools -Thinking skills January
coding revised with specific emphasis on the skills website -Programming 1
2 2 hours
languages required to build a forum. To carry out this task, I -Laptop skills
required for a will be referring to youtube and W3 schools -Internet
forum website. tutorials. -VS Code

3. Familiarising To effectively use the software, I will familiarise -VS Code website -Research skills 14th-16th
with the myself with it thro als on YouTube and then -Youtube -Programming January
software. create a mock website that allows me to apply -Internet skills 4 hours
my newly refreshed skills and evaluate whether I -W3 schools
need any other extensions. -Laptop
-Internet
-VS Code

4. Creating a Creating a detailed sitemap depending on the -Pen and paper -Thinking skills 17th January
sitemap for the final design idea that was mapped out previously. 1
hour
2
website. This should be in the form of a flowchart.

5. Designing a According to the context of the product, a -Canva -Thinking skills 18th January
name and logo relevant logo will be created which will always -Internet -Creative skills 1
hour
for the website. be visible on top of the navigation bar in the -Designing skills 2
website. For the name, I will research about -Research skills
words, whose meaning is similar to
‘communication’ or ‘collaboration’ in Sanskrit to
fit the theme.

6. Creating the This will be the first page that will be created, on -VS Code -Thinking skills 19th-20th
login/sign-up VS code for the website based on the tutorials -Laptop -Programming January
page. that I have watched before. -Internet skills 3 hours
-Web browser

7. Creating the After the creation of the login/signup page, I will -VS Code -Thinking skills 21st January
Homepage of proceed to create each of the pages as noted in -Laptop -Programming 1 hour
the website. the sitemap, starting with the home page as it -Internet skills
will be the default page that opens when the -Web browser
website is opened.

8. Building the The most time-taking page out of all is the forum -VS Code -Thinking skills 22nd-23rd
main forum page since it has the most advanced usage of tags -Laptop -Programming January
page. and commands. I will also have to use some -Internet skills 5 hours
Javascript here since the changes a user makes -Web browser
 27

on the website such as creating a post must be

saved.

9. Creating the The content page is the next. However this page -VS Code -Thinking skills 24th January
content page. won’t be as time-consuming since the main -Laptop -Programming 1 hour
content of the page will be written later and -Internet skills
added along with the aesthetics. -Web browser

10. Creating the The user-dashboard has some of the most -VS Code -Thinking skills 25th-27th
user dashboard complex yet some of the most user-friendly and -Laptop -Programming January
page. helpful features. It might require more time -Internet skills 6 hours
compared to the other pages. -Web browser

11. Add any These will be additional complex features that i -VS Code -Thinking skills 28th
additional will add if I believe that it is required in the page. -Laptop -Programming January
complex -Internet skills 1 hour
features. -Web browser -Creative skills

12. Work on the The aesthetics of the website will include -VS Code -Creative skills 29th January
aesthetics and changing the background colours, changing the -Laptop -Thinking skills 2 hours
content of the font and text colours, adding images, and adding -Internet -Transfer skills
website. any extra CSS code to make the buttons fit the -Web browser -Writing skills
colour scheme and aesthetic. The content will -Google docs -Designing skills
include the information to be added to the ‘about
the classical dance forms’ page.

13. Make required If required, any final editing or problem-solving -VS Code -Thinking skills 30th January
final changes. will take place in this step before submitting the -Laptop -Programming 1 hour
website. -Internet skills
-Web browser

Gantt Chart:
Tasks 12th 13th 14th 15th 16th 17th 18th 19th 20th 21st 22nd 23rd 24th 25th 26th 27th 28th 29th 30

9
 28

10

11

12

13

Strand 2: Demonstrating excellent technical skills

1. Creating the login and sign-up page:

The above images show the login and the sign-up page that was created based on the previous specifications and the final
design mockup. Some modifications were made in the aesthetic aspects such as the addition of an animation feature where
if the login/sign-up form or the login/sign-up buttons are clicked, they change colour and, in this case, turn from grey to
white. The cursor turns into a pointer when it approaches these buttons.
The challenges in this process included learning the skill of using a separate stylesheet and a separate javascript file in
order to code the same page since before this, I would use a single notepad file to write all the different language codes.
Another challenge that I took up was designing the animation since it required frontend CSS styling and backend
JavaScript styling. One of the new skills I managed to learn for this page was the skill of adding a background, for which I
had to create a new file within the main folder and link the path in the html code.

