I liked the idea of having a mostly monotone background, so that it adds extra emphasis to the elements of importance. The structure was very clean and straightforward.
One thing I did fin annoying is the nav bar would reload after you go to a different area of the website.
http://hirshhorn.si.edu
The design elements are very making them very strong, I love the amount of white space around the different elements. The gradient in the background is nice and the flash banner with slightly moving images was a nice touch(Although one was not consistent).
http://www.sonypictures.com/movies/identity
The site reminded me of a comic book(very much of Max Payne Game), It was very dark and scary, the large amount of black(unkown) space of the website that was never really utilized led you to wondering what else could be there.
http://www.lunabar.com
Very nice colors, the curves and and colors seem to cater directly to women. The colors were soft and yet joyful along with the curves you kinda feel the energy. Probably the feeling they want you to associate with their brand name and food products. (... I wonder how the site would look on an older monitor)
http://www.holmleaguesthouse.co.uk
I was a little confused off the bat, had to really think what the site was trying to say. I felt the information was clustered and needed to be ordered in a logical manner. Too much different types of imagery and overall way to condensed. I could not find the most important element on the page. The red text kind of got lost with the lack of contrast of the background(Perhaps changing font or style).
http://tang.skidmore.edu/
Although I think this site design would better suit a architectural museum. I liked the angular design. The colors were good and brought out the artwork, I felt the web site designer was a contemporary artist.
http://www.rubios.com
The colors were very cool, very representative of the restaurant chain. I like the flash animation elements when you enter the site as well as the continuing subtle animations. If you click on Catering the site takes you to the old accounts page, I think they should at least do the login page to match the style.
http://www.groundsforchange.com
Seemed to small for a high resolution wide-screen monitor. I liked the colors, both by representing the coffee product and the neutrality they stand for by offering a fair trade product. Although it did make the site look a little flat. Navigation was logical and mad sense.
http://www.hi-res.net
I thought the design was kool, and the fixed positioning and the animation very stellar. However The text directly against the black shape was hard to read. Very clean and logically laid out.
http://www.okeeffemuseum.org
Very beautiful design, the monotone design with the light blue background was very pleasing. Again the lack of color contrast really brings out the artwork of the images that are loading dynamically. Structure and navigation are very clear and simple.
http://www.chipotle.com
Interesting design, at first glance all their is info on how to make an order and how to get to the location to pick it up. I think the Logo should have a animation indicating that one should roll-over it. I was surprised at the wealth of information after initialing thinking their was hardly anything to do on the site. I think the amount of white space really helps keeping everything in context.
http://www.oslaw.com
The site seemed lacking, I am not sure if it the high res, big monitor but everything seemed kinda dull and very small. The contrast on the buttons is not the best choice. However, the layout and architecture is very direct and straight forward.
Is this site to boring or am I just spoiled with interactive eye candy?
http://www.wilderness.org
Beautiful imagery and gradients, a logical structure, peaceful colors. A great site all around.
I like the use of orange which represents acticity. It is used for the sign-up button, the take action tab and the Donate button.
http://www.avocado.org
The site made me feel as if I was at the farm, I liked the use of colors and how each one would change depending on which section you are in. Great use of imagery, logical layout, nice backgrounds and borders.
http://carrotcreative.com
The carrot site was very easy to navigate, I like when you can see the transitions so that you know exactly where you are. The colors are strong and the transparent background really brings out the background-image although it looks more like the floor than a desk.
http://www.okeeffemuseum.org/
The Wilderness Society
Chipotle - Mexican Grill
- What are the communication objectives of the site? Is there one purpose that is primary?
Both Chipotle and The Wilderness Society are trying to tell us something. Chipotle is telling us about their new way of ordering. You could order online at their website or from your iPhone or iTouch. They are trying to inform us of their new feature in an entertaining way. The Wilderness Society is trying to get you to join(and donate to) their cause by informing us of the problems that face our worlds ecosystems. They give us different types of news sources, all covering events that effect our environment. Many of the articles inform us on a personal level, stating things like Big Oil is lying to you, by developing in Alaska, something they said they would not do.
- Who is the target audience for the site? Is there an audience who the site excludes?
