Blog Topic #8: Web Critique and Analysis

I looked at several of the websites and here are some that I took note of...

lunabar.com....well, I love Luna Bars, so I had to check the website to see how it worked for me. The site is bright and lively and, I think, as far as design goes -- does a good job of reflecting its target audience. Reflects an active, lively lifestyle -- kind of feminine, which is appropriate since the product is supposed to be for women (though my husband does like the Lemon Zest variety). So...colors are great, easy and fun to look at.

Navigation is simple with just a few drop-down menus. Good use of animation - it makes sense the way they use it in the background. Some of the other animation on the site takes a while to load (maybe it's my computer) so for that reason, I would say it's superfluous and could be dumped.

Visually, the site is very appealing. As far as content...let's just dump the kitchen sink in there. too. Just more info than probably most of their audience cares about.

All-in-all -- aside from the TMI, I would give the site a "10." I just like the easy navigation, the simple format, the great audience targeting...


NEXT on my list...
Hirshhorn.si.edu
Welllll.....I do like museums and galleries. The site gets the job done...but it's a little staid, I guess. I don't feel a desire to browse around the site. The colors are very subdued and the typefont is...well maybe it's the leading that's the problem. I think it needs more air. Grid structure lends to the....zzzzzz...oh, yeah.

The navigation is very good. Easy to get from one page to the next -- seven drop-down menus. As I'm looking at it though...I just don't feel compelled to get into the site. It's just soooo...quiet (visually speaking)!! I think that, considering the site is about art, it could be a lot more inviting.

I ALSO LOOKED AT...groundsforchange.com
The first time I looked at the site, I loved it. Liked the color and graphics; good content and navigation, too. Then the SECOND time I looked at it...I spent more time and decided the navigation isn't as easy as I had first thought. Or not so straightforward. There were times I felt that I had to THINK too much to figure out how to get back to a particular page. There are main topic buttons across the top of the page and when you click one of them, you don't get a drop-down...you get a separate menu list down the left side of the page, sort of disconnected from that original button.

Seems to be that the main purpose for the site is to sell the products -- so it's good that when you log onto the website, the home page shows products and pictures. You are right in the middle of a coffee store. I was not much interested in the "learn" and "communities" sections of the site. Bla, bla, bla. Too much info for me.

Ordering from the site seems pretty easy. Just click, click, click and you've got coffee delivered to your door.

ONE MORE...chipotle.com
I don't even know what to say! Animation and graphics and sound effects. Overload for me. It's a cute site. I wonder if the designer would want to hear that? For the most part, this site is like....well, it's like the artist was having a lot of fun, but not necessarily keeping the audience in mind. Seems like the artist was just putting in every little trick he could think of. You'd have to spend half an hour to get around the site and half the stuff on it -- who cares??? There's a section on dogs with a slide show of 36 cute dogs -- employees' pets, I assume. There's another page called "pen tapping." There's a hand holding a pen and it's tapping. That's it. I just can't look anymore. Navigation...the menu that appears only when you roll over the logo is clever and annoying at the same time. There is a lot of info that has nothing to do with the restaurants or food. Too much content for my taste (ha!). The navigation, again...just too much work. And there's one button labeled "FWI." I don't even know what that means!

It's really a fun site. But what's the point??

OHHH!!! I guess I didn't compare and contrast any of those sites. I'll get back to you on that. :-)

Blog topic #5: What is Usability?

Usability -- I think the key is making sure that a website appeals to the user. You can have all kinds of gadgets and sounds and animations...but are these things going to help or hinder the user. Usability factors differently into each individual website. Who are you trying to reach? If you are trying to reach/communicate with/get results from busy professionals -- better make the navigation of your site as straightforward as possible. Don't load up with a lot of distraction that is more bothersome than helpful. On the other hand...you may be trying to reach an audience that spends a lot of time surfing the web. Gamers, for instance. This audience is exposed to a lot more tricks and flash as they surf -- you're probably going to have to provide a lot of sensory input for them! What you do with your site and planning usability depends so much on who you're trying to reach -- so spend some time getting to know who you're trying to reach on the web. Too much or too little -- you can sink your own ship if you don't pay attention to who you're talking to !

Blog Topic #2: Can I get a resource?

Here is one site that I've used a bit... http://javascript.internet.com/

It has a lot of javascript code that you can copy and paste into your own websites for free. The construction of the site itself is not done the way I would do it. I think the navigation is pretty poor and visually just too busy. BUT it does have a lot of good, usable code!

my new blog

Hi! This is my first blog entry. Kind of fun to be able to just chat like this....