I originally had a great website designer work on it (Jeremy Thomson), who built an interface into it that would allow me to add/remove products whenever i wanted to, but i no longer have creative control beyond emailing him periodically to tweak certain things).
One thing that i have learnt from my book: Undercover User Experience Design it that no design is ever finished, and as the website is now over two years old, and having new skills i feel i can redesign it myseld and learn some jquery and javascript as well as developing html and css skills. I also want to make the website beautiful and simple to use: to make it an experience in itself.
My website sells custom made independent fashion and is currently high-street in its pricing, but i want to push it to the middle independent level and get into higher end boutiques, which means breaking with the conventional dresses i want to move on from, and having a new website and look and feel to match.
I want smooth transitions, colourful images, a clean simple but branded site and to teach myself some things along the way.
'Undercover User Experience Design' introduced a research method called 'card sorting' which is a way of users telling you how they think your information should be laid out. http://www.optimalworkshop.com/optimalsort.htm was one of the links they gave, and it is fabulously easy to use and share, with great analytical tools once the data is collected. This information would be greatwhen redesigning my website, and i will trial it on friends and family at first to tweak my card sorting categories, and then extend it to helpful customers.
I did a demo card sort here: https://bananacom.optimalworkshop.com/suite/optimalsort/participant/instructions.jsf?p=p494131
It was actually really interesting to see where i expected certain things to be. When i'm on a website, and things arent where id logically expect them to be, i get frustrated and could even leave the website. Or, something that the book brought up in chapter 2: the website should fulfil its promises: sometimes i get to a website expecting there to be certain content and it just isnt there. Sometimes its something critical like when shopping online i.e. garment measurements since i am quite tall, or it could be something smaller like minimal delivery information that makes the website seem less trustworthy.
Note: i need to redesign my portfolio website too!! But will wait until i get formal feedback!
I’ve always believed that application was the best way to test what you’ve learned. Redesigning and re-branding your own website is definitely a very good first step. Once you’ve mastered your designing skills, you can start marketing yourself as a web designer. Web designers are in high demand these days especially since many businessmen and companies are taking to cyberspace to promulgate their work.
ReplyDelete--Glenn Evans --
That’s a really good point, Glenn! Practice your web designing skills with your own sites first, and soon you’ll be good enough to sell yourself as a talented web and graphic designer. With so many people looking to put up their own businesses, a lot will be putting up websites as well. Unfortunately, not all of them have the knowledge required to make an appealing and functional site. I’m sure you’ve been doing great with your site!
ReplyDelete++ Jamie Viggiano
“…sometimes i get to a website expecting there to be certain content and it just isnt there.” – I experience the same thing as well with low-quality websites. Updating your inventory online is very important. Otherwise, customers would lose interest. I sure hope to see what’s new with your website!
ReplyDeleteKristofer Mcginty