February 27, 2005
Evaluation of Corante’s Architecture and Navigation
At first glance I was very impressed with Corante’s website, specifically the Text Size function found on the homepage’s upper right corner. The layout is user friendly; there are enough white spaces so that I am not overwhelmed with text, and images are used appropriately. However, the organization of information is not conducive to maximize usage.
Usability
The page design is consistent throughout the site. There always appear to be three sections. For example, on the homepage there are two tables with a box in the first table. The box is outlined and has a darker color background than the table it sits in, giving the appearance of three sections. Additionally, the pages are easy to scan. The site’s navigation tools are easy to find. The two or three white dropdown boxes, the breadcrumbs, and the colorful headlines and links make navigation simple.
Design
Corante’s page design crates a strong and consistent visual hierarchy, emphasizing important elements and logically organizing context. The pages are broken down into three sections that effectively use contrasting background colors, headlines, color and images. The page design is balanced. Headers and font color are used effectively as are the dropdown menus. This design applied to all of the pages within the site, making the site consistent and allowing each page to stand on its own. This supports the sites credibility.
Organization
I do not like the site’s organization of information. Corante has a lot of information, but I believe that listing Industry Insiders and Weblog Columns is not the most effective way to break down the information. I could not find a site map anywhere in the website. I think that the site is too non-linear and confusing. Currently, the Regional section is listed under Industry Insiders. I am sure that New York is not the only region with Industry Insiders (a number of their own editors and writers work on the west coast).
How could the content be better presented?
Because the page design is clear and easy to navigate, the information should be as well.
One suggestion might be to move the information from the dropdown menus to the left column and to separate out Regions. Then, for example, when the reader moves the mouse over the Industries Insiders link, the Web Columns and Regional links would move down and the Industry Insiders links appear as a secondary list. If they did this, then they could move the Corante Blog to the right table and get the shameless advertisement off the homepage. Buy Corante Reprints is a poor use of this space.
What would I suggest to improve the site?
On the homepage have Back to Top links or shorten the page. Scrolling takes away from the usability. The Text Size function should be applicable to the dropdown boxes.
What works?
The Text Size in the upper right corner of the homepage is a great function. Also, the grey boxes on the homepage with More, Recent, and Entries for each new article makes scanning easy.
Posted by arosenst at 02:58 PM | Comments (1)
Learning Style Test Summary
The idea that people have unique learning styles and techniques is not a new concept for me. I believe that it is advantageous to understand this concept and to be able to apply the knowledge of your learning style to your everyday work. It is also equally, if not more, beneficial to understand or anticipate the learning styles of your audience. This understanding will help you mold your context into a form that the majority of the readers will be able to understand without miscommunications or difficulty. Understanding and apply your knowledge of learning styles to your communication is one way to ensure effective communication.
Test Results
Visual – 13
For me, I thought this score would be higher. I believe that I am a visual learner. Most times, I need to see pictures and images in order to grasp a concept.
Aural – 14
I am actually surprised how high this score is. I use to play the trumpet and I enjoy attending concerts from the symphony at Duke to the Walnut Creek Amphitheater, but I would have never guessed that I would use this in my learning.
Verbal – 11
I enjoy public speaking, but I know my vocabulary needs improving, so this is not a surprise.
Physical – 16
I can understand how this relates back to the use of images. If I can physically touch something, then I can usually understand how it works. I also get some of my best ideas working-out.
Logical – 9
This score surprises me. I thought I used logic quite a bit in my learning. Perhaps my logic does not fall in line with ‘normal’ logical learning?
Social – 18
This score does not surprise me at all. As difficult as group work can be, I enjoy working with small groups. I miss being in a classroom setting, and feel that online courses miss out on opportunities to engage in class discussions because the interaction is not immediate.
Solitary – 16
This score does not surprise me either. As much as I enjoy working with groups and being apart of the ground, I need my time alone. I take pride in things that I accomplish on my own. I have never been one to participate successfully in a study group. I would prefer to go to the group, get my assignment, finish it on my own and then bring my work back to the group.
How the results might affect how I plan my content
As previously mentioned, I believe that it is important to try to understand not only where I am coming from in my learning style, but also where others are coming from. These test results will defiantly influence the way I present my content.
Data Smog is an issue that needs to be address concisely. This will require several drafts and rewrites on my part. Additionally, the subject requires a logical organizational design – another issue for me that will require an additional set of eyes. Visually, Data Smog is an interesting concept to work with. Do people need to see information in a cluttered mess and then in a clean format to understand the idea of smog? As a person who learns with pictures and images, I will include them - but will try to do so in a fashion that complements the text instead of substituting. For example, the numbers illustrating the jump in average word-per-day read by individuals would make a wonderful graft. This use of images would help illustrate where we were ten years ago compared to where we are today.
Posted by arosenst at 12:49 PM | Comments (0)