[Web4lib] What's wrong with this picture?

[John Moss]

Besides the awful look, this page is loaded with errors. You can
validate your pages here
http://validator.w3.org/

John Moss
Holme Roberts & Owen LLP
Library Technical Services
HRO Intranet Specialist 
1700 Lincoln St., Suite 4100 
Denver, Colorado 80203-4541 
303.866.0432 (Direct) 
303.866.0200 (Fax) 
john.moss at hro.com <mailto:john.moss at hro.com>

-----Original Message-----
From: web4lib-bounces at webjunction.org
[mailto:web4lib-bounces at webjunction.org] On Behalf Of Stacy Pober
Sent: Monday, September 19, 2005 5:56 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

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