Assembled: Website Research

Been doing some research into websites, mainly those which show design work whether it be their own agencies or other peoples, like a showcase/ hub. I thought I'd elaborate on some of the research I stumbled across and to note down some key points I noticed which bugged me about some of them, or perhaps some things which make these sort of websites unattractive.

Where is the menu bar?: I want to know where the menu bar is immediately, literally within half a second of looking on the screen. I don't want to have to run my cursor over a blob to reveal a menu in 6 pt script type. Make the task of the audience easy!

Pixelled images: This regards to a lot of the flash sites that I saw, and some of the CSS/ HTML built ones. It really puts the viewer off when images are all scruffy and painful to look at. If you're going to make them pixelated, make them REALLY pixellated so it looks like its done on purpose... if you've done it on purpose.

Poor Navigation: As I said before, its realy annoying not being able to locate the navigation bar enough as it is, so when I get there is it really any better than its difficult to use? Mouse over areas which are about 2 pixels squared over a large word so you have to literally find that tiny hot spot. Why???

Colours: Why use such horrible colours? And even more so, why use so many of them in one space? It's as if colours have just been invented and you've gone trigger happy with them. Don't. Be clever and considerate with them, my eyes are sensitive. The best sites stuck to either black on white or white on black, its traditional and boring yes, but you don't buy books with red on green pages do you?

Too much on one page: The beauty of a website is that it is on-screen based, you can essentially spread information out on a screen. So please, don't put everything on one page, graphic design websites that do this look really unprofessional and undisciplined. Unless the information you're displaying is really relevant such as the BBC, or YCN for example, there is no need to do so.

Negative Space: Is powerful, every Graphic Designer should know the power of negative space. Its relevant in print, so why not use it in such beautiful ways on-screen?

Flashing image: Are you trying to make me noxious? Get my attention if its relevant, don't just have flashing nu-rave jargon on your site because its "cool" or "contemporary".

What are you?: State, what your company or what this website is about on the first page so people know vaguely if not exactly what you're about. "Graphic Design Agency", "Creative network" or "Top Class Angling Tips".

Body text larger than Headings/ Menu titles: Sounds stupid doesn't it?

Animated text: Why would you use text like this, its like making me read at a pace you've decided on. Unless its for a purpose, don't do it. Its a poor and annoying aesthetic quality. Everybody hates a slow driver.

Gradient backgrounds: This is just a personal dislike of mine, I think it can be very nice, but when used on some of the websites that I found, it really bugged me. Gradients show weight, light to dark, separating sections on gradients is difficult, especially when dealing with text and can easily be done badly.

Look like what you're suppose to be Some of the agencies/ websites looked like they could've been mistaken for medical, dentistry or even estate agents. It makes no sense. Apparently Adrian Shaughnessy explained that the reason for some Graphic Designers looking so horrible is because they're designing for their clients, who rather not see the aesthetic nonsense of Graphic Design websites. Perhaps that is true to some extent but surely there is a healthy medium between the two worlds? Its not like designers read a different language to clients.

So here are some of the culprits I found (There are a lot more, I could go on forever)...

Discript.com
9thplanetdesign.co.uk
Edition.co.uk
Firedog-design.co.uk
Nha.co.uk
Liquid.co.uk
Typetechnique.co.uk
Sherrydesign.co.uk

(Sorry....)

Oh, and these are some pretty good websites I found.

theChurchOfLondon.com
nbstudio.co.uk
studiojuice.com
400.co.uk
Deletelondon
bostockandpollitt.com
iamhuman.co.uk/