2. Use of CSS
In order to create the website aesthetically pleasing and incorporate some of the
usability features that make the website more engaging and intuitive, it was
necessary to apply CSS.​​This styling laguage was applied in every sub webpage of
the website in order to have a cohesive look. It allowed me to create containers,
add images, change fonts, spacing and focus on the layout. A similar colour
palattle was used across of the web pages, and the colour codes for each of these
important colours such as those in the background and those in the navigation bar
were common through the pages. Incorporating CSS while simultaneously keeping
the HTML for the page in mind was a challenging task.

3. Creating the Navigation bar

 29
Crafting a navigation bar involves two key ingredients: structure and style. Therefore, the process of creating the
navigation bar involved some basic use of CSS to make the navigation bar appear aesthetically pleasing and accurate
according to the planning drawings.
HTML to build the groundwork, employing elements like <nav> and <ul> tags. Simultaneously, in the HTML page, I
worked on linking each of the pages to the navigation bar, by using its path name in order to make it functional and usable
for the users.

4. Creating the Forum

The major purpose of the creation of this website was the creation of a forum to make communication and collaboration
effective and easy for classical dancers. Firstly, I organized my coding software with folders for HTML, CSS, and
JavaScript files. The forum required me to create a basic HTML file in which I designed a structured forum layout with
sections for posts and comments. I created the basic framework of a form, buttons and navigation. Using CSS, I styled the
elements, creating a responsive design and aesthetically pleasing interface. Each of the buttons required padding and
styling elements which were carried out through CSS.
JavaScript was employed to enable interactive features, such as post creation, real-time comment updates, and the ability
to like posts. For simplicity, user authentication was added via a "Create Post" button.
Throughout the process, I focused on creating a functional and visually appealing forum, ensuring a seamless user
experience. The integration of the three languages and the complexity of the forum design were the most challenging
things about this process.
 30

5. Layout of elements
One of the complex skills that I applied during the creation of the ‘About the Indian Classical Dance Forms’ was
formatting an aesthetically pleasing as well as user-friendly layout structure in which the images would appear adjacent to
the text at an equal distance from each other. One of the problems that I encountered during this process was the
movement of images with content, although, with the application of some problem solving skills and research in CSS, I
was able to create an excellent layout.

During this layout process, I also had to ensure that my previous navigation bar and
header do not get displaced, while also making sure that the addition of text wasn’t
moving the images towards the bottom of the page. For this, I used the CSS element
of containers which I created of the desired size, then added the image elements
linked to the html page in which I linked the image source.

6. Creating the Logo and Website Name

In order to make the website seem more authentic, like a prototype, I decided to create a logo which is relevant to the
topic, yet attractive to the target audience along with a meaningful name. Firstly, I brainstormed logo ideas using a pen
 31
and paper. According to the previously decided colour scheme of the website, I tried incorporating similar colours into the
logo. After establishing a rough logo idea, I moved on to finding similar images on the internet. Through this process, I
was able to find an apt image that was cohesive in terms of concept and colours and was an aesthetically pleasing option
for my logo.
The next step was to find the ideal name for this platform which ties in the theme of
collaboration and communication with Indian classical dance. For this, I referred to a
Sanskrit language dictionary since most of the music that classical dancers perform are
based in the language or are a vernacular form of the same. Some of the words that I
found to be synonymous with collaboration and communication were sahakaarin, ekya
and sanyog. Out of these, the most fitting word according to me was ‘Sanyog’ since it’s
literal translation would mean ‘work together’ or ‘help each other’ which defines the
concept of my website.

Strand 3: Following the Logical Plan

Task Evidence Description

Task 1- The first task of this process was the installation of a software
Downloadi on which I could carry out this process on my laptop. The
ng the chosen software was Virtual Studio Code, hence I went to the
required official website as seen in the evidence in order to install this
software. software. I also studied the basic features of software on the
offical website before installing it in order to gain an idea
about the software. This task required me to use my thinking
skills.

