Announcing – Project Griffith
I feel as if
I am on the verge of a new stage in my life. As I watch political debates and listen to how
wrong everyone in the world is on every topic at hand, I want to create
something that will provide a sustainable future for me and the family I
someday hope to start. Professionally, I
am extremely grateful for the experiences I have collected. I have a 4 year degree from the University of
Evansville in Mass Communications. I have
worked for a pioneer market research company, numerous not-for-profits, and the
world’s largest online search engine for employment and staffing needs.
It is this culmination
of experiences and the people that have mentored me that gives me the
confidence to do what I am about to describe in this article. I take pride in the things I do, and I am
looking forward to creating something new under a set of morals that I believe in,
and that will remain a sustainable business to support my family and my
community.
My take on
business is that it should be used to enhance some aspect of life, and if you
are fortunate to have a reach beyond the community that houses you, I believe
you have a moral obligation to take care of the people and community that
support you first and foremost.
So here my
project -
STEP 1 - 1 Year to Master Web Development Technology
My first job out of college is where I first had the idea
of building a full service marketing firm.
Not just a digital shop; But a home with a printing press, video and
audio studio, and of course, a digital shop.
So this is the first step in making this dream come true. My career has taught me what it means to
understand online, print, video, and audio marketing. But over the next year I will be studying and
self-teaching the tactical level elements of digital marketing.
I have scoured the internet in the past trying to find
advice and direction, and while it is out there, there is no easy path or open
source method for understanding step 1 to finish when it comes to setting up a
website. Therefore in conjunction with
my self-education I will be documenting the path I follow to hopefully guide
those that stumble onto this path behind me.
I do not currently have the resources or think it is a responsible
investment (at this time) to go back to school for a formal education. But
believe this path will at the very least give me the experience and
understanding to step out onto the playing field of entrepreneurial marketing.
STEP 2 - 1 year to establish sustainable business plan for full service marketing agency
Starting a business is not an easy thing to do, nor is it a fast thing to
do if done correctly. In January of
2014, I will set a goal to begin developing a sound business plan that is sustainable
for the long term. This includes
measures to gain investors, capital, and a base of employees. Again, I can’t stress enough the position
this will be created under. Things will
be done right, no short cuts taken, and it will be done transparently, as an
educational experience for small business owners to use as a reference.
Self-Education
The self-education
is by far the most detailed portion of this initiative because I frankly haven’t
thought further ahead than this. I will
basically be splitting my education into four “classes.” These classes are
aimed to make sure I know the technical skills, the design concepts, the
management aspects and that I am staying current with the current development
world. I think back to the multimedia classes I took in college, and over the
last 4 years, that technology doesn’t even exist anymore. So to me it is critical to get a real-time
comprehension of the market standards and issues. The class structure and goals
are as follows:
Language Arts
A class
oriented toward the specific languages and resources that will need to be
master to be successful in not only coding a web page but understanding the
best consultative approach for advising clients of all sizes what the best
approach is going to be for their given resources. This is a robust initiative
that involves not just understanding elements of web design, but also the
underlying languages of computer, server, and database programming.
Languages include:
Web Authoring - HTML, XHTML,
HTML5
Web Styling - CSS, CSS3
Web Interaction - JavaScript, Action
script
Server and Database Integration
- Ajax, PHP, MySQL, Perl, .net
Computer Programming - Java,
C++, Apache
Industry Resources
A class that
aims to grow awareness of active and healthy industry forums, business
supported products, and opportunities to network with current innovators in the
world of web development. This includes all aspects and related topics ranging
from graphic design and aesthetic to hosting and CMS platforms.
- Forums – sitepoint, stackoverflow, web developer, W3C, Designers Talk, Digital Point
- Graphics – Adobe Cloud
- Content Management Systems – The world of CMS is so great I will be identifying the key systems that appeal to me and actually setting up product demonstrations and trainings with them over the next year.
Administrative Skills
This class
breaks down the meat and potatoes of web development and optimization
practices. In this area, we explore
social media, search engine optimization, and debugging.
Search
Engine Optimization, Demographic optimization, Mobile Optimization, Cross
Browser Compatibility, Accessibility, Image and Media File Optimization, Legal and
copyright provisions, evaluation and measurement standards
Development Processes
Development
processes are ultimately the backbone to the birth of any website. This initiative will outline a way to
automate the customized creative necessities that go into building a
website. This means identifying client
needs, resources, and current processes; as well as, documentation and versioning
of the brainstorming process.
