Tour and Quizzes #2

Chapter 5

Find a large, industrial-strength site (Toyota, Apple, Adobe, ATT). There is often a button for the “index” or “site map” Take a look at the index. Do you think this company would have made that many pages in full-color print? Would you ever own or want to own all those printed pages? 

Of course not, is too many to print and most people will not be interested in most of them to make it worth the money to print them.  If I had a brochure that was this long,  I wouldn’t carry it with me

Do you find sites that put too much information on one page? Do you find pages that could easily be broken down into several topics, each with its own page?

        http://www.diet-i.com/  Each topic on this page (dieting, diet review, special diets) could be a link to its own page.

http://teachers.northallegheny.org/jschaefers/main.htm

Do you find pages that are too broken up, pages where you would rather not have to click another time and wait for another page to load to get to the information? Do you find pages where there is only one short paragraph and wonder why the designer made you jump? Or pages with one large photo and no caption or buttons or other reason to be there?  Making lots of pages is cheap, yes, but make sure each page is important enough to make it worth someone's while to get there.

Find a site, like www.weather.com, that is updated every few minutes. How useful would a weather site be if it could only be updated every three months?

When you come across a form that the designer wants you to print, fill out, then mail or fax in, do you respond as quickly as you might if the form had a Submit button?

It is sooo much easier, since you are already on the computer, to respond through an e-mail or submit button. 

Chapter 5 quiz-

1.      Your corporation has an annual report that must get to every one of its stockholders.

Web-  It is easy to update information on the web on a daily basis,  not so easy in print media

2.      You're a graphic artist and you want to relocate from a small town to a big city. You can print up four-color brochures to send to all the ad agencies and studios, or you can put part of your portfolio in the mail, or you can send every agency and studio your web address.

Print-  You want put your information into the hands of those people you would like to work for.  If you send them your e-mail address, who knows if they will bother to take the time to go to your site or e-mail you back.  I would sent the print material and include your e-mail address or addresses to sites you have done on the print material.

3.      You're a small software company and every few months you have updates to your software. You need to notify existing customers and find a way to get them the updates.

Web-  a web site can be changed in a patter of minutes and re-uplodaed to the server at no cost.  The new software could be included in a what’s new link on the web site.

4.      You have valuable information that your clients pay a lot of money for. But the information changes regularly—sometimes as often as weekly.

Print-  If your clients are going to pay you for the new information, why give it away for free??

5.      You're a teacher/businessperson and you have a great collection of small booklets that are extremely useful for your students/clients. You know the rest of the world would like the information, but publishers complain the booklets are too small and don't want to deal with them. Because your readers' responses have been very strong, you are willing to publish the booklets yourself.

Web-  It will cost allot let to publish the booklets as web pages than to publish many print booklets.

6.      Your sweetheart has decided it is time for the world to recognize the phenomenal breadth of your artistic talent. She wants to compile a high-quality collection of your life's work.

Web-  The color possibilities of the web are much greater than those of print.  Also, must less costly than print.  On the other hand, down load times may keep people from looking at your works, so print may be better.

Chapter 7- Self Guided Tour

• Do you instantly understand what the web site is about or what it's for?
• Do you know what to do when you get there?
• Are the links clear about where they will take you?
• Can you easily find your way back to the home page or to other sections?
• At least on the home page, does the entire page fit inside your window so you don't miss anything, so you don't have to scroll, so you see the entire design of the site in one screen?
• Is the text easy to read? Are the graphics easy to understand?
• Does the page make you nervous by having too many links on it?
• Or too many graphics?
• Or too many moving parts that don't stop?
• On a large site, is there a site map that lets you see the structure of the entire site and find the page you want without having to search through every link? Start a collection of the various sorts of site maps you find.
• Turn the graphics off. Can you still get around?
• Do the graphics complement the content and navigation by establishing an appropriate personality for the site? Or is the site personality-challenged?
• Does something about the site catch your attention and tempt you to explore further? Or after one glance do you think, “I wish I were doing something more interesting, like watching a 200 -megabyte file download.”
• Does the page look junky? If so, is it because of thoughtless design or because the site is getting filthy rich from all the advertising placed on it? (Under the right circumstances—like watching a 200 -megabyte file download.”
• Does the page look junky? If so, is it because of thoughtless design or because the site is getting filthy rich from all the advertising placed on it? (Under the right circumstances—like offering you piles of money— you may be able to design around junk.)
• Can you find a site that breaks the “rules” in one way or another, yet still manages to keep your interest, entices you to wander around, provides clear direction, etc.? Spend some time at this site and try to put into words how it breaks the “rules” yet creates a great interface and clear navigation.

Chapter 7 quiz

Of the two examples below, which one instantly strikes you with a visual impression as having a better interface and navigation?

The second example (bottom)seems to have better interface and navigation.

Why is that?

    In Example A, the navigation buttons run off the bottom of the page.  In Example B, all the links can be viewed at one time.  And the separate frame is used off to the left so that the links stay visible at all times. 

In example A, it is not clear what information you will find once you click on the link.  In example B, each link has a one word description of what information you may find once you click on that link.

In example A, you don’t want to waste your time browsing around because they come right out and tell you that the site is not complete. 

In example B, word links are provided in case the images are taking a while to load of someone has the graphics turned off.

In Example A, two navigation buttons are given for the same link.  This could be confusing if you are not reading the print below the link.  You will end up at the same place from two different links

What is going on in both of these pages that gives you your instant impressions?

Example A seems unfinished and confusing.  The links are too large and run off the bottom of the page.  In example B, everything looks neat, orderly and simple.  The graphics look nice and it seems clear what to click on to get the information you may need.  Example B seems more professional

Put into words the problems with one and the solutions of the other, specifically in regard to the interface and navigation. Add other comments, if you wish.

    In Example A, the navigation buttons run off the bottom of the page.  In Example B, all the links can be viewed at one time.  And the separate frame is used off to the left so that the links stay visible at all times. 

In example A, it is not clear what information you will find once you click on the link.  In example B, each link has a one word description of what information you may find once you click on that link.

In example A, you don’t want to waste your time browsing around because they come right out and tell you that the site is not complete. 

In example B, word links are provided in case the images are taking a while to load of someone has the graphics turned off.

In Example A, two navigation buttons are given for the same link.  This could be confusing if you are not reading the print below the link.  You will end up at the same place from two different links