[thelist] Critque request: www.compulink-software.com

Andrew Jones aijones at northcoast.com
Tue Oct 10 12:42:23 CDT 2000


> http://www.compulink-software.com
> Any suggestions appreciated.

> http://www.compulink-software.com
> Any suggestions appreciated.

  I would drop the use of icon/photo/symbol/diagram buttons here. 

  Symbols have a time and a place, but this is not it. Symbols, for example, 
work on roadways because they are part of a pervasive, established system. I 
don't have to read the word "stop" on a stop sign because the red octagon 
already conveys meaning. Why? Because when I travel from region to region (at 
least in the U.S.) these symbols are used consistently.

  Symbols on web sites are tricky because most of the time there is no 
consistency. Per Jakob's rule, "users spend most of their time on other web 
sites." e.g., are you so important to your user's world that they will learn 
your symbol identification system? Here's a quick look at some of the photo 
buttons on your site, and what I think of when I see them.

 1. CD: Music (not "downloads")
 2. Hands shaking: friendship, greetings, or race relations (not "about us.")
 3. Calculator: mathematical computations or an analysis of a complex situation 
(not "resources")
 4. Computer Monitor: Umm, a computer monitor. (Not "products," unless your 
product is a computer monitor).
 5. Doctor looking at a woman's ear (or eye, I cannot tell): medical 
information (not "FAQ")

  The other photos are likewise generic and do not convey the intended meaning 
to me.  I'm not even sure what is in the "what's new" photo.
 
  I suggest going with text-only buttons and working at making them more 
attractive. My thing with icons is that user time spent confused or otherwise 
delayed by the icons is wasted time. But suppose the icons look stunning and 
are on-topic. Well, should the user be spending his time admiring your icons, 
or admiring your product? Where do you want the user's attention focussed? That 
answer will drive your decision on what portions of the page should be 
graphical vs. text.

  Also, go with a fluid layout so I don't have to widen my browser to view the 
site. Us higher-rez folks usually browse at less-than-full screen. We may be at 
an 832 pixel width, or 725, or 598 or whatever width we happen to prefer for 
readability.





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