[Web4lib] What's wrong with this picture?

[Thomas Bennett]

Clicking on the link in your original email opened the page in Konqueror on my 
linux desktop.  After passing the mouse over the menu options only left a 
green sillouette where there should have been some menu choices and the 
sillouettes never disappeared so they covered up over half of the entire page 
making completely unusable. 

Opening the page in Opera 7.5 (linux) the dropdown menus didn't work at all, 
they didn't drop.

Mozzilla 1.7.6 drop down menus appeared to work but the longer that page 
stayed open in Mozzilla the slower my whole system became and when I closed 
that window the system was back to normal.

The scrolling pictures worked in all three browsers even covered up by the 
green sillouettes.


After moving into our new library we released our new WEB design which removed 
our old top banner that had to load almost 50 images and made extensive use 
of javascript.  Our new home page has no javascript and no doubt loads faster 
and is much easier to navigate without all the bells and whistles.  There has 
been a successful effort to try to do everything server side as much as 
possible.  Not having looked at every page on our site, javascript is usually 
on used on drop down and scroll menus to automatically go to a page rather 
than use a submit button.  We have our WEB Librarian to thank for these 
improvements.

Your pages look like a lot of work went into design and as others have 
indicated it looks like nothing has been put into usability.

Thomas



On Monday 19 September 2005 23:55, Stacy Pober wrote:
> 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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Thomas McMillan Grant Bennett		Appalachian State University
Computer Consultant III			P O Box
University Library			Boone, North Carolina 28608

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