Are web sites going backwards as far as ease of use? This week, I have been appalled by several redesigned sites that seem like they've taken all the best practices and tossed them out the window. Does the web consortium carry no weight, or is this a sign of outsourcing web programmers from places like India? Three examples I saw that led me to think this.
Cnn.com
Here's a site I check daily. Who doesn't since 9/11? They just reduced their site to a heaping pile of text. No order, just chaos. Not only do the navigation bars move (horizontal to vertical) between tier one and two pages, but categories actually appear and/or disappear. Travel and Space categories disappear, and Tech becomes Technology. The page also is designed for 1024x768 resolution. Dumb.
Duke.edu
Duke has decided to kill their site by featuring their search box, and nothing else. Some colleague of mine have argued that its to look like a basketball bracket. But in reality I don't think that's the case. Check out all that white space. No organization what so ever. Just sad.
As for featuring the search box. I did a search for "email" and the first hit I get is for some women's center.
University of Michigan
Okay, this site has always been bad. But after the change, it still pretty bad. They've killed their school color blue for a light blue. (Editor's Note: they've updated the background with the Darker Blue due to a slight uprising from their Alumni). Mouse over navs that are inaccessible. Headers make no sense to the common browser, like "the Michigan Difference." Sliver picture (those skinny panoramas) that are darn near impossible to get a good diversity of shots. Search box goes strait to google (no best bets or keywords). Search lacks, best bets.
1 comment:
I COMPLETELY AND TOTALLY AGREE WITH YOU!!!! It’s as though these websites were designed by people with Attention Deficit Disorder (A.D.D.). I think a lot has to do with the way our society has become:: Obsessed with being bigger, faster, and having more with no focus-on or concern-for quality. It’s like today’s websites and this country is on crack-cocaine or crystal-meth (amphetamine). Cell phones, Blackberries, e-mails --- If you can’t multi-task or you “stop to smell the roses”, you’re left behind -- even ridiculed as incompetent or second-rate. Whether its watching one of the HUNDREDS of television channels or billions of websites, it’s reached the point where it’s a cacophony of noise --- all in an attempt to stand-out from the pack. Ironically, they/we want to stand-out by wanting to be like everyone else; hence, the reason why so many websites are designed so badly. I think it’s a problem of knee-jerk-group-think. Knee-jerk-group by people for perceived, yet superficial status/prestige. So if they fill the page -- menu or cell phone or website -- with as much “stuff” as possible people will think you’re “IT”. I’ll definitely try to use your comments/suggestions when I FINALLY finish MY website. Yet, I’ll be afraid of what you might say. ~CT/NY
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