Task 2- For the creation of a website with the implementation of the

Reviewing languages HTML, CSS, Java Script, I needed to review them.
the To carry out this task, I referred to quick youtube review
required tutorials and studied each language on W3 schools. For this
coding task, I applied my research skills, thinking skills and explored
languages my programming skills.
required
for a forum
website.

Task 3- After reviewing the required coding languages I moved on to

Familiarisi creating a practice website on the software VSCode in order
ng with the to familiarise myself with its tools and functions. Through this
software. process, I was able to identify the needed extensions for my
final website.
Just like the previous task, this task demanded critical
thinking, research and programming.
 32

Task 4- Now that I was equipped to start the creation of my final

Creating a website, I decided to create a detailed site map which included
sitemap for all the functions a user could do on each page. This gave me a
the better idea of the order in which I would create them.
website. I applied my thinking skills to determine the sitemap- what
the website will look like in terms of usability.

Task 5- The next task was to create a logo and name for the website
Designing which aligned with the theme and purpose in order to make it
a name and seem like an authentic idea.
logo for the In order to complete this task I had to apply my thinking and
website. creativity, along with designing skills. I also applied my
research skills in order to name the website.

Task 6- The first step while creating the website was to create the
Creating Login/Signup pages. In order to make it a more user-friendly
the and aesthetic page, I took the liberty of adding some excess
login/sign- features such as animation. This process also helped me
up page. explore JavaScript which I would be using extensively while
building the forum on this website. As the actual creation of
the website began, I had to apply my critical thinking,
problem-solving abilities and programming skills.

Task 7- One of the quickest pages to create was the Home page of the
Creating website. Since the content of the page only consisted of Logo
the and website name. This would be the landing page for a
Homepage newly logged-in user.
of the Similar to the previous task, in this task I applied my critical
website. thinking and programming skills.
 33

Task 8- Although this was the most important part of the website, it
Building was also the most challenging part to implement due to the
the main multiple user-friendly and aesthetically pleasing functions that
forum I had to create in order to meet the success criteria.
page. Similar to all of the tasks this requires the creation of the
website for which I had to apply my critical thinking and
programming skills.

Task 9- The major challenges while creating this page were

Creating encountered after this task while working on the aesthetics
the content and content of the website. Since this step was prior to that,
page. this task only required me to create a blank page.
In order to create the content page, I applied my
problem-solving skills, my programming skills and my
critical thinking skills.

Task 10- The challenge in this particular page was to add direct
Creating messages and format the page to look like the chosen design
the user idea. Though not functional due to the lack of a backend and a
dashboard domain, the prototype of the direct messages allows the user
page. to chat with other users, and the chats appear on the
dashboard. This was mainly created with the use of CSS and
HTML.

Task 11- During this task, I decided to push myself and add features I
Add any was previously planning to omit due to their complexity. The
additional liking and commenting features were added as buttons on the
complex forum page. Attention was given to its functionality as well as
features. its aesthetics as seen in the CSS styling as well as the
JavaScript code. Unlike the previous tasks, this task required
me to also apply creativity.

Task 12- The final step of the website creation was to work on the
Work on aesthetics and the content that needed to be added to the
the website. I started off by compiling an informative essay-like
aesthetics write-up about the Indian classical dance forms which would
and content be a part of the namesake page. Additionally, I worked on
of the searching for black-and-white images of Indian classical
website. dance forms in order to fulfil the aesthetic criteria of my
website. Finally, I put all these elements together to conclude
the creation of the website. This task required me to apply my
creative skills, thinking and transfer skills wherein I
incorporated my knowledge of English and writing with my
research, as well as design skills.
 34
Strand 4: Changes and Justification
Changes made to the design:

