OUGD504: Design for Web Crit

This morning, we were dived into four groups. In these groups we were asked to present our current ideas for our design for web brief. We were required to bring scamps and thumbnails to this crit to display to the other group members. Our group was with Amber and Simon. This gave us an opportunity to gain a range of useful feedback.


I made notes throughout the session, ensuring I remembered all the feedback given to others which I felt was relevant to my own work. These points were:

• How to scroll? - Be weary. When scrolling down a page, you may lose your navigation. There is a way to prevent this.
• The most successful websites usually place the navigation bar in the same place throughtout the entire website. This keeps the structure consistent, increases the user satisfaction and saves time when using the website.
• Colour theory - make sure the colours are appropriate and reliable to the concept. Don't just choose colours because they look good.
• Research into rollovers and mouse icons - make an informed decision based on your concept. 
• Research website features and functions.
• Remember the advantage of web is that it is dynamic - continuously changing and updated. What is the point in making a static website? - This will become outdated
• Too much text can be overhwhelming -- keep it simple and to the point. 

As I was struggling a bit with this brief, I found this crit really useful. Voicing my ideas and showing my designs helped me realise which ideas were stronger than others. I received really constructive feedback. A few questions were raised, which I had not considered. Questioning my ideas properly helped me to specify how I wanted my website and who I wanted to aim it towards. My specific feedback was:

• If you are focusing your idea on a place, maybe narrow it down to city/town/destination.
• Specific places will help you narrow down your content.
• Focusing on the design meanings rather than places would be more unusual.
• An older audience are more likely to be interested in places. Students would probably be more keen to know about the meanings and structures of the design -- may want to apply to their own work.
• Do you want to focus on the art or the place? Decide as soon as possible.
• Definitely try to include information on the meanings of different Islamic designs.
• Including your own interpretations/ approaches to the designs will help inform your content.
• Keep the content clean and clear -- the content is detailed so you need to maintain a good balance.
• Appropriate type and layout is important but keep it simple.
• Could be effectively aimed towards students interested in how and why the designs have been created.
• Include images
• Create specific pages focusing on each design/craft.
• Maybe focus website on Morocco as opposed to the whole spectrum of Islamic art. 
• Simplistic design would also work effectively on a small screen.
• 'Infinity'