Saturday, November 18, 2006

Jury's Out

Normally, I hate it when web designers get clever with navigation. I don't want to have to figure out your Flash-based navigation system when I visit a site; I want it to behave in predictable ways when I visit so I can find what interests me. I want it to be fast. Watching a "site loading!" graphic when I just wanted some basic info usually makes me just leave the site altogether.

My goal is to find what I need, not to sit in awe of your design prowess and conclude that you must own more turtlenecks and cool shoes than the other designers. It's not about you, it's about me.

That said, I'm really not sure what I think of this site for some condos in Atlanta. It has a funky layout that feels like sliding around a globe. But it works well, is kind of cool - and is supplemented with a more traditional set of links up at the top. (I wonder if that was something that the designer didn't want to do but the client insisted on.)

What do you think?  

4 comments:

Maureen Rogers said...

Well, it's quite a nice design from the aesthetic point of view: color palette that you don't see everywhere, interesting graphics - I'm sure it works well in their printed materials. But I found the navigation disconcerting - a bit dizzying. I felt like I was sliding on ice - a little out of control.

Anonymous said...

Initially, I had the same reaction - "Oh God, another flash monstrosity" - but they're selling high end condos, and the experience must be one of complete professionalism from start to finish. In this case, I think they had to go a little over the top to show "we're better, we're worth the difference."

Anonymous said...

Well, there's no nice way to say this. I ha†ed it. Ditto re making me dizzy> Yet I give them credit for trying to cover up the lack of content with creativity. I'm willing to bet the designer had very little with which to work so they did their best with the "sizzle" hopig there wouldn't be a crank like me asking "where's the steak?"

Square footage? Lay-outs? Landscaping? Are they using "green building" techiques? Info about the company? What else have they developed? Why should I get excited about this sufficiently to fill out a form? Have they gotten some press? If so, what and where? WHere are the links to other info and that press?

If this, in fact, a "high-end" development(in my city, "starting at $180K" isn't high-end) - why don't they have gorgeous photos of the property? blueprints?

I could go on, but you get the idea.

Anonymous said...

And, you can tell I was dizzy - look at the typos in my previous comment.

Here's another snafu - when I click on "download an application" all that is there is a pdf of a cover letter referring to the "enclosed" application and telling me where to send my $1,500.

Are you sure these people are in Atlanta and not Nigeria?