Website Redesign Project Overall Feedback

Website
- Website suited audience and users targeted - with vibrancy, suitable fonts chosen and use of CS5
- Navigation was intuitive and the tabs on some pages were seen as a good idea
- Text on information pages needed to be broken up a bit more - this could be seen on the homepage with the "History" subheading being written in the carnival font
- Drop the point size of the information text slightly - could be seen as a bit too big
- Assess the overall size of the website on Dreamweaver
- The continuity of curved and sharp edged boxes is too varied. Needs to be one or the other throughout generally.
- Add a bit more 'grunge' to the site. Perhaps make it more like a carnival/circus, to make it more fun and interesting. This should only be done slightly, as it needs to still attract the same users - especially for its corporate side. Ideas included making the signs/buttons into wooden boxes etc.
- The other background seemed more interesting with the flower in focus. It may be an idea to use this for the site and see how it would work.

PDF
- Presented clearly and simply
- The way I showed the progression from initial ideas, through to the final site was liked.
- Research into other sites was included
- Needed to organise the text and align it better - shouldn't be centered.

New Visuals

These are the visuals based on my new design, as seen in my previous blog.

Website Changes

I chose this image as its very minimalistic and summery at the same time. I just couldn't seem to fit the banners and balloon into the colour scheme. I also feel that the flower will get in the way and wont be seen when it comes to me placing the information on the site.

I do like this landscape background that I found on Flickr. At first i tried to continue with the banner idea, however I feel that it does seem to take up a lot of the screen on the left and it was a struggle to fit in the whole title of the fete. It also caused a problem when I wanted to put in the "Enter Site" button, as the right side of the site looked bare.
I like my new design, with the title as a header at the top, not in a box this time, and the melbourn logo accompanying it. It also gives the user a chance to see the background and I feel that the button and balloon site well it the bottom centre of the page.

I finally have added two balloons to give the "Enter Site" a look that it is hanging in the air. I would then like for users to click on the button and the balloons to float off with it out of the screen before the actual site comes into view. However this could be a challenge to make with Dreamweaver at this stage. I think this addition as a fun and quirky look for the website thats been missing.

New Redesign Visuals

I have addressed the font and typography problem and found a great font called Extra Ornamental 2 (http://www.dafont.com/extra-ornamental.font) which I feel is very Fete, Fair and Carnival like and suits the event well.
I have also used a vivid image of the fete as the background - which has been edited to create a lively and sunny image of the fete itself. The colours of the translucent boxes used for text and information, I feel are suited to the "summery" feel of the fete too.
I am happy with the "Enter Site" page that will be shown when users first open the site. I have made balloons and bunting on illustrator to decorate the page and make it look fun and exciting.
I still want to try and create a running "Number of days left until the fete" at the bottom of the page as it looks very bare - there is only the social networking links along there.

Feedback-
On the right track, however it has now become a bit too busy on the page. The background is a great image, but confuses the user a bit.
The use of translucent info boxes to see the background images, makes the type hard to read.
Each bit of typography is in a box because of the background, which makes it a bit to busy and hard to make too.
Get a background image of something more plain but still relevant to the fete.
Typography is great - new font works perfectly.
Perhaps create "banners" for the typography? This could give it more character.
The balloons and bunting for the title is a good idea, but perhaps a bit too crude - perhaps get proper images.

Design Inspiration

http://www.myprovence.fr/snapshots2011/index.php?l=en

This site is very interactive and fun to use. The navigation is very different to other sites - with the photos on the page being part of it. When you go to click on the photo there is a rollover of the name of the page you are going to go to. After clicking this you are taken to a Z Index, with images on a slideshow. The map page is also similar, with different segments of the circle changing the background and acting as a video.
Although this site has nothing to do with the one I am designing, I like the idea of using photos as the navigation and a Z Index. To see it in practice, it gives the website an extra something that keeps the user engaged and entertained.




http://w3.upm.com/upm/forestlife/index.html

Again a site different to the one I am designing, but some of the ideas used in here are like what I want to try and create for the Melbourn Fete site. The images used behind the information are great - they aren't too bold but not too plain either. I like the use of boxes of information that pop up in front of the images - they do not take up too much space so the beautiful images in the background can also be seen. I really like the opening and closing of the boxes, (they sort of fold open from the middle). I would want to do this, but from one corner, diagonally. I feel this would work with the grid and information boxes I want to create.


http://grupowprojects.com/nike10/

For my website, I was given the idea of having an "Enter Site" page which would be fun and interest the user before they have even reached any information.
This site does it well, with a great background image, a small bit of text to explain what the site is about - as it is not always easy to realise - and then the "Enter" button at the bottom.
I feel that adding something like this to my site will just make it look more professional and exciting - especially if a great background image is chosen.

