[Web4lib] What's wrong with this picture?

[Rancourt, Lichen]

As a solo webmaster who just launched a new site last spring and
suffered a few scathing emails of her own, I'd like to suggest that you
choose your grievances carefully.  I'm not sure of the organization in
your institution, but if they had access to your webfiles, they clearly
have authority over your pages.  You're likely to get the best response
if you focus your complaints on the content and navigation as it applies
to your section of the site only. Don't criticize the colors chosen or
the dropdown menus, that's fundamental and university wide... they
presumably hired a designer, who put lots of thought into the
architecture, while your issues with them may be valid, they're unlikely
to change and focusing on them could sabotage more pressing concerns,
the ADA compliance, for instance.  If you have ideas about how the
library resources should be rearranged and reclassified, for instance,
tell them that.  The more specific the requests the more likely they are
to respond.  Surf around the site, the things that are 'standard' across
university sections are unlikely to get too quick a response, but the
stuff you object to that seems to be only in the library section is fair
game.

Hedge your bets and choosing your battles, is all.  Make sure criticism
is constructive rather than destructive.  Just my thoughts from the
other side.

Good luck!

Lichen Rancourt
http://www.livejournal.com/catablog/
aim & yahoo messenger: lichenrancourt
icq: 198208316
> -----Original Message-----
> From: web4lib-bounces at webjunction.org [mailto:web4lib-
> bounces at webjunction.org] On Behalf Of Stacy Pober
> Sent: Monday, September 19, 2005 7:56 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
> 
> ----------------------------------------------------------------
> This message was sent using Manhattan College Webmail.
> http://www.manhattan.edu
> 
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