Developing an Understanding of the Clients Needs
Understanding Clients Needs
Before designing the website I need to develop an understanding of the client, to make it fit the market apporatially for their users. Some of the things that I needed to consider before designing the website were:
What was the purpose for the site and what was the target audience?
The purpose of the site was initially to give information to visitors about the exhibition as well as, an archive of the events and artists at the exhibition.
The target audience would most likely be a variety of people including students, adults and the elderly. Because of this we decided early on that it had to be user friendly.
Is it going to be mobile friendly?
The majority of people now using their mobiles for the internet is growing each year. So the website would have to be mobile friendly to get the maximum amount of visitors.
What are other similar websites doing?
I will have to investigate, analyse and evaluate similar websites to see how to be a better version of these online platforms.
How creative can I be?
Currently I know that the site has to be not to complicated so its easily accessible however, I will through out some example designs to see how the group likes them.
Review of Similar Online Platforms
When investigating for similar websites to analyse, I choose three different websites firstly Tate which is a website for no just one exhibition but multiple galleries. Secondly Unseen which is a website for one of the largest photographic festivals in Europe. Finally Format which is similar to Unseen however, the website is more user friendly. Some of the aspects I will be looking for within the websites design include;
First Impressions
Accessibility
Overall Design Layout
Tate Website
The first impression of this website are is quite simple yet modern, the full width feature video is really intriguing making me want to click on the link button placed above it. As well as the clear menu bar below the logo makes it easy to coordinate the website from first glance. The title "Galleries" at the bottom of the screen makes you understand that you can scroll for more information.
Accessibility wise the site is very simple especially the home page as they split the page into sections for example, having the "Galleries," "Exhibition & Events" and "Shop." They also have two main menu bars to access the different parts to the website. Finally the search function makes it easy to find certain information when needed.
The overall design layout is very practical as it concentrates on accessibility over aesthetics however, visually it still is very pleasing. This design is seems to have been made for all age groups alike the Tate's audience throughout their galleries.
Unseen Festival Website
The first impression of this website is that it is very focused on aesthetics with its initial full screen feature image. The site is not complicated however, it doesn't have the usual scroll a homepage would. I quite like this as it makes the site memorable however, it means you have to click multiple pages and this might be difficult for the elderly, who don't have much experience with the internet.
Accessibility wise the site uses lots of drop down menus which can some times be quite annoying to use however, they compliment the aesthetics.
The overall design is very beautiful and still works overall well however, it is not suitable for ROTOR's demographic as it will consist of elderly people who may not be able to use the website easily.
Format Festival Website
The first impression of this website are varied the site looks very accessible however, it also looks very generic compared to the likes of Unseen. Although the drop down menus are very clear, making it easy to roam the website.
Accessibility of the website is great everything is clearly set into sections, it uses clear drop down menus and everything is space out so you don't get confused.
The overall design focuses on the accessibility of the website and does this perfectly. However I think they should of used some of their amazing photography to liven up the aesthetics of the website.
My Evaluation
After reviewing these three websites I have picked the best points to implement into my first homepage website design. Firstly I liked the first impressions Unseen gave with the large feature image, it really incises you into the website and is memorable. Secondly the drop down menus that every website used was implemented, as it makes the site less cluttered but more accessible. Finally I added a few other features such as social media links to help spread the exhibition, plus like Unseen a clear logo and dates in the top left hand corner.