1. Adding animation to the login/sign-up pages:

One of the first changes I made to my original final
design mockup was the addition of animation in the
login and sign-up form as well as the buttons on that
page. Since the page was a simple and easy one to
create in terms of HTML and css, when I discovered
these animation features which require CSS styling and
Javascript, I decided that this page would be the perfect
place to implement it to make it a more aesthetically
pleasing and engaging platform. When the email,
password or the log in buttons are hovered over or
clicked on, they change colour due to the addition of
these animations. Through the addition of these
features, the audience engages better with the design

2. Usage of buttons instead of icons on the forum page:

In the original design idea, the like button, post button, add comment button, and post comment buttons were all icons.
Although, in the creation of the design, I decided to use buttons with written text explaining the action rather than icons
for two reasons. One of the reasons was to make the design elements of the website more cohesively formatted as the
formatting of icons was causing a lot of trouble in terms of size and position. The other major reason was to make it
user-friendly for older dancers and gurus, who are not familiar
with modern icons due to the lack of usage of social media
platforms like Twitter and instagram. These buttons make it
easier for users who are new to forum websites to adapt to them
and access them with ease.

Changes made to the Logical Plan:

3. Change in the assigned time constraint:

The logical plan created by me was concise, clear and
practical and it helped me apply the self-management
ATL skills effectively, as I was able to complete all of
my tasks on time, and according to the need of the
product. One major problem I faced was
underestimating the amount of time assigned to some
of the tasks, especially the third task of familiarising
myself with the software and the task that required
me to build the forum. Even though I managed to
finish it within the same day I had to work over the
allotted number of hours to accomplish it. Therefore,
the logical plan was followed thoroughly apart from
the limit set on the number of hours.
 35
Criterion D: Evaluating
Strand 1: Designing different Testing Methods

Testing Method 1 - User Observation Survey conducted with Target Audience: (Refer to appendix D1 (i))
The first survey I conducted after the process of building my website was a user observation survey through the platform
of Google Forms. The survey had a description of the purpose of this website, followed by images of each page including
the sign-up, login, home page, forum page and content page. After viewing the design of my website, the target audience
was required to answer some questions based on some of the success criteria, through which I was able to determine
whether I had been successful in fulfilling the specifications. It also allowed me to reflect on some of my work since the
different perspectives helped me explore unique ideas and opinions on my work that I had not thought of. For example,
one of the answers to the question, “Do you feel like the classical dance community is the accurate target audience for this
website?” most answers aligned with what I anticipated- yes. Although one of the answers disagreed, and said that this
website has the potential to target audiences from all Indian classical art forms such as music, theatre, visual and textile
arts. This response encouraged me to think of ways in which I can expand my website to cater to more Indian artforms.
Regardless of this, most user observation responses were positive and hence indicated that the website has been successful
according to the target audience.
My survey questions included:
“Is the website aesthetically attractive for the classical dance community of India?”
“Do you feel like the classical dance community is the accurate target audience for this website?”
“Does the website have a good font size, colour and contrast with the background?”
“Does the website appear user-friendly in terms of navigation and responsiveness?”
“Do you think that the content of the website is apt, informative and helpful?”

Testing Method 2 - User Trials and survey: (Refer to appendix D1 (ii))

The user trials were conducted on not only the target audience, but also some of my peers. The user trial survey was also
based on the success criteria of the product. This was an important part of my reflection and evaluation process as it
helped me gain a better understanding of not only the opinions of the target audience on the usability and success of the
website, but also the opinions of others who may not use this type of product. The opinions of my design peers were more
technical and helpful in evaluating the product in terms of usability and effectiveness. For the trials, I picked 3 people who
are part of the target audience which consisted of one adult and two young adults. Two of my design peers also took part
in the user trials and were able to give valuable feedback. The questions included:
“Do you think this website is budget-friendly for dancers and dance enthusiasts?”
“Are the log-in and sign-up pages functional and helpful?”
“Does the navigation bar function well?”
“Does the 'create post' post on the forum page of the website function as it should?”
“Are the commenting and liking options on the forum page functional and useful?”
“Does the website have a good font size, colour and contrast with the background?”
“Rate the navigation and responsiveness of the website.”
“Do you think that the content of the website is apt, informative and helpful?”
A couple of the questions from the user trials and the user survey overlapped since the success criteria required both
testing methods. This allowed me to receive two different types of responses, one dependent on the appearance of the
website received in the user observation survey and the other based on the actual functionality of the website received
from this testing method.