The target audience for Chipotle is teenagers, young adults and pretty much anyone that keeps up with technology. This obviously excludes Grandma or any technically inept people. The Wilderness Society does not really exclude anyone, although their pitch is definitely catered to those who might already be sensitive to the issues they are presenting. Usually a slightly older, more mature crowd, who are not as absorbed with mainstream media.
- What is your rationale for believing the communication objectives and audience are what you claim?
The demographic for those that use the internet and iDevices do not include the majority of the elderly and non-technical people. The Chipotle site has much more information to offer, however it is almost hidden and could easily be missed by those not familiar with the new changes of the internet. The colors seem to attract a more mature crowd; the tabs on the top add a sense of professionalism, and the layout is very structured and organized. The info being distributed is being written in a way that targets those with a genuine desire to help.
- What is the aesthetic look and feel of the site? Why do you suppose the designer chose this look and feel?
The Wilderness Society has a very sophisticated look, the background looks like aged paper and the colors seem to have an aged almost rustic look. The designer probably chose this design to help portray The Wilderness Society as a reputable company that has been around for a while and knows what they are doing. The BBB symbol next to the Sign Up button is not a Coincidence. Chipotle has a very simple initial layout, but the design seems very spontaneous. It is direct and to the point, perfect for those who are undecided and open to ideas. If someone were to ask “I am hungry let’s get something to eat”, this site would be a great answer for them, it shows you locations, and several ways of ordering your food. It makes the decision process very fast and easy.
- Does the look and feel support the communications objectives? Why or why not?
Chipotles look and feel does satisfy their communication objectives; the site is very simple and can easily show someone how to make their order electronically. Everything they need is on the initial page and it does not have many distractions. The Wilderness Society’s website does support their objective, they cater to the target audience that is most likely and most able to help them (a more mature audience that is more likely to be able to contribute financially), and they establish their credibility very well.
- Does the site have a theme?
The Chipotle site has a Box car racing theme, the instructions are tailored to box car racing, and the structure are in groups of three (think ready, set, go). Even your burrito or car is constantly be customized, it makes your order seem like it will easily be chosen. The Wilderness Society’s theme is that of a folder of an established professional. The different tabs separate the sites different content logically. The content structure is organized very cleanly and the colors are very supportive of the society’s reputation of being established.
- How do the design elements (composition, use of color, choice of fonts/typographic design, use of graphics and photos, textures, animation, sound, interactivity, video, etc.) function to reveal the themes and objectives of the site?
The design elements on Chipotle are very simple and clear, the fonts the colors have good contrast and the fonts are fun and exciting. The statements made are bold, branding a cow with a UPC symbol. The fast geared paced, customization of the burrito. The rollover buttons that flash rapidly on rollover states. The design helps the craziness and hastiness of many users anxiousness and decisiveness of choosing what to eat.
The design elements of the Wilderness site support the idea that the Society is an established reputable company. The tabbed layout, the classic fonts, and the calm color scheme. The Huge banner of beautiful imagery gets your attention, and the concerning text on the images really make you think a little bit harder than you might normally.
- How are principles of design such as harmony (repetition, consistency, pattern, rhythm, unity); variety (contrast, differentiation, elaboration); balance (symmetrical, asymmetrical, radial); movement (sense of movement, direction, rhythm); dominance (focus and emphasis, sense of hierarchy); and economy (cleanliness, clarity, ease of understanding, purity) applied to reveal the themes and objectives of the site?
The Wilderness Society incorporates many design principles, The website is made up of rectangular shapes, the tabs, the banner, the text boxes, the sign-up section even the logo has an implied area made by the about us tab. The site is very symmetrical and the difference the rectangles and the color and texture and a nice variety. Despite the sites wealth of different information it is very clear and easy to understand, the divisions have a great enough contrast to depict the change of space. The emphasis is on the images of different locations around the world, some in danger and some where it is already too late. The orange donate button and the sign-up tab give you hope that you can help make a difference and stop the beautiful landscapes from turning into commercial ugliness.
