Self Teaching Web Development

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.