TABLE OF CONTENTS Many software systems today operate across the internet, allowing users to access the system from any internet-connected computer with a browser, anywhere in the world. Examples include online banking, travel agents, online shopping, even online voting [1]. These systems are more than just software, their visual presentation and information content aspects are often just as important as their capabilities to respond to user requests. Hence the development of an internet system must involve the integration of three forms of development:
Development of the software which receives information from the user (the client in the internet interaction), processes information (usually on the server side of the interaction, where the databases and other critical resources of the system reside), and returns information to the client.
Development of the visual appearances and behaviour of the web pages interfacing to the client, eg, by using animation software such as Flash (http://www.macromedia.com).
Deciding on the information content of web pages, the choice of words to use, what information to emphasise, etc.
Different systems require different combinations of these aspects. Development of a university website will mostly involve work on the second and third aspects, for example, focusing on informing readers about the university, in a visually appealing and interesting manner, whereas an online banking system will need to support accountholder operations such as fund transfers and electronic payments, etc.
The three aspects are nevertheless interrelated. Bad programming impacts on the visual/behavioural design of a system, and vice-versa.
