Tuesday, March 22, 2011

http://www.start-the-change.org/

It sure looks beautiful, but while the visuals are entertaining, you have to wait all of that time for the main page to load and once it does, there is only one interaction left available for the user and it takes you to a completely different page-layout. Once all of that process is done, only then does the website start to portray its purpose. From here on out much of it is explained by video, which gives very little user interaction and freedom throughout.

For a site built to combat fraud and guide users towards more credible sellers, it's not very efficient at all at guiding the user, instead it drags the user along. Instead of creating a bond of trust with the user through friendly user interface--which should in principle be its main goal--instead it creates a feeling of uncertainty. Not because of complexity, but because it takes the control away from the user through numerous loading screens and minute long video explanations about what the site is all about in the first place. This makes the user uncertain at times about what he can and cannot interact with--which in reality happens to be very little--and the little interaction that is offered here takes the user straight towards a completely different page, which made me question the reason for the site's creation in the first place--for anything other than a brief  representation of impressive flashy visuals. 

Wednesday, March 16, 2011

https://www.mxyplyzyk.com/v03/index.htm

First thing I noticed when I arrived at the site was the sign "Under construction"--that confused me, but I clicked ok. I noticed that the page took a while to load, which is one of those things where I don't enjoy much unless the site handles it in an interesting and creative manner. Once I'm on the main page, I see all of these sections, but the sections start to be replaced by different amount of pictures, that makes very little sense to me from a point of navigation.

I clicked on furniture, the site goes to a loading page, while explaining how you properly pronounce the name of the store. Clicked on about us, read it and then tried to go back--clicked on the name of the store above. The problem was, as I noticed that you have to literally click in one of the letter of the store in order to go back, I spent at least 3 seconds trying to click it once I understood that. Overall, from a navigation point of view the site could be more easy to navigate and it takes some time to do so, due to the nature of the site--constant loading and skip intros

http://www.zincbistroaz.com/

When I first arrived at the site, my first reaction was to try and click on the Lunch and Dinner letters above, when that didn't work, my next step was to try and click on the navigate button bellow and was surprised that I couldn't do anything with that. Also, everytime you come in the site the music changes, some musics I was fine with, others just irritated me, since I was lucky to get the most annoying music out of the bunch--at least you have the option of turning it off and don't have to hear them while navigating.

Once you finally do find the navigation options in the eggs the site is as simple as could be--divided into a small number of sections, which, from where I'm coming from, works in the site's favor.

Tuesday, March 1, 2011

http://www.rottentomatoes.com/

Rottentomatoes is a good site for keeping track of films. The first time you visit it, you may be a bit lost for a few seconds, wondering where all of this information fits in, but the site isn't very difficult to get into.

The main window for the highlights isn't as forthcoming or elicited as other site's that make this feature it's main attention, but you can definitely tell that it is there and that it's expected of the user to check it out. One feature that I don't like about the window highlights is that if you click on one window, it automatically points you to the page where the highlight is fully explained, I personally would have preferred they let the user click on the highlight, read it's short summary and then make the decision if he wants to inquire further. As it stands only the arrows serve to navigate through this system, making it less of a fluid process for the user.

Outside of that the information is well arranged and you can definitely tell what is prone to interactive input or not.    

http://speedypin.com/

The site isn't overblown with information. You enter it and it immediately directs you to what I think most new users would be interested in--the phone card rate finder. Outside of that the site has the usual log in section above, huddled with the view cart, help, etc.--which are highlighted in blue: With that you certainly know that you can interact with it.

Not a great fan of the color used in the Business downward section; the letters are underlined and you can tell that you can interact with them, but it just doesn't call you enough and the background color doesn't help. Outside of that I think that it's apparent to the user what he/she can interact with, outside "BBB", "Phone Card" etc symbols that are placed bellow the phone card rate finder.