With our first project and our first exam behind us, we can give our full attention to Unit #2, the Responsive Microsite, which will keep us busy through the end of March. As we learn about responsive web design, our default tool will be Bootstrap, but you can apply the same underlying principles to any responsive framework or theme you might use in the future. As we develop our Unit #2 sites, we’ll also spend some time on “content development” (also known as writing) with the help of our new textbook, Nicely Said.

Here’s a brief overview of our schedule for next week:

• On Tuesday, we will continue our conversation about effective responsive websites, then dig in to Nicely Said. Please read Chapters 1–3 before you come to class. In addition, please review the assignment guidelines for Unit #2 and select your “client” for this project. (If you have multiple ideas and would like my advice about which one to choose, just let me know.)
• We will spend Thursday in workshop mode, getting comfortable with the Bootstrap framework. Before you come to class, please read through the entire Bootstrap website, especially the “Getting started” and “CSS” pages. (The “Grid System” section on the CSS page is incredibly important; resist the temptation to skim it.)

If you want to talk about your plans for Unit #2, or if you need help making sense of Bootstrap, please come see me during office hours (T 1–4, W 9–12). Otherwise, I’ll look forward to seeing you in class next week. Stay warm this weekend!