Elson T. Elizaga on sun 14 jul 02
"New list member introduction")
Jocelyn,
I'm pleased to know someone who knows pottery and website design at the same time. Thanks a lot
to you and Ababi for giving comprehensive criticism to glemastoneware.com. I hope this exchange
of information would be useful to other potters in the list who are also making websites.
My favorite reference in making websites is the Yale Style Manual
(http://info.med.yale.edu/caim/manual/index.html). Another importance source is Robin Williams'
"The Non-Designer's Design Book", available at amazon.com.
Several teachings from the authors of these references are not followed in glemastoneware.com,
for two main reasons: 1) the client says so, and 2) the client insists. :)
For example, I wanted to use consistent, correct English syntax and grammar in all the product
names -- although I must clarify that I'm not an English grammar expert -- but the client wants
something else. So, we have "Bowl with Flat Rim" and "Round Rim Bowl". The correct names should
be "Flat Rimmed Bowl" and "Round Rimmed Bowl". Or, if we want to start with bowl: "Bowl with
Flat Rim" and "Bowl with Round Rim".
There were other issues with names, such as "Water Cruet". The American Heritage Dictionary
excludes water use for cruets.
More below:
Jocelyn McAuley wrote:
> > Yet the site is too heavy, kind of enter for a second and runaway. I think you have built
> > it too complicated. According to my humble knowledge, a site should serve the potter,
>
> I disagree. I'm actually confused by what is ment by "too heavy" in this
> context. This is a studio that wants to showcase their available
> wares... they have to have lots of content if that is what they
> have. It's like an online catalog. perhaps it is the lack of organization
> that confronts Ababi.
>
> This is a little awkward because a critique of the site wasn't asked
> for, yet there are several user issues I see in glemastoneware.com.
>
> - for instance the home link takes the user back to a non-funtional splash
> page. This isn't helpful for the user as they have to click again to get
> anywhere useful. The home button should take you to a "table of
> contents" for the website. The /enter page for example.
I understand there is a debate among web designers about whether or not to use frames. The main
reason is, as you wrote, browsers usually read and list individual pages, not frames. In any
case, after discussion, we decided to use frames for glemastoneware.com.
To satisfy browser behavior, we didn't use frames for the index.html. We also linked "home" to
index.html so that surfers who find single pages will be led first to the index.html. The
function of the index.html is to give the surfer a general idea about the content of website.
If he doesn't like what he sees in index.html, he can decide not to enter. Otherwise, seeing
the "hand" icon, he can click and enter.
How effective is the method of using frameless index.html? How many times is the index.html
seen by surfers compared to the individual pages showing the products? Please check
http://www.glemastoneware.com/sitestats/.
> - The placement of the swatches on the left is a bit
> confusing. There are no words, no simple title to tell the
> user what these are.
I agree with you regarding this odd placement. About the absence of words, it was the client
who insisted, in his words, "to make the reader think". :) There were several portions in the
webpage, like the index.html, where the client insisted that "less is more".
> And that each tile leads to the same
> page is... not very efficient. Traditionally
> this is where navigation is placed, which adds to the confusion.
> If indeed all these colors are available for every piece, then the color
> swatches should be included in the information page given for the items
> listed on the right. For example, when I click on "eggcup" the page
> brought up in the middle frame can include with all the other information
> listed the colors that are available.
>
> - your use of frames for this site is going to lead to search engine
> problems. If a crawler returns one of your pages with, lets say, your
> teapot profile... the person conduction the search receives this nice page
> with a teapot image, etc, but you don't have any "company" information on
> the page anywhere. I see these nice pictures of work- but I still don't
> know the name of the studio that makes them. The easiest place to include
> this information would be at the bottom of the page with your other
> navigation information. Also, the right hand list of item is titled as
> "company profile"... which isn't correct.
I agree. COMPANY PROFILE looks like the title of the table of content. I'll find a way to make
this matter clear.
> - also, while the list of inventory at the right is ceratinly complete, it
> severly needs to undergo some organization of some sort. You seem to be
> expecting a customer that is rather knowledged about your product
> availablility. For example, you have so many different listings for
> Ikebana vases's. Why are they labeled "type" A, B and so one. I don't
> think each individual entry needs to be listed separately at the side.
The client's main target audience are existing buyers in the Philippines, who already know
about the names of most of the products. This explains the monetary unit: peso, not dollar.
Some of the names are awkward, indeed, and NOT alphabetically arranged. They are, instead,
numerically arranged. I made a polite suggestion to arrange the list alphabetically, and to
change the names, but failed to convince the client.
> - the variation in colors between visited items and items not viewed yet
> is too slight.
>
> - I *do* think the background colors and such for the site are
> wonderful. This is a beautiful site- which sets off the work very nicely!
> This puts forth a very nice image for this company.
>
> good luck with your information hunting,
> Jocelyn
Thanks very much, again, Jocelyn, for taking time to criticize the website. I've filed your
mail and that of Ababi.
> --
> Jocelyn McAuley ><<'> jocie@worlddomination.net
> Eugene, Oregon http://www.ceramicism.com
>
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