Testing Method 3 - Performance testing with Client: (Refer to appendix D1 (iii))

Another method of testing I used was a feedback interview with my client in which I presented my product to the client
over a Google Meet videocall since my client lives abroad and it was not possible for me to visit her. I followed her
commands and showed her every aspect of my website, and she evaluated it on her own terms. Then, she gave me a
general feedback based on what she thought about the website and its success according to what we had discussed in
multiple interactions. This allowed me to understand her perspective on the website and gain ideas to further improve it
and make it more useful for the dancer community. Since she is also a software engineer and has some technical
 36
knowledge about website development, she was able to give me some technical advice as well which was vastly helpful.​​
To receive criteria-specific feedback, I asked her some pre-determined interview questions about the website which are
given below:
“Do you think I have fulfilled your expectations as a client?”
“Do you think that the navigation features given on the website are enough?”
“Do you think that the communication features given on the website are adequate to encourage collaboration in the dancer
community?”
“Do you think that the aesthetical elements of the website appear attractive to members of the classical dance
community?”
“On a scale of 1-10, how would you rate this website in terms of user friendliness?”
“On a scale of 1-10, how accurate do you think the content is?”

Based on the feedback she gave me earlier and her answers to the above questions, I asked her a couple of more questions
created on the spot that helped me gain a better understanding of her perspective.
“Do you think this product has the potential to cater to national and international dancers and enthusiasts?”
“Is the product unique and beneficial compared to the others already present in the market in any way?”
Since I received positive replies and encouragement from my client for my product, I believe my client was satisfied with
it and hence it was successful.

Testing Method 4 - Expert Appraisal: (Refer to appendix D1(iv))

For my expert appraisal interview, I decided to speak to one of my teacher’s international students, Leona currently
studying theatre for her bachelor’s degree and is also passionate about the dance form I learn- Kuchipudi. I showed her my
product and asked her to evaluate it based on the specifications. As I asked her about each specification, she replied to me
by giving me verbal feedback over a video-call. She was quite impressed with the idea and felt like she was the ideal
target audience for it. She also mentioned that she wished that the website would be functional and open for everyone to
use soon. Her general feedback was similar to that of the client, although less critical.
The questions for the interview, based on the specifications were as follows;
“What is your opinion of the aesthetics of the website, do you think it uses warm colours and Indian artistic elements such
as mudras alongside classical dancer images?”
“Do you think the website is accessible to the user for free?”
“Do you think I fulfilled the expectations of my target audience, the dance community?”
“​​Based on your knowledge about my product, do you think the product should have no impact on the natural
environment?”
“Do you think the safety features are adequate?”
“Based on my function specification, do you think my website has met my and my client’s expectations?”
“Do you think I used the right material for the creation of the product?”
“Does the website have good text size, good colour contrast, features for easy navigation and responsive design?
Does the layout of the functional elements evenly fill up the page in an organised manner so that the user can find each of
them?”
“According to you, is the content provided on the website accurate and helpful?”

Strand 2: Evaluating the success of the solution (refer to appendix D1(i),(ii), (iii), (iv))
Aspect Specification Success Criteria (1-6) Evaluation of Testing Method

Aesthetics Warm colours and Indian 6/6- Specification has been met. Survey:
artistic elements such as (refer to appendix D1(i))
mudras7 will be used Since all the aesthetic elements Through the question “Is this website
alongside classical dancer stated in the specification including aesthetically attractive for the classical dancer
images. warm colours, mudras and images community?”, as part of my user observation
have been met while also following survey, I was able to collect the opinions of my
the final design mockup from target audience on whether the aesthetics met

7
A mudra (/muˈdrɑː/ i; Sanskrit: मद्र
ु ा, IAST: mudrā, is a symbolic or ritual gesture or pose in Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism. While
some mudras involve the entire body, most are performed with the hands and fingers.
 37

criterion B, this criteria has been the criteria.

marked a 6/6. Observation:
I critically evaluated the website based on this
specification and concluded that all of its
aspects have been met.

