Week 3A: Aesthetics, Design, and Branding

Bad Designs

Best Electronics

1. The biggest problem this website has is its typography. Everything is big and bold and therefore my eyes don't know what to focus on, so I end up not reading any of it. The text that is colored is an eye-strain to read, and most of it is not important enough to highlight. 
2. There is no spacing between each wall of text, making proximity another big issue for the website. I wasn't uite sure where one block of text ended and te next began.
3. Along that similar vein, it is not easy to find the information that I need. There is too much information all on one page, and too much reading for that matter. They have an index page full of links that I don't even know what for, and a mysterious click here button that doesn't tell me what I'm clicking for. 

Needless to say, this is far from a professionally done website. I feel like i know less about this brand/product (see, I don't even know what they're selling me!) then before I clicked on their overwhelming and confusing website. 

I wouldn't say it'd be an easy fix, but what needs fixing is very obvious. Less is more, so I would start from scratch and organize information by page, and only on a need to know basis. The home page should be catching and have an image of the company building or product that they sell, with a very obvious navigation. Because whoever owns this clearly likes to talk, they would benefit from an frequently asked questions and a history page. The text needs to be smaller and all one color save for links and headers.

Gates 'n' Fences

1. The concept of this website is there, but something went awry along the making of this. The sidebar navigation is flooded with links making it hard to navigate which is the whole point. There is a header, body, and footer, but has been poorly executed. 
2. The proximity of text, images, and the sidebar is too close together to be easily read. There is no padding that I could see and the search bar looks like its even been cut off from the website. All the pictures are small and placed haphazardly.
3.  The text-font is very small and therefore the typography is also a weak-point for this website. The gray background they used for the text does not enhance the aesthetic of the website, and just makes it harder to read and is frankly unpleasing. 

While the elements of a professional website are there, the execution is far from it. 

A lot of the issues I've addressed can be easily remedied. Drop down menus for the navigation would slim it up and make it more...well, navigable. Padding is much needed as the text is right up against the end of the website. 

Good Designs

Penny Juice

I didn't know what to expect when I read the url, but was pleasantly surprised that my confusion was swiftly cleared up the second their home page loaded. Because it is a product for children, the aesthetic matches with bright colors and a couple of kids themselves in front center. The home page is slightly long, but it is fun to scroll down to go through the rainbow; Information is color coded so there's a lot of space which makes it even easier to read.

The navigation is limited but easy to find and any information I could need is clearly stated. 

The brand name is very clever now that I know what it is, and their slogan even more so. 

For these reasons I have no doubt in my mind that a professional worked on this website. 

Art Center

Right off the bat I could tell this is a professionally designed website due to it's sleek look. The header takes up the whole screen when you first open the tab, and while I'm not exactly sure who that woman is supposed to be, but it turns out her portrait is a link to an event. 

It is a very image-heavy website, but it works due to all being the same exact size and in neat, tidy rows. There are many logos that upon looking at it you know exactly what your clicking for. 

Final Thoughts

This project has shown me that, if you're a brand and I click on your website to learn more about the product, the layout and design choices will either make or break a successful sale. The weaker websites I reviewed today I wouldn't even give a chance; The companies website is a reflection on the work ethic and effort. If it is a bad website, then I am going to assume everything else is bad as well. On the flip side, a clean, organized website proves that the salesperson is a professional who takes this seriously and I trust them more to support and buy their product.