Navigation:
Is it easy to navigate or difficult?
It is very easy to navigate through the site
How are you led through the site?
The site is set up in a structured format with links on the right that lead you away from the home page and to the other pages involved with the site.
What visual clues are given to tell you how to interact?
The links are in a list to the left, a common way to tell the viewer they are links and when you roll over the words they change color and move slightly to the right. These hotspots let the user know there is something there to use.
Does the designer use a metaphors to get you to move through the website?
Yes, but very limited
What Kind of metaphors are used? Organizational Metaphors = (organized by type, kind etc...); Functional Metaphors = performs a “real world” function (in Photoshop you can figuratively “cut” and “paste”) or Visual Metaphors (common graphic elements familiar to most – the traditional “play”, “fast-forward”, “rewind” buttons found on CD players)
The only metaphor I am seeing is organizational metaphors, organized by type and color of type. I do not see any functional metaphors nor visual ones. I guess there is 1 arrow on the site, but that is a ll.
Information Architecture:
Does the information in t he site make sense?
Yes it does
Can you access the content you want easily?
Yes, I have no issues finding what I want to know
How is the content organized? (B y locati on, alphabet, timeline, category, etc? )
All of their content is organized by location. The main site is a centered conglomeration from every page, and the top left is for the links. When you go to a new page they use the standard top information is the newest and bottom is the oldest
Is there visual and content hierarchy that allows you to easily understand and access the information presented to you?
Yes, the title is an image at the top of the site and from there your eye leads you down (naturally) to more information. T he most important and necessary information is first in the list of links if you are looking for something specifically where as the main page allows the vie wer to explore.
Usability
Is this site easy to use?
Yes it is
How do the above two concepts, navigat ion and information architecture, work in terms of making the site usable or not? Do the metaphors make sense with the content?
Metaphors are not a big focus of this site, however, the few that are used with the organizational metaphors are effective and make the site usable. The information architecture works extremely well for usability. This is by far the main focus of use instead of metaphors
Overall- does the site sustain your interest and engagement?
Yes it does. Engagement is not as powe rful as interest, but I do not get bored looking around the site.
Meaning-Making: (Narrative and Metaphoric Structures)
In what way is the designer creating meaning in this site?
The designer created meaning thro ugh im agery and words. While the graphical elements are cool I do not think they support the meaning of the site that the imager y and words that are on the page.
Are they using metaphor? (Remember, metaphor is very common in our experience with computers, sometimes so common we don’t even realize we are using it, i.e. the desktop, cutting and pasting, file systems, buttons, etc.).
They use buttons for link s, but that is all I am noticing on this site.
Is there a narrative, story or event that unfolds over time?
No, each page has a different message, but all under th e same overall meaning
Is this narrative linear, non-linear, or multi-linear?
The is no real narrative.
Reflection of the User:
Is there a reflection o f you, as the user, on this site? Does it change according to your specific visit? Do you receive mouse feedback? text feedback ? Does the site store any choices you have made? Are you engaged enough in the site to linger and explore.
The only strong sense of reflection is w hen you roll over the links the button changes color and moves and then when you click on a link to a new page, that button stays illuminated and bold to let you know what page you are on. The overall engagement does not make me want to linger and explore, but the graphical elements an d design keeps me long enough
Transparency of Design:
Does the design of the site lead you to pay more attention to the content or to the design itself?
No, not really. I guess I pay more attention to the design than I do to the content because it is a strong overall design that stays similar in all pages
Does the design feel transparent or “natu ral”, leading you to focus on the content and forget the design completely? Or – Is attention called more to the design itself?
The attention is more on the design itself. I don’t lose my self in the page and focus solely on the content, I just let my eye wander aesthetically
Does the transparency or lack of transpa rency of the design make sense with what the site is intending to do?
Yeah, you would have to be interested in the purpose of this site to truly care. If you weren’t a Christian you probably wo uld not care to explore and read becaus e you probably would not agree with the stuff or care about the issues they discuss. So it is very transparent and for this site, its alright.
Screenshots:
Screenshots:
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