[thelist] 24caratdesign.com critique (was: Swish... > Critiques)
sfmalo
sfmalo at msn.com
Sun Jul 15 19:46:50 CDT 2001
On 7/14/01 9:51pm, Jeff wrote:
> overall design and what i like about it:
Thank you for the 6 good points.
> overall design and problems i've got with it:
>
> 1) coming from a jewelry background, i've gotta
> ask if you intended to use the spelling of
> [c|k]arat that refers to weight as opposed
> to the one that refers to purity of gold.
> i'm guessing you intended purity of gold since
> you use the number 24 in conjunction with it.
Actually, when I decided on the domain name and checked out names,
24caratdesign was the only name combination available! I wanted 24K...
>
> 2) the logo doesn't rely standout from the rest of
> the site. the font choice is too comical/chicken-
> scratchy. the contrast against the dark red bar
> at the top is too low. parts of the logo almost
> disappear into it along with the byline underneath
> it.
I was after understatement; perhaps it became a whisper? I wonder if it
could have anything to do with my monitor which is 25dpi? I can read
everything fine from here at 1024x768. Mmmmmm. I happen to like the font;
obviously. that's why I chose it.
> 3) the title doesn't include the name of the site.
> if i bookmark your faq page the text associated with
> that bookmark will be "FAQs". that doesn't tell me
> much when i'm going through my bookmarks looking
> for a faq bookmark from the 24 carat design site.
Point well taken. Thanks.
>
> 4) i'm not hot on the yellow "glow/shadow" on the
> navigation.
>
> 5) the javascript for the rollovers could be tightened up.
Don't understand "tightened up". In the remote file or in the <a
href>'s?
>
> 6) i'm not sure i see the point of the click image swap
> on the navigation. i don't even see it happen before
> the page changes.
The click image swap displays the black and gold pointers surrounding
the page link you're viewing. Just another visual to let someone know where
they are.
>
> 7) the bottom of each page is inconsistent across the site.
> some pages have a banner, others have a applet news
> scroller, still others have contact information.
Not exactly true. Out of the 8 pages, 6 have identical info at the
bottom of each page (email info and text nav links). You're right about the
7th which has the applet news ticker in between (which I can reposition) and
the 8th, the Home page where I should bring down the email info to sit just
above the text nav links. Thanks. Appreciate.
>
> 8) don't dig the border on the table for the terms on the
> "glossary/definitions" page. same with the pricing page.
What's wrong with it?
> 9) member of the html writers guild? not something i'd
> advertise.
Why not? Something wrong about belonging to the Guild?
> 10) certified web designer? certified flash animator?
> certified by who? if you're going to claim certification
> then you should provide documentation somewhere about
> who the certification is from and who to contact to verify
> it.
Before I revised my site, I had a Certification page with pix of each
certification big enough to read. But, on the advice of some I removed it.
What do you think of making those certifications popup windows displaying
either a PDF file or the blown-up version of each??? The info on each is
self-explanatory as to date of certification, where certified, etc.
> 11) you've got a domain name, but you're using your msn mail
> account for contact throughout the site. i'd at least
> set up an alias from your domain.
Yes, I know I should. Have resisted doing so. I know, a quirk.
>
> 12) value meal site development doesn't meet business needs.
> small clients may not realize this, but larger clients
> will. if you wanna go after the big boys, lost the pricing
> page altogether. develop an overall hourly you're willing
> to work for (something that meets your bottom-line and is
> marketable in your area) and learn how to estimate development
> time on a site by site basis.
Don't understand "value meal site development doesn't meet business
needs."
The Pricing page is staying put. I have a partner in another business
venture and we plan to have links to that page for a reason. Custom plans
are based on an overall hourly and, by now, I have learned to guestimate how
long it takes me to create a "basic" page, create logos, etc.
>
> 13) on the homepage -- i despise status bar scrollers. not only
> are they exceedingly annoying, but it obscures the destination
> of the links on the page -- a classic usability and
> accessibility no-no.
Oh, my. Well, I'll take care of that.
>
> 14) what's going to happen when a browser that doesn't support
> external javascript files hits your page and the user mouses
> over your navigation? wham-o, big fat javascript error and then
> another one when they mouse out of the navigation to click the
> ok button on the error. give this a read:
>
> http://evolt.org/article/thelist/17/9054/
Didn't realize there's a problem. I'll read the article. Maybe I left
something out. This is PPK's script.
>
> if you want to throw out my observations, that's ok. at least do yourself
a
> favor and read them with an open mind. i didn't say anything out of
malice.
> you asked for input and i made note of what i saw -- simple as that.
And, that's how I've taken it. Really appreciate your attitude and the
time you took to critique the site.
> good luck,
>
> .jeff
You too.
Sharon
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sharon F. Malone
"web design and Internet writing services"
http://www.24caratdesign.com
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