[Web4lib] What's wrong with this picture?

[Gimon, Charles A]

My reaction on seeing that scrolling image gallery? "Yeah, it's a LIBRARY, we get it! We get it!"
 
A lot of sites will use Flash (or Java) to have one image fade into the next within the same rectangle. Then you get to show all the pretty pictures that people think they need to display, without chewing up a ton of real estate.
 
The drop-down menus pester me -- navigation that's that important should not be dependent on Javascript.
 
The white text on purple is an affectation, and inappropriate for an area where people expect to get work done.
 
And just to add insult to injury, the "Library Staff" page gave me a "404 not found".
 
Oh, and somehow the juggernaut of "design" doesn't seem to have hit the athletics dept. yet. Are they exempt?
 
My take on font size arguments is that they're unwinnable by either side. I'd focus your offensives elsewhere.
 
Overall, they did a splashy paint job, but didn't address the visual organization or structure of the pages themselves. Beyond the purple, the main block of content in this page
 
http://www.manhattan.edu/library_mc/geninfo.shtml
 
probably hasn't changed in years, and this is the sort of page that could benefit from the eye of someone who can organize visual layout. But--that didn't happen here.
 
And you raise a good point about school colors. Are there any communications policies or standards in place to consult?
 
We all have our problems, nobody's perfect...but I can definitely validate your discomfort here.
 
Those are only my personal opinions. Or as Groucho Marx said: "Those are my principles. If you don't like 'em, I have others."
 
--Charles Gimon
  Web Coordinator
  Minneapolis Public Library
 
 

________________________________

From: web4lib-bounces at webjunction.org on behalf of Stacy Pober
Sent: Mon 9/19/2005 6:55 PM
To: web4lib at webjunction.org
Subject: [Web4lib] What's wrong with this picture?



Our school has redesigned the college website without asking for input
from the librarians (or any other faculty as far as I can tell).  Most
of the content is the same, but the colors, fonts, and layout
have been transferred into a template.  Splash screens have been added to
each section, and a large scrolling image gallery takes up most of the
landscape on the first screen of every page.

You can view the new design at:
<http://www.manhattan.edu/library_mc/index.shtml>

I agree that our pages could use some design help, but instead of improvements
we seem to have gotten a complete overhaul where flashy and slick design
has been given preference over design choices that make pages clear
and easy-to-use.

Our school colors are green and white, but for some unexplained reason,
the library pages have been assigned a white text on a hot violet/maroon
background.

My first reactions were "eeeew" and then "aauuggh"

In my opinion, the site violates many basic usability rules, as well as not
being compliant with guidelines for writing pages that are accessible to
people with visual disabilities.

The fonts are small, and to increase them in Internet Explorer, users must
go into the IE Tools --> Internet Options --> Accessibility and choose
"ignore font sizes".  Most of our users do not know how to do this.
When I mentioned the ADA  I was told that, as a private college, we need
not worry about the Americans with Disabilities Act.  But, putting aside
any legal issues, it seems rude and unkind to offer web pages that are
difficult for people with visual difficulties to use.

It's just the first day they introduced the new design, and I've already
heard four or five complaints about the small fonts and odd color choices.

I'm writing a list of my concerns, and I'd like to get input from you folks
in two ways.  I already have a list of what I consider to be some of the
most glaring design faults of the new layout, those that violate basic tenets
of web design usability.  But I may be missing some things.  So if you
could send me your comments on the site, I can incorporate any things
I have missed in the list I will be sending to the powers-that-be.

I have seen many web design guideline lists on the internet. Which ones
would you consider to be most authoritative?  (I need to voice my concerns
soon, so I'd prefer sources that are available on the web.)

This is reminding me of one of those kid's games where they draw a picture
with objects out of place or people doing things wrong, and you have to find
all the errors. Look! I found upside down priorities!

--
Stacy Pober
Information Alchemist
Manhattan College
O'Malley Library
Riverdale, NY 10471
stacy.pober at manhattan.edu

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