Hi there all, I've spent the last 4 days putting this presentation of our team together.
This is sort of one part of a "complete-team-with-a-businessidea-seeks-employer" kind of pitch that we are doing at the moment. so it's not a company site.
It's all in swedish (sorry) which makes it ready for a test on whether a user understand it enough to use it.
From: Happy Hunting Grounds... Insane since: Mar 2001
posted 05-30-2002 15:25
What I like - the nav DHTML info blocks are great...I really like the idea...and the navigation is pretty easy, and makes sense. Also, the information seems to be well organized and easy to find (though I can't actually read it).
What I don't like - the text headlines...look jaggy, and don't really 'speak' to me...I would change that to something a bit more 'round'
The choice of colors is really annoying...I don't like muave (or is that lila? I don't care, I hate it!). Also, using black for the nav pieces seems...overdone...those black pieces really dominate the page (which, I guess, they're supposed to...), however, they are very ugly. A color change here would do wonders...
So as a prospective Firm, after seeing this, I would come to these conclusions: solid design skills, good coding capabilities (can't actually judge the the information...because I can't read it...maybe also putting it in english...would show language flexibility...), questions on the color choice and text...but most importantly...questions on Graphic Design. From the small amount of graphics used on the site, one would think that they would be 'an eye-opener'...but they are not. This would tend to get me thinking hmmm...poor graphic skills...
[This message has been edited by WebShaman (edited 05-30-2002).]
I guess you need to be able to read it to see why the "blocks" look the way they do
That particular page presents the team based on a project process, each block/arrow represents one phase in the process, each submenu on each block represents the skills we can offer in that phase, as you click one item in the menu, you get info on how we view the important parts in that step, one step more and you introduce the individuals view/skill in that step of the process.
I don't know if you've worked with process charts in business meetings, but these kind of graphics are a fairly standardized way of visualising process steps.
As a sidenote, the blocks are not black, they are #42425A a dark blue/grey with a dropshadow, all colors on the page are based on different shades of blue and grey.
That's choosen to give a clean business-like feeling. I agree that the main bg-color might be borderline lila/very light purple. I'll do some tests on other colors there.
The headlines are just regular Tahoma font at this point, as the group are in agreement on all texts and headings this might change into graphics, as they are now, it's "blocky", I know.
As for ??? on Graphic Design.
Ok, I hear you, but this site isn't about presenting that, it's the content that should matter. Full personal CV's with all the bells 'n whistles will be reached on the contact page.
However, if someone get's that impression it's not good, on that you are absolutley correct.
I'll discuss it with the ppl around.
Info in english, well yes. As time permits which it doesn't at the moment .
Thanx again
/Dan
{cell 260}
-{ a vibration is a movement that doesn't know which way to go }-
DmS: It looks good - I like the stark minimalist look, Some quick points and then I'll add further things as they come to me:
1. That header needs to be smaller.
2. The background box would look better (pos.) if its left and right sides were also a dark border.
3. The contrast between the project page and the other pages needs to be addressed - its different design made me think I'd gone to an older version of your design or a different section (you at least need the content box back). And the navigation at the top is unwise.
4. Have room on the site for everyone's CVs and keep the format the same as the main pages (I suspect this is on the cards).
5. It possibly looks a little too plain and some light graphical touches might just spice the page up - I might go for some very transparent squares aligned bottom right of the body and similar ones in a slightly different colour in the content area as a counterpoint.
6. Possibly used something like dotted lines to provide visual breaks on the page (like above the naviagtion in the footer and between each person on the contact page).
7. Some kind of logo would work well.
Anyway good work - it looks good and works well and there is a lot of potential in that design.
DocOzone
Maniac (V) Lord Mad Scientist Sovereign of all the lands Ozone and just beyond that little green line over there...
From: Stockholm, Sweden Insane since: Mar 1994
posted 05-31-2002 11:52
Hi Dan! One minor point I'd change, and that's the right-left margins. The content box that floats over the horizontal bar would look better to me if it had a bit more "air" on either side, it fills the page too much right now IMHO. I'd also consider forcing it to have a minimum height, so the bottom would always cover the bottom of the horizontal bar. I'd also consider putting a filler at the bottom of that square, so that when you *do* eed to scroll it doesn't just end at the bottom of the browser, it needs space under it also. That's it, good team you've got there, seems to me!
DmS: Good quick turn around - I notice that the .tk is no popping up and ad (already!!). Anyway thoughts:
1. I really like that logo and it works really well there just a couple of thoughts - there appears to be a slight white halo on the lefthand side of the foot of the T - actually now I look the antialiasing is similar where it crosses the black line. I'm not sure if there is a fix (although the PS gurus will know) although when the design is finalised it might be possible to get in and touch up those areas. It also appears about 1px too high - looking at the foot of the T again it doesn't curve down flush with the black line (there looks to be a small step).
