Week 3 Part A: Aesthetics, Design, and Branding

Poorly Designed Websites 

The MGBD Parts & Services webpage (http://www.roverp6cars.com/) is difficult to read. First, the contrast is confusing. Second, the font is predominately in bold red print. Third, there are a lot of exceptionally large headings without a clear grouping. The moving headlines were especially distracting because you cannot read the entire sentences at one time. The page scrolled for more than three levels and there was not a “Back to Top” option to return. The MGBD page is poorly designed and could be overwhelming for users. To improve this webpage, the homepage should be reduced to two levels, the content needs to align to the left, the font should be changed to sans-serif, the headlines should be changed to an easier to read font, and the contrast should be adjusted to allow readers to identify essential information. 

 

The Gates N Fences webpage (Gate Openers Gate Operators Driveway Gates Wrought Iron Aluminum Gates (gatesnfences.com) uses images well, but the amount of content and contrast is disorienting. There are too many levels, pictures, and detailed descriptions on the homepage. To improve this page, they should group information and products by type with clickable links to more information and pictures to reduce the number of links on the homepage. For example, adding a link for Driveway Gates, then once a user clicked on the link, they would then see all the options for driveway gates. The contrasts should be adjusted to highlight the essential information, making it easier for users to find.

 
Well Designed Websites 

The San Diego Craigslist page (https://sandiego.craigslist.org/) is a surprising example of a well-designed website. It is easy to navigate, even though It is not beautiful and they have multiple columns on their homepage. The logo is positioned in the upper left corner and although the logo does not look the same on every page it is easy to identify and in the same location on each page. Most of the columns are aligned to the left and each category of information is directly under the headline. You navigate each page the same and you need to click for more information. The home page does not scroll. The San Diego Craigslist page is not pretty or fancy, but it is efficient. 

 

Apple (http://apple.com) does an excellent job of designing its website. Their page only has one column with their logo, shopping cart, and hamburger positioned at the top of each page. You do need to scroll several pages to get to the bottom menu, however; the menu can also be accessed through the hamburger. Giving the user two options to navigate their page and view the content. The scrolling is intentional because Apple uses this space to highlight its products and services. Additionally, once you select a product it is easy to compare similar options and view models. The graphics and icons are beautifully conceived and executed perfectly. You feel that you are viewing a high-end quality product and can easily find information. The apple page is attractive and simple to navigate. 

 

Wrap Up

Viewing multiple websites is an interesting exercise because it allows you to compare what works and what does not. Aesthetics is a critical component of design. A website that is conceived with the end-user in mind is easy to identify because of the effortless navigation and simple format. It seems that some businesses make the mistake of trying to provide too much on their home page, resulting in a messy, confusing, and off-putting format.