Michael's Art 328 Process

Well let's just get right to the good stuff:

View the final website

Changes made since the last post:

• added CSS footer
• main 'Critique' title is also a button that returns the flash to its original state
  
• added helpful rollover descriptions on the 3 site rectangles
• removed previous rollover fade effect
  
• added sub-naviagtion elements for each site and color coded to match arrows
• got rid of the snowflake icon next to navigation links and replaced with a chevron
• each navigation link stays activated after being clicked so you can see the link chosen
  
• added a 'view website' link with coordinating color scheme
• added text content for each web site critique
• made the website title a button that returns to the original open state
• added a header at the top of the flash file
• added the required windows&mirrors text into my css section
• changed the fonts from eurostile to agency fb and univers
• reworked the 'close' button to sit flush with the top of the content box
• the colored arrows still allow you to skip to any website section

I believe that's it. I really enjoyed working through all the quirks and refining the details so that the user interaction was quite clear and helpful. I added the rollOver descriptions after I read a top 10 navigation post on some blog that showed the progression of navigation menu systems. One of the notable items it suggested is that people want to know more before they click; a la rollOver descriptions.

TOTALLY just remembered that I needed to post my site map, so here it is:

View site map

Even though the previous critique illustrated that events occurring on mouse rollOvers was uncommon and unexpected I decided to make all the arrows rollOver to see the effect anyways:

View rollOvers!

I was browsing the Art 328 Blackboard site and saw that we have a required document to insert on our web site: "webContent.doc"

I am unsure how most of you feel but I think it is somewhat obtrusive to our site and our critique. I agree that the document is the supporting article that drives the reason for this critique lesson but I disagree about making it required to put on our site.

To me it's a challenge to figure out a way to integrate it and give it purpose without letting it stick out like a sore thumb; as just some block of content tagged onto the site. In a way it relates to some real world experiences I've had developing sites and the client insisting on certain pieces being on their site.

This document is quite long and not very concise. It has an elitist tone in how it states how design on the web should be. I believe it does a good job with the analogies to windows and mirrors but that's where it should stop in my opinion.

I received some great feedback on my last post and agreed with what was said. So I revised the interactivity and animation style to be more intuitive and effective with simpler animations. See for yourself:

View website

Now instead of the slanted rectangle painting out horizontally then vertically, it just grows in one motion. Instead of having this painting take effect on mouseOver it now occurs on mouseClick with an added lightening effect on mouseOver. I added in some text content below the flash piece to describe the purpose of the website and its design as it applies to the project goal. I felt this bit of information is always good to refer back so I did not give it its own section. That way it's always visible/accessible. I may add a footer at the very bottom that contains an e-mail link and other tertiary information.

At this point I have all the main interactivity finished for guiding the user to the content. What I have left to do is insert the supporting content into each website's critique. Before I begin that process I would like to get some feedback on the current interactivity:

View website

Is it easy to navigate and are the navigational elements easy to find?

There is a combination of interactive styles on the main page: mouse-over events and mouse-click events. Do you feel this combination is good or should all the arrows always be mouse-overs or mouse-clicks?

Do you feel this site needs an 'About' section to explain the purpose or should that already be incorporated without a separate section?

Does the site design/interactivity compete with the content?

Today I began building my flash layout and implementing the navigation/interactivity:

View Website

Even though I will most likely be building my website in Flash; I have gone through the exercise of building a website in XHTML/CSS:

View website

AvidLip's website is another XHTML/CSS website using the mootools javascript framework I have developed recently:

View website