Redesign Visuals

 Initial Visuals for the site created on Photoshop.

These are my initial visuals proposed for the site redesign. I aimed to keep it simple and user friendly - with the navigation being intuitive. I feel that the colour scheme used is good and suits the summery fete feel I wanted to create and the blue sky and green grass images for the header and footer work well. The typography needs to be worked on - as the font is fairly plain at the moment and typeface sizes are not thought about yet.

Feedback -

Needs to be more fun - the structure is good but too simple. With the rise of CS5, there is more of an opportunity to experiment.

Typography needs to be sorted - need a font that relates to fairs and fetes

The tabs on the pages is a good idea - e.g. "Volunteers" and "Get Involved" tabs

Perhaps have visuals for entering the site page

An idea that was came up with was to have visual images for entering the site and then a grid over the top of it for navigation. This navigation will then be more exciting and interesting than the simple top bar navigation. The site could then use Z Index's before going to the next page.

Melbourn Village Fete Website Redesign

I have chosen to redesign the site of Melbourn Village Fete, which - as previously mentioned in my blog - is very dated and unappealing aesthetically.
I feel that the visuals need to be addressed in order for both users (potential visitors and potential stall holders) are interested in the site and information in it.

Inital Ideas -

Need a different colour scheme - perhaps greens/whites/yellows - summery and associated with this sort of event
Navigation to be changed - perhaps to bar at top - need to put the "whats on" links in drop down menu
Visuals and information - not as wide - left for info - right for pictures

My first design showed the basic structure I wanted to use throughout my site. The interaction on the navigation is simple and user friendly. The info boxes are smaller and more readable and the site has a clear header and footer which is a common convention with websites. 

The second design added a calendar - which was much improved and aesthetically pleasing than the previous one in the original site. I also wanted to add easy links for social networking.

I felt that the site structure has now been created, however the visuals are still weak and uninteresting. I needed to perhaps make the background of headers and footers not just a block colour. The idea I had was to put pictures of grass and sun in it - this is strongly associated with a village fete.

This gives the site a much more interesting look for the user and in my opinion brightens up a somewhat dull webpage. 

CRIT FEEDBACK

The site could do with some branding - perhaps a unique font or a logo?

Typefaces need to be established

Use a specific colour palette throughout the site - Kuler - https://kuler.adobe.com

Find the right tone of navigation and colours throughout the site

Perhaps use a Z Index for Navigation (Extra)

Find other sites for inspiration

Bad Website Design - Xerox

www.realbusiness.com

XEROX
Its hard to even find out what Xerox actually is when you enter the site. After searching for the "Overview" tab on the complicated horizontal navigation bar, I did manage to find it was a business process and document management company.

The choices are then to go to a department - either using the home screen links or the navigation bar. We consequently have to wait for it to load, which is a bit frustrating, and then get taken up to a virtual floor. At this point we are shown no information, but a group of people in an office and a video of a man which is automatically played. It is impossible to shut this guy up and we have then to click on different people to find out information. Even once we have done this, the information is vague and confusing - and it asks us to download a PDF. 

It has been ages since we entered the site and we still haven't managed to find out any useful information really, and if we have, its been a difficult journey.

What also makes things a bit more difficult, is the information shown at the bottom of the screen. We are forced statistics and numbers, which really do not mean anything to us at this point, considering we haven't really understood what the website is about. If we then did want to contact the business, because we are so baffled about what to do on this website, we are then taken to a completely different Xerox site. This is not very consistent.

Overall the use of Flash and other video software in this site could be considered impressive, and you can see where they have tried to engage the user by using something completely different. However the site actually just angers the user with the fact that any useful information isn't accessible. The videos of employees speaking are highly annoying - we want to scan text for useful information, not have to listen and wait. Finally the numbers and figures at the bottom just add to confusion and really are the icing on the cake. 

 This site may be innovative and clever in design, but for all the time, money and effort spent on this site, it is likely the user will be finding a different business processor - or whatever the business does.