[spatterson]

I have just completed some preliminary work on my last project for my GRC 275 class, and am requesting your input. Your comments will be tabulated and turned in with all the required preliminary work.

Please take a few moments to look over the site. Be honest with you impressions and tell me what your gut tells you. I am looking for honest opinions and comments. Some things to consider... is this site effective? Is the site easy to use? Does the site communicate effectively to its target audience? Is the site visually pleasing? With those things in mind, enjoy the new site, and remember that its just a "prototype" site. Its not a full functioning site and only contains the "main" pages. There are no sub pages to view, so if you find yourself clicking on links that do not work, that is why. Enjoy and thanks!

http://grc275.scottpatterson.us/project_3/

[Railroader]

Good layout, but the flourescent green is tacky. A "greyer", or more subdued green would have looked nicer. I understand the whole"iPod commercial" color connection, but do you really want to impliment someone else's marketing sceme as your own?

I give the site a 8 out of a possible 10.

[Dark Helmet]

Lose the sound effects. My cats hate em also

[Kr0nos]

Lose the "frames", the sound and the Flash animation.

It's nice and has a smooth look and feel, but it's just a bit superflous. I like the colors and the general layout of the page, but if the browser window is too small to show the navigational frame, there is no scroll-bar, which is a bit annoying.

Another thing that would be nice, is if you "mouse over" the squares on the top, the large pic changes (right now, you have to klick). What purpose does this serve anyway?

Overall nice looking site though.

[Dark Helmet]

You shouldn't have the navigation at the bottom like that. If someone has a smaller screen they won't even see it unless they scroll.

Also the design is rather typical for flash portfolios.

[kiskynet]

Like the look, clean, professional, it all works....

but...

1. Loose the frames there not actually doing anything and are generally considered a bad thing.

2. Dump Flash for anything other than media playback, games or animation. Don't use it for a site menu. You could look at an alternative way of doing a drop down menu using CSS. Check out www.alistapart.com you'll be amazed what you can do. Indeed go the whole hog try and get rid of every table you can and do everything in CSS.

3. Make text links look visually different from none linked text ie : 'Your Home > page 1 > page 2' are visually the same as the '© 2005...' text. Visual clues like different colors for links help users get around your page.

[SuvsareRetarded]

Uh.... I can't read french. 0/10.

[SuvsareRetarded]

Also, yeah, lose the sounds, and make the menus fade in and fade out much more quickly, right now they take way too long. Too dramatic. Faster! I HAVE ADD DAMMIT! MORE NOW!

[spatterson]

One thing for the frame is that music will be playing... so if you select a new option, and it points to the top most frame, the music is still playing. If there was no frame, the whole flash load sequence would begin over and the music interrupted.

The reason for the flash menu is because it was a deal between the instructor and I, that if I could do a certain amount of technical stuff in flash then I can skip the beginning class and move on to the advanced flash class for next semester. Sorry guys, no fun css menus...

One exciting thing, and I know its superfluous, but a video will be playing in the background of the flash menu... also a lot of fun graphics will be added to it will be playful and also show off my technical ability. I don't want to take the beginner flash class... its a waste of my time.

As for the green in the top most frame, well that's part of my portfolio, it was a class project, so it, like every other section of the portfolio is going to clash with the colours somehow... thus the reason I chose grey and a hint of red.

Thanks for your guys' input, keep it coming!

[Kr0nos]

Originally Posted by spatterson

... also a lot of fun graphics will be added to it will be playful and also show off my technical ability.

Sadly, this usually goes against "target audience" oriented design.

If the site is just to show off your "1337" skills in order to skip Flash 101, then do whatever you have to.

But when it comes to target groups, your "abilities" (should) take a back seat vis-a-vis "usability", functionality and target audience requirements.

KISS

[spatterson]

Originally Posted by Kr0nos

Sadly, this usually goes against "target audience" oriented design.

If the site is just to show off your "1337" skills in order to skip Flash 101, then do whatever you have to.

But when it comes to target groups, your "abilities" (should) take a back seat vis-a-vis "usability", functionality and target audience requirements.

KISS

It does, but this site will be temporary until next semester's final project, where I build a portfolio in flash... then I can really focus on my target audience... i.e. design firms, and companies needing freelance work.

[RAILhead]

NO SOUND!

I don't like the Big Head staring at me.

Menu fades are passé in my opinion, so I'd drop them like a bad habit. If not, they're WAAAAAAY too slow.

MainMenu. What's that supposed to mean? Why one word? Etc.

Navigation should be at the top, not the bottom.

If clicking an icon changes the big image, it should stay changed and not revert when I mouse out. It's very annoying that it does so.

Copyright stuff should be at the very bottom.

Lose the Big Face thingie, it's really creeping me out.

[BlueSky]

I'm not a fan of Flash, but I sure do like those clicky button sounds.

I think "Case Study" over and over etc. is a bit dry. I'd rather see a descriptive word or two to maybe grab my interest. (EDIT: This may have been a very stupid remark. I'm glad no one's paying attention.)

And get rid of the big head, you're freaking Railhead out.

[spatterson]

Big head will be replaced with video and other non distrating graphics... LMAO

[MM-o4]

everything is to big. the photo at the bottom creeps me out.

MM

[spatterson]

Ok, the photo will be gone... again it will be replaced by random video, so don't worry.

Saying everything is too big is too broad of a statement, please give more info...

Here are the changes allready made... (CHANGES ARE NOT POSTED)

1. Menu is twice as fast now
2. Menu Rectangles Lined Up

Here are the changes that will take place in the next two weeks...

1. Possible colour changes
2. Random Video and effects added
3. Sound Control Added
4. All sounds removed from buttons (minus rollover)
5. Flash Nav moved to top of page
6. BIG HEAD GONE
7. And "greek text" removed and replaced with proper copy

(plus much more)

For those of you that think that text is French or German, its not... its called Greek text, or filler text. Its only used to simulate copy for a project. Its not intended to be read.

[spatterson]

Originally Posted by BlueSky

I'm not a fan of Flash, but I sure do like those clicky button sounds.

I think "Case Study" over and over etc. is a bit dry. I'd rather see a descriptive word or two to maybe grab my interest. (EDIT: This may have been a very stupid remark. I'm glad no one's paying attention.)

And get rid of the big head, you're freaking Railhead out.

That was also a class recommendations... more specific links

[spatterson]

Revisions Made

http://grc275.scottpatterson.us/project_3/

Check it out! Thanks!

[Athens]

frames suck, and the menu bar that comes on the bottom frame offsets the center so it no longer matchs the top, otherwise I like the design.