Matthew Wardrop wrote: > at http://members.ii.net/~colins_electrical/ooodevel/5/ . > > What do you think?
The design below the download box is interesting. I can grow to like it. I do have one major grip with it: the "Resources" section is not only moved, it's completely hidden from view on an initial load. It may not seem important to you, you already know where the resouces are, but the site visitor doesn't. In particular, the visitors we care about most (the new ones) are totally unfamiliar with this. The Resources section is *very* important. Second only to download. It really absolutely needs a more prominent location. This is important. After someone downloads the product, the next thing they'll need is figure out how to make it do what they want. that includes asking people for help or reading documentation. Furthermore, for the next tier uses who are already competent with the software, mailing lists and forums remain very important, as they are the primary contact with the community. And documentation remains important for those who wish to extend their skills beyond the basics. Except for this one problem, the site is fantastic. It's beautiful, it's clean. I like what you did wht the NLC section. *** BUT *** this one problem is a very significant problem. Consider this article on usability which I summarize below: Title: Usability 101: Introduction to Usability URL: http://www.useit.com/alertbox/20030825.html Why does usability matter? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ On the Web, usability is a necessary condition for survival: If a website is difficult to use, people *leave*. If users get lost on a website, they *leave*. If a website doesn't answer users' key questions, they *leave*. Note a pattern here? There's no such thing as a user reading a website manual or otherwise spending much time trying to figure out an interface. There are plenty of other websites available; leaving is the first line of defense when users encounter a difficulty. Another good resource is "Are Users Stupid?" http://www.useit.com/alertbox/20010204.html Part of what this article does is counter the falacy that because an action is *possible* to do, that means the site is well designed. Sure, it is *possible* for someone to scroll down and click on "Mailing lists". But requiring that adds a barrier that a lot of people will not be able to cross. When you first visit the page, these resources are simply invisible. And only a small minority of the population will actively search for the help information which the site is not providing. Cheers, -- Daniel Carrera | I know everything, I just can't remember Join OOoAuthors today! | it all at once. http://www.oooauthors.org | :-) --------------------------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] For additional commands, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