Cost The website should be 6/6- Specification has been met. Survey:
accessible to the user for (Refer to appendix D1(ii)
free. This specification has been given a 6 The question “Do you think this website is
since neither the creation nor the use budget-friendly for dancers and dance
of this website has any cost. enthusiasts?” was asked in a user trial survey.
Through positive answers, I determined the
score of this specification.

Client & The client for my product 6/6- Specification has been met. Survey:
Target is a renowned Kuchipudi (refer to appendix D1(i))
Audience artist Achuta Manasa who My client as suggested in the My user observation survey on my target
will be providing specification was the artist Achuta audience included this question, “do you feel
information and feedback. Manasa, since throughout the like the classical dance community is the
My target audience is the process I approached her often for accurate target audience for this website?”.
classical dancer and content and feedback. Most responses believed that it is, while some
enthusiast community. The target audience was the classical suggested that the target audience might even
dance community as intended be broader to include musicians.
because when a user observation Client Evaluation:
survey form was sent to some of the (Refer to appendix D1(iii))
dancers and enthusiasts I know, the The interview I had with my client mentioned, I
replies agreed that this website received feedback from her on the website.
indeed would benefit them. Therefore I followed the specification.

Environme The product should have 6/6- Specification has been met. Observation:
ntal Impact no impact on the natural Through self-awareness of the resources I was
environment. Since the product was made using for this website, I was able to conclude
completely digitally and will be used that I did not use anything that directly harms
digitally, it did not have any direct the environment. Of course, there was a usage
negative environmental impact. of electricity and electrical devices, but it can
be overlooked since these can’t be avoided in
digital design.

Safety Users with an account can 4/6- Specification has been partially Client evaluation:
access features such as met. (Refer to appendix D1(iii))
thread posting, direct Through use and observation, my client
messaging and so on. Due to the fact that I did not create concluded that the authorisation system through
my website on a server, the backend account creation was sufficient to ensure the
data storage was not possible, and safety of this product.
hence the website could not store the Observation:
signed-in emails making this With the application of my critical thinking
specification partially fulfilled. skills, I evaluated the authorisation aspect of
my code, and concluded that the authorisation
cannot be completed unless the data of the
website is saved on a server which I did not
work on. Therefore, even though the login page
had been created, it wasn’t fully functional due
to this issue.
 38

Function -The website will have a 5/6- Specification has been met. Survey:
sign-up/login page through (Refer to appendix D1(ii)
which users will create All of the mentioned specifications The user trial survey included questions about
accounts and log into their have been fulfilled in the website each of these functions and their effectiveness.
profiles for a user
except for those that required the Due to a majority of positive responses, the
dashboard, in order to post,
comment, direct message website to save data. For example, specification was met.
and discover other profiles. logged-in accounts and posts on the Interview:
-The forum website will forum page. Even though these (Refer to appendix D1(iii))
have a navigation bar to functions were being carried out As part of my client interview, my client and I
ensure a smooth user smoothly they didn’t remain in the discussed the usefulness of each of the
experience in terms of memory of the website once it was functions present and brainstormed on what
navigation. reloaded and hence there was a could be added to make it a better experience
-A forum page will allow deduction of a mark. for the users.
users to post text threads and
media, comment and react to
posts and comments.
-A profile dashboard will
contain an event calendar,
which will contain a
personal event calendar to
which the user can add
dance-related events/classes,
a personal notes section, and
a direct messaging option.

Material The material required to 6/6- Specification has been met. Client Evaluation:
make it must include my (Refer to appendix D1(iii))
laptop, VS Code software Since the specified material was During the interview with the client, I made
and the internet. used in the making of the product, sure that she could look through my process
the criteria have been met. and confirm that my product was made using
the mentioned software.
Observation:
Through the process of self-observation I
ensured I used the specified software, as it was
the most feasible and effective software for the
creation of my product.

