Good vs Bad Websites

Good Design>>>
Design feature	Summary
Text	The text should be an appropriate size, have enough contrast from the background, and be arranged in an easy to read format.
Navigation	The user should be able to easily navigate around the site. Links should be easily recognized and should get the user to where they want to go. Also they should be able to go to a page that links back to the homepage at anytime.
Links	Links should be easy to see. You should be able to distinguish between a link and text. They shouldn't blink or be distracting.
Graphics	Graphics are a download-able size. They are simple and get the point across that you are trying to convey to the user.
General Design	A good general design is simple to navigate. The layout should have enough contrast to see what is needed by the user. The page highlights the content of the site, and is not distracting from it.

Notes:

Bad Design>>>
Design feature	Summary
Text	The text is too small for older viewers or people that have bad eyesight. You have to scroll across horizontally to read a paragraph.
Navigation	It is not easy for the user to find the way to information or products. Pages do not link back to one another.
Links	Links don't link to pages. They are annoying and are animated.
Graphics	Graphics are too large. They don't serve purpose to the site. They are just over sized text.
General Design	The page is left at the default settings or the page has no contrast. The background is distracting and hard to read.

Notes: Describe the purposes of each site reviewed below. (Include whether it was easy to determine the purpose:

Example of Poorly Designed Site >>>
Design feature		Support your choices with specific features of the site.
URL of site #1:http://robertbrowninteriordesign.com/Artist.asp?ArtistID=17261&Akey=STJMS9E5
Text	Site #1:The navigation text is small and hard to read. It also doesn’t have enough contrast to pop off the white background. Some text is in all caps and seems like yelling.
Navigation	Site #1:The Nav is along the bottom of the page and the sub menus are along the right hand side. The side navigation only has thumbnail images that are very small and hard to view.
Links	Site #1:The only links are from the nav bars. The roll over turns a box around it grey.
Graphics	Site #1:The thumbnails that you use to navigate are too small. The gallery images are not labled and I don’t know what they are.
General Design	Site #1: The site is simple, which is good, but there isn't a lot of content that sets it apart from other websites. The text is small and hard to read.
Examples of Well Designed Sites >>>
Design feature		Support your choices with specific features of the site.
URL of site #1:http://www.browndesigninc.com/portfolio.html
URL of site #2: http://www.wallpaper.com/interiors
Text	Site #1:The text is a good size to read and there is enough contrast from the background to be legible.
	Site #2: The text is a little small, but easy to find what you were looking for.
Navigation	Site #1:The nav is along the left side with text that is large enough to read. The links are easy to navigate and takes you to where you want to go.
	Site #2: The navigation is easy to understand and the layout features the articles that you can browse through.
Links	Site #1: The links are easy to follow. I knew where I was going when I clicked on them. They even had a way to link back to the pages. When you click on the blog, there is a link to take you back to the site's homepage.
	Site #2: Links are bolder than other text and turned red when you roll over them.
Graphics	Site #1: The graphics are large enough to understand. They are labeled by room so you know what you are looking at in that gallery.
	Site #2: The graphics are clear and are a good size.
General Design	Site #1: The overall design is tasteful and doesn't distract from the content.
	Site #2: The overall design is clean and well laid out. It appeals to the user.