The Chipotle site follows design principles as well, even though it seems it might break quite a few. The logo and caption on top is balanced by the links at the bottom. The colors and fonts are repeated throughout the site. The site is consistently active, implying movement and change. Even though many elements of the site are a little messy the amount of white space makes the site seem surprisingly clean. The variety of different images and random changes and interactivity keep you very interested. The design elements make me want to explore, click buttons and inspire me to be bold enough to try the new online ordering system. With everything that is going on I haven’t really thought about security issues, which is usually a major concern of mine.
- Are the design elements and principles appropriately applied? Does the design complement (or compete with) the communication objectives? Why or why not?
Both The Wilderness Society and Chipotle apply their principles appropriately although the Chipotle site may make you dig a little deeper. They both are successful at communicating their objectives. Chipotle is trying to set a standard in the food industry, something that cannot be done without making bold choices. Their website is reflective of their company, this is not your grandpas restaurant and the site is not designed for grandpas either.
The Wilderness Society effectively communicated the concerns of it’s current members, and the need for more support, whether it is financially or through active participation. The design reflects the kind of company they are, they are a sincere, no thrills organization that is dedicated to their cause.
- How is information structured on the site? What is the site's basic information architecture? How are files and categories organized? Does the site apply a naming convention?
The wilderness site is structured with tabs, and sub categories in each tab. This makes it easier to get back to where you started, without pushing the back button so many times. The majority of the information is articles, the headline and the first few sentences are shown. If the user is interested in the article they just have to click the “MORE” button. This way the site does not intimidate you with lengthy articles that you do not want to read.
The Chipotle site is a complete 180 degrees, The links are all hidden in the logo until you rollover them. I had missed this early on but the do have a key animation signaling to it’s users that there is more to the logo than just the logo. The animation is of a hand spinning c coin and the coin turns into the logo. The site has categories and sub-categories and the pages have page headers so you know which button you clicked on. All the pages are accessible by rolling over the logo and are within a couple clicks.
- What is the site's navigational scheme and structure? Is the site easy to navigate? Do you ever get lost or confused? Does the interface present information clearly? Does the interface allow for a logical flow of information?
Both sites are logically organized. The interface is very clear and the sites are easily navigated. The Wilderness Society uses tabs and Chipotle uses a spry menu from their logo.
- Can you easily accomplish any tasks that you might want to accomplish on the site? If yes, how did the site make it easy or obvious? If no, what got in your way?
Both sites made it very easy to navigate from one page to another without loading and navigating through excessive pages.
- What technologies (HTML, Flash, Javascript, CSS, XML, ASP, PHP, Shockwave, CGI forms, streaming (or progressive downloading) video or audio, etc.) does that site utilize? Does it utilize web technologies effectively?
I would guess that the Chipotle site is done entirely in flash, and Wilderness uses flash to cycle through its imagery. They both use progressive downloading. I could not imagine the wait time on dial-up if Chipotle would load the whole site before being accessible. Wilderness uses HTML, CSS and JS. The Wilderness has a CGI form for the donate and newsletter links. And CGI is probably used in the iPhone app and the online ordering system of Chipotle.
- Can you discover any incompatibility problems with the site for people using different browsers, platforms, screen sizes, fonts, modem speeds, etc.?
Both the sites are modern sites using imagery and flash. The Chipotle site I would assume would have more load bars when navigating through the site, many of the transition animations could be data heavy.
- Is there anything unique about the site and sets it apart from other sites and/or competitors? Are there special features that the site employs?
The wilderness site has beautiful pictures that capture your attention. The captions in the pictures are quite intriguing as well. The Chipotle site is very entertaining and interactive. Bothe sites have a home page that grabs your attention and promotes you to explore.
- How do you suppose the site markets itself? Does it do anything to drive traffic to itself (such as viral marketing) and/or provide reasons for return visitors?
I do not think either site employs viral marketing. The Wilderness society has a very descriptive name and all people interested in the sites objectives could be led here from searching for information or events that is in the content of the articles in the site. Chipotle uses other mediums for advertisements, such s billboards and television commercials.
- What is your overall impression and assessment of the site? Does the site accomplish it's objectives? Can you think of design ideas or solutions that would be interesting or more effective alternatives?
Well seeing how I chose both sites because I thought they had great design and were effective at communicating their goals, I can’t think of many suggestions.
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