Task 4C - 1 10 July 2008

The Question
Using your web browser, locate sites that you think represent some of the content problems that were identified in this lesson. Share your findings with the class, and discuss the questions below.

1) What sort of problem is evident?

2) From the perspective of a customer or user, what is the negative impact of the problem?

3) What could be done to improve the site?


The Answers

www.gamequarium.com
Negative Aspects
Text too small
Text color wrong
Background over powers the page

Solution
Make the background less busy
Enlarge the font
Choose a better color

www.manducatis.com
Negative Aspects
Images sliced wrong
No CSS used
Images load forever
To test anywhere
Difficulty getting in the site

Solution
Rather use well sliced images
Make sections with text not text images
Make a clear sign where to click to enter the site.

www.qssis.com
Negative Aspects
Background music NOOOOOOOOO!!
1980’s design
Loads way too slow
iFrames don’t work!

Solution
NEVER use full music tracks on a website!
Use CSS to site look alive.
Try not to use frames within a page, it’s too confusing and not very functional. Rather create a header section that stays at the top of the page if need be.

www.phpart.co.za
www.busstech.com

Firstly, some comments on the sites discussed in phpart's posting above: I have to agree that the Manducatis site takes hopelessly too long to load. In fact, by the time the page appears the user/customer has lost interest. Thsi might be a case of designing a site using complicated templates... As for the Qssis site, there is one good feature and that is to give the user an option of a hi or low bandwidth site. The hi bandwidth option is indeed too much (of a bad thing) as mention in the post above, wheras the low bandwidth site is more user-friendly if a little old fashioned.


At the risk of being rude, I would like to discuss the Internet and Web Design site

1. Internet and Web Design website

2. Problems:

The site seems too cluttered and full of bits and pieces, without a clear hierarchical structure to distinguish between what is most important and what is supporting info. The text is too small and it's not clear which part is the main text as almost all the text is the same size. The logo looks ill-designed and cluttered with different ideas simply superimposed on top of one another with bits of small text visible in the background, although not readable.

3. Negative impact:

The use of small text makes this webpage difficult to read (but maybe that's just due to my bad eyesight). It is not easy to find relevant info as the page is not clearly structured and divided into introduction/summary, sections, and sub-sections, if need be. The menus at the top and side of the webpage are confusing as some items are duplicated whereas others are not - it's unclear (to me that is) what the function of the top menu is, as opposed to that of the side menu.

4. Possible improvements:

The content (in particular the text) could be re-organized and structured. Larger text might be helpful, particularly for the introduction. Supporting info, such as course software, could possibly be delegated to a submenu, thus making the page less cluttered. The colour scheme could be revisited to distinguish between buttons and background of text. The logo could be redesigned to make it more attractive and less cluttered. Lastly, the menus could be cleaned up.

hi Geromont

I hope you are also voluntering to fix the I+WD website - as you noticed it has not had a major update since 2002... I nowadays only update the content on the site...

TvD

Hi TvD

I would also be interested in giveing a hand with the website. Please let me know if what I can do to help.

PS: I'm an already established html designer (Just getting some paperwork behind my skills) and I love working with php applications like (Joomla and Wordpress)

Check out my desiging company BussTech to see my profile and previous work.

www.phpart.co.za
www.busstech.com

ok thanks phpart - I browsed around you company site and the work that you have done looks very good. You should maybe make contact with our local php fundi which is Mac vd Merwe (@#$%&) he also presents the php/mysql certificate course.

Yes thanks for the offer - do you want to do this as as your web project?

I think I want to also offer this as a general assignment3 topic that is open to everyone

It will then need 3 pages at least - main, detailed description, registration and costs details

Students must use the current software and prescribed book but can use any descriptive contaent that they wish to.

Hha-ha, thought I'd get a reaction... Yes, it would be interesting to have it as an Assignment 3 topic to compare with design by other students.

ok let me know by about end of September if you are going to do the I+WD website as your topic (anyone else reading this the same holds for you) for assignment 3...
and thank you very much in advance...

Count't me in...

I'll love to get involved with a project like this. I'm also in!

www.phpart.co.za
www.busstech.com

Task 4C-1

1.) Bad Sites:

http://www.tallyhouniforms.com/

http://web.archive.org/web/20060613061524/http://moire.ch/

http://www.thecreationmuseum.org/

2.) Evident problems and negative impacts for customers

The use of conflicting colors is overwhelming, especially when the mouse is moved over each link, the page's background color changes to colors that are in total contrast to each other. (http://web.archive.org/web/20060613061524/http://moire.ch/)

When the mouse is moved a set of eye balls follows the mouse pointer which can be irritating. (http://www.tallyhouniforms.com/)

The color schemes of the headings are childish and not professional enough, while the use of font editing is not evident. (http://www.tallyhouniforms.com/)

The fact that the captions or sub headings of this site have a black background that is even visible when it crosses the page's background makes it look just as childish and unprofessional. (http://www.thecreationmuseum.org/)

4.) Suggested improvements.

All these sites need to be overhauled in the design, use of color, font editing and the application of the theory of "less is more". The sites are cluttered and seem very childish for the issues and products that they are selling of representing. The site http://www.thecreationmuseum.org/ is a site that represents a social/religious/scientific issue, a serious one at that, and somehow the use of color and chose of background pictures is sad. Colors that are around the same spectrum must be used. Font needs to be edited so they seem alive rather than just pasted on. And irritating features like the use of eye balls as a mouse pointer needs to be dropped.

ok everone else (apart from the two who already said they want to do it), that wants to do this as a topic remind me that you are doing it middle September or so
TvD