2. I like the way you've followed up on the Doc's suggestion and got more air left and right but there appears to me more on the left than the right which makes things look a little unbalanced.
3. Also I like the extending of the box downwards but it might be a good idea to have the navigation fall at the bottom of the box and I would add copyright notices in there too.
4. I said I thought that background box might look better closed but it is growing on me as it is.
5. You might want to change the scrollbar colours to match the colour scheme (esp. if you are using overflow auto as on the erbjudanden page). I like the way the contents scroll under the logo - nice touch.
6. I like the change in the buttons on the presentation page - they fit much better with the look but the buttons and the logo are over some text and it looks a little messy.
Overall - much better I'm liking it a lot now (esp. the logo). I still think the presentation page needs bringing into line with the rest of the design and I have a few more niggles but it is coming along very nicely - good work.
From: Happy Hunting Grounds... Insane since: Mar 2001
posted 05-31-2002 14:30
Yeap, much better...(even though I still don't like the mauve...)...only thing I can say...the main text...it still looks 'chunky' (that next to the logo)...and I think I know why - the black of the text is clashing too much with the mauve color in the background...it stands in too much contrast and so looks 'chunky' whereas a different BG color might solve that...
Other than that, I really think it's starting to come together...
Scrollbar + Heading font changed, looks better? Yes!
Logo down 2 px, now I see the halo, will fix.
Copyright + nav placement left, no time right now...
"but the buttons and the logo are over some text and it looks a little messy."
Where, why, what???
In what browser? Can you show me?
B back later/Thanx/Dan
{cell 260}
-{ a vibration is a movement that doesn't know which way to go }-
DocOzone
Maniac (V) Lord Mad Scientist Sovereign of all the lands Ozone and just beyond that little green line over there...
From: Stockholm, Sweden Insane since: Mar 1994
posted 05-31-2002 16:36
OK, one more thought from me. The navigation shouldn't be inside that iframe, instead there should be another cell under it, completing the box around the whole thing, and the navigation should live there, always visible when the 'box' is displayed.
The box, it should extend down just a bit more? It'll feel more balanced then.
Hmm, I really don't like that the navigation jumps to the top when you view the projektprocessen link, that just bothers me, I want my navigation in the same place!
The logo, it should bring you back to the entry if clicked.
Hmm, what's up with the image of the arrows in the the process page? If you look at the bottom line on the arrows, it's not perfectly horizontal, so we get this little anti-aliased bit hanging out from under the left side of each arrow, it looks sloppy.
The process page again, when you enter it, I wonder how many of your clients will realize to click them. I'd be willing to bet that many of them will assume it's a graphic and never click the links. Mayeb after that page loads, an onload event could swoop in one 'entry' box, that says something like "click the arrows!" :-)
Hmm, when you close the box under the arrows, I see a 1px line of the linkbox shows above the arrow before it hides itself.
2. The Doc mentioned something that I was meaning to say and that is about taking the navigation out of the scrolling box.
3. On your project page the logo overlaps a word like Fr....
and the buttons sit on top of some text - I copied and pasted it out and although it looks like a couple of lines I suspect it is the DHTML box contents showing.
I suspect that explains the first instance as well - I can upload a screenshot if you want but wait and see what other people say as a few things I've said don't seem to be backed up by anyone else (I'm also not seeing the special characters on your page or any other) so I'm leaning towards the possibility that IE6 is playing up. I can do the screenshot anyway if you want.
4. I'd still prefer it if the project page looked more like the others - does the DHTML interfere with that?
1 - Logo, it's now a link to home (don't know how I missed that...) Tried to lose the white halo but it looks like crap if I play with the matte for the transparency.
2 - Navigation did not go well under the content-box, invisible in 800x600. It's now in upper right corner on all pages.
3 - An intro box for the projectprocess page is added
4 - Project arrows cleaned up, better?
I think I nailed most of it.
/Dan
{cell 260}
-{ a vibration is a movement that doesn't know which way to go }-
1. The positioning of the box isn't working for me. I'd drop it down 5-10 pixels (until there is a balance between how much it projects above the content box and how much it hangs below the background box).
2. Project page still needs the same content box that the other pages have (and I can still see the text - it must just be me).
4. Ah now there is a problem - your navigation box now lies across the top of the scroll box when the content gets too long which isn't very handy. Its usable as it stands but I don't think it looks too good.
5. I like the new dividers they work well - would a dash of colour work there?
Overall it looks much better and things look much more slick. I wouldn't leave the navigation where it is unless you are sure though and the slight halo around the graphic is still a little niggle (now I think about it the easiest fix might be to add the borders to the graphic once you are sure you want everything like that). Good work.
posted 05-30-2002 14:02
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