Timeline The product must be done 5/6- Specification has not been met. Client Evaluation:
Requireme by the end of the month (Refer to appendix D1(iii))
nt of January. I was able to follow this Throughout the process of the product, I had to
specification seamlessly due to a update my client about the progress. She also
well-made plan and follow through. reviewed my Gannt chart and confirmed that
Some of the mentioned steps took the specifications had been met.
longer time duration than expected, Observation:
but I was able to complete them on Through observation and application of
the intended day. self-management skills I was able to determine
that I did fulfil this criteria.

Accessibilit The website must be 5/6- Specification has been met. Client Evaluation:
y accessible on (Refer to appendix D1(iii))
smartphones, tablets, Throughout the process of my The codes that fulfil this particular specification
laptops etc and the size of product creation, I ensured that I was were shown to my client during the interview.
the website must adjust. writing the CSS and HTML in a way After looking through at the product, she
that the website resizes itself onto a agreed that the specification had been fulfilled.
device of any size including Observation:
 39

smartphones, tablets and laptops.​​ I successfully observed the code I was writing
Although I was not able to try this and ensured that it was written in a way that
out on different devices, hence this would make it accessible on all types of
criterion received a 5. devices. Although I couldn’t observe the way it
behaved on another device.

Usability The website must have 6/6- Specification has been met. Survey:
good text size, good (refer to appendix D1(i))
colour contrast, features Based on the surveys and interviews, In the user observation survey, I included
for easy navigation and all of the mentioned aspects of this questions based on the aspects of text size,
responsive design. design specification have been met colour and contrast and comments on the
The layout of the in order to ensure user-friendliness. features available to enhance the experience for
functional elements must the user.
evenly fill up the page in (Refer to appendix D1(ii)
an organised manner so I also asked similar questions based on user
that the user can find each experience in a user trial survey, where the
of them. responses were based on how the features make
it easily navigable and understandable.
Client Evaluation:
(Refer to appendix D1(iii))
In the interview, I asked my client questions
related to the design specification, and she was
able to constructively critique me and provide
me with feedback on the good aspects of the
website, as well as what can be improved.

Content An introduction to the 6/6- Specification has been met. Client Evaluation:
classical dances of India (Refer to appendix D1(iii))
and their history, I created an ‘about the classical During the interview, I gained sources through
significance and dance forms of India’ page on the which I can explore the classical dance forms
importance will be website, for which I took some of India such as books and articles which I
explained alongside information and cross-checked the referred to while writing the information on the
images. finalised information with my client. content page. My client also gave me some
Information about the Therefore I was able to meet this information verbally on the classical dance
website and its intention specification. forms of India. Therefore with the help of my
will be on the home page. client, I was able to fulfil this criteria.

Strand 3: Improving the solution

Strengths: Based on the target audience, peers (users), client and self-evaluation, I have determined some of the strengths
of my product which include aesthetics, easy navigation, usability and so on.
The aesthetics of my product include bright, traditionally used colours such as yellow, orange and red which makes it
attractive and eye-catching for the target audience. Furthermore, there are elements such as mudras and images of
classical dancers that make the website appealing to the target audience and ensure it stands out in terms of aesthetics. The
black-and-white images on a bright background create a contrast that catches the viewer’s attention. All of the buttons and
functional elements have been aestheticised by the addition of colour, shape and in some cases animation.
Additionally, the website is designed to be very user-friendly with easy-to-understand functional elements, a navigation
bar for easy access to each page, text and icons on buttons, etc. According to my client, this is a major strength of my
website as older gurus and maestros who aren’t familiar with technology can also easily use this website.
 40
Weaknesses: The main weakness of this website is that it is not fully functional as it does not have a database and cannot
record the thread posts. Since this is a prototype design and not a functional website page, it cannot hold the login
information and it cannot save the thread posts, as they disappear after refreshing.
Another weakness of the website is the lack of safety features on the website. The current authenticity and safety feature is
the login page, as only the logged-in users can post on the thread. However, there must be more safety features that
prevent viruses.

