For today’s blog, I reviewed two websites. Keeping in mind the tenants of chapter five, I've compared the two here to better discuss, by example, the contents of the chapter.
The first is Cracked.Com, America's number one humor column website found here at http://www.cracked.com/. Cracked.com recently reconstructed it's design layout from a more linear version (in which it's contents were listed top to bottom) to a more colorful side scrolling one. Under the new format the first thing one sees at the site is a collection of pictures both colorful and unusual which function as links to the articles. While the layout makes it easier for long time readers to find what they want without searching, it could become mildly confusing for first time patrons.
The color schemes are dynamic and don't wash away any text; the pictures are captivating and draw the reader in; and the titles of each article are put forward on the main page, each dripping with the sarcasm that the reader will either love or resent two seconds into the first column.
The website is primarily designed to promote its humor columns and videos. Unfortunately I have my add block program running at all times, but I believe that they receive a fair stream of advertisements biased on the popularity of their articles. As a media for selling their works the design layout definitely helps achieve their purpose. It can be assumed from the colors, context of their columns, and sometimes sexually or verbally explicit language that they intend to write for a younger audience, anywhere from early thirties to fourteen or fifteen year olds.
While the organization of the page certainly puts their product forward fast, their use of white space leaves something to be desired. The top five articles are crammed into the top of the page, and only after you scroll down do you see crisp and vital spacing between links. However, their clustered first section does make very good use of titles to clearly define which articles are which. And they use headers/titles exclusively on their first page. Links posted at the top of the page are clear, easy to understand, and make navigation easy. All in all, Cracked.Com is doing exactly what it set out to do, create an unorthodox setting that was clear and would be attractive to college aged readers.
In contrast, Giant in the Playground (found at www.giantitp.com) Is a website established for fans of the popular but stigmatized Dungeons and Dragons game. While the color scheme and text fonts of this site are appropriate that's pretty much where the endorsements stops.
Each page is dominated by text to the right of a very slim vertical bar full of links (not unlike the bar to the right of this blog you're reading now) The text is only titled by the date, in bold letters, before the page. This section is for the authors news, he discusses printing efforts; delays; and all manner of things dealing with a web-comic that is featured on the page. (More on that in a minute.)
Without headers or titles it becomes very unclear what information is relevant to the reader. And the purpose of the website has very little to do with it. For a very long time Giant in the Playground has featured a popular web-comic called the Order of the Stick, which caters to fans of the role playing game. This comic has won awards and actually been turned into a board game, and is the cash cow of giantitp. But to find it on the page you'd have to ignore the wall of text that the author posted, look to the left, and let your eyes fall two or three sections down to “Comics” where they will have listed “OOTS.”
I should note that half of the news articles deal with the production and availability of “OOTS” merchandise. The news most commonly offered are notes on shipping dates for books and when new prints will be available. All of which gets lost in the jumble of dates and prose. Now make no mistake, I understand that the website generates a fair amount of money in merchandise, but when evaluating the effectiveness of the page to reach that audience and persuade them to purchase... It is simply and plainly working against the sites interests.
These two humor based sites, both trying to appeal to a nitch interest on the internet, both fall on opposite sides of the scale when measuring the effectiveness of their design page. I hope this was informative rather than tedious. Thanks for reading.
(Also, Module 4's quick review tip, Is the last paragraph effective? Intentionally done to show you what not to do. You're welcome.)
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