Week 4A - Aesthetics, Design, and Branding

For my research to identify potential problems with websites I chose https://jamilin.com/ and http://www.roverp6cars.com/. As the main conclusion, I feel that both websites would benefit from understanding the “less is more” principle.

With https://jamilin.com/, the first problem is lack of a clear concept.  It takes minutes to figure out what the website is about. After looking at it for some time, I was still not sure what exactly she is selling. I think it would help if on the opening page there would be less information but better organized. A few sentences about the main idea of the website and some bigger pictures. The picture on top is a mishmash of unrelated things randomly thrown together. Some of them are not easily recognizable, some are bad quality. It is chaotic and nothing pops out as the main message. I would probably only use one picture which would give an idea about the overall mission. Another problem with this website is that there is no separation between the different pieces of information presented – it all runs together. There is no hierarchy on any of the pages. It is extremely difficult to find what you are looking for just by scrolling down the pages. Everything blends into one. The different messages should be separated better, the main point should be highlighted. One more problematic part is that it is not easy to navigate on the website. I was clicking on different links and I had no idea how to get back to a previous page. Fewer links and more clear information about where you are on the site would be helpful.

http://www.roverp6cars.com/ sells Rover P6 parts and services, that information is clear from the first look. One problem I found is the choice of the text colors. Reading red text is always hard, especially if it is on top of some pictures. It is the same problem when they write with dark blue letters on a red background. These color choices are hard on the eye. I would probably just have a plain background behind the page links. Also, I would try using a darker text color. Another problem is the navigation. The only way to get from one page to the other is to go back to the homepage every time. Also, some of the links automatically open in a new window and there seems to be no rationale behind that. I would probably use less links and keep them visible on all the pages. And I would change the settings, so every page opens in the same window. Another problem is that there is no hierarchy in the pages. Every picture and text look equally important. The viewer cannot decide where to start. I would put less information on the opening page. Probably use just one or two pictures on the top of the page and write short paragraphs about their message, what they sell, and the latest news.

For my research to identify websites with good design I chose https://www.nps.gov/index.htm and https://www.headhunterhairstyling.com/. Both these websites have a clear message, with designs that help support their message.

The first website I chose is the https://www.nps.gov/index.htm. As soon as you open the site you see a clear message. You see a beautiful picture of a couple walking on grass in an open field with blue skies. This picture has a strong connection with their message ‘National Parks in Your Neighborhood’. This website also has a good design structure. The pictures and the text sizes are well balanced. It is easy to read the text. The paragraphs are aligned to the left and short. The font size is easy to read. It is simple to navigate, easy to find what you are looking for (it even has a search function). Also, you can find your way back to previous pages quickly. The site has a clear and unified design on all its pages. It is simple, doesn’t try to squeeze in too much, and that make it effortless to follow. It uses great pictures to help reinforce its message.

The second website I chose is https://www.headhunterhairstyling.com/. What I love about this website is its simplicity. It is “only” a hairdresser website, its task is to get people into the shop, and it serves that purpose well. On the first page you find contact details right away. In one click you see the services. The small video on the first page looks professional. Even though the logo is quite big, it is not too loud. It is placed in the right location; it is one of the first things that caches your eye. And the “Headhunter” name is catchy and creative! Everything is well balanced with a clean and simple design, like the icons on the services page and the pictures on the gallery page. The webpage uses only four colors (black, white, gray and a light blue), which also helps convey a clean and professional style. The whole website is sleek and stylish, exactly what you would love your hairdresser to be!