Improvements Impact Image of improvement design

The product could be made This would not only create better collaboration
inclusive of all of the Indian for artists and students in each genre but also
classical art forms such as music, help artists across art forms collaborate. For
example, dancers often require accompanying
visual art and theatre since artists
music artists. This added feature would allow
of these art forms often have to dance students and teachers to reach out to music
collaborate with each other in students and teachers for practice or performance
order to put on a show. The purposes.
website could have a main home
page and sub-pages dedicated to
each art form.

A collaboration with an Indian The attire for Indian classical dance requires
classical dance attire brand, or particular jewellery, clothing and makeup which
with multiple small businesses is easily available in India, although it may not
can be made, and the website can be convenient to find in other countries. Since
have a ‘shop’ section. this website was made with the purpose of
Users will be able to online shop encouraging dancers and students to collaborate
across the world, a lot of the users may be from
different countries. This ‘shop’ option will make
it easier for them to purchase the required attire
needed for performing and practising.

Strand 4: Explaining Impact of the solution

Impact on client and target audience:

(Refer to appendix D1(i),(ii))

Impact on Client: (Refer to appendix D1(iii) for the client interview)

Through the client and target audience evaluation and the optimistic responses received from both, it can be concluded
that the impact of the solution on the client and target audience was positive.

During my
interview with
the client, she
expressed that
the product was
satisfying and a
good attempt to
solve the issue at hand. She agreed that it was a unique solution, different from the available websites made for a similar
 41
purpose, as it was based on user interaction. She also really liked the options for personalisation that the website provides,
especially the user dashboard. She feels like it is her own personal journal where she can not only jot things down but also
track her packed schedule so as to not miss any events. Despite the improvements she suggested, she believes that the
features on the website are helpful and apt for the situation as well as user-friendly and aesthetically appealing. She also
believed that the website has the potential to bridge communication gaps in real-life situations, and should be worked on
further to implement as a real project. Based on her satisfaction and positive feedback from both the client, a seasoned
Kuchipudi teacher, and Leona, an international student with a passion for the dance form, it can be concluded that the
website met its expectations and is capable of serving its purpose. It highlights the website's ability to bridge the gap
between experienced gurus and enthusiastic learners across geographical and cultural boundaries.
(Refer to appendix D1 (i), (ii), (iv))

Image of response from the target audience:

Impact of Target Audience: The target audience
on the other hand strongly approved of this idea
and agreed that it is required in the classical dance
community as they have often missed
opportunities to witness a performance or to be
part of one due to a lack of connections. Through
surveys and some interactions, I was able to
deduce their intrigue and satisfaction with this
website. They believed that the website was very
unlike anything they had encountered before since
it was personalised according to the needs of a
classical dancer or dance enthusiast. They believed that it sparked their interest and wanted to use the website to its full
potential. The personalised features of the user dashboard not only appealed to the dancers with busy schedules and many
dance-related events to attend, but according to their feedback, some of the enthusiasts who do not perform themselves
found it encouraging for them to attend and track more dance-related events. In summary, the target audience believed that
the website not only made communication feasible, but also had the effect of encouraging the dancers and enthusiasts to
participate more in the classical culture of dance. Hence they believe that this product has great potential to improve the
dance community and look forward to being able to use it.

Relevance of Global Context:

The global context, ‘Orientation in Space and Time’ explores interconnectedness and interactions. With the growth of
technology, the world is now more interconnected than ever before. Digital design has taken communication and
interaction to another level altogether.
This product is an application of technological advancements to unite Indian Classical dancers from around the world, not
only connecting them across space and time but also rejuvenating Indian culture and pushing it to a global scale. The
forum allows for discussions and sharing of information among dance maestros and young enthusiasts from across the
globe, connecting generations and fostering the growth of cultural knowledge.
The chat allows dancers and enthusiasts to get in touch with each other, to learn, to perform or to perform together
creating a channel of interaction and communication among people from different places around the world.
The website is a step towards preserving this sliver of culture throughout the tides of time, ensuring that the older
generation gets to pass on their knowledge to the younger generations, and the younger generations of dancers have a
platform that allows them to collaborate and grow as a community.
 42

Bibliography
1. Lowen, Sharon. “How Is Indian Classical Dance Viewed Abroad? Some Answers.” The Asian Age, 3
July 2019,
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