ZoomConcept Reviews
Summary:
Hello Geert,
I like where you are going with this design. I love the typaces and I always enjoy brown and light-blue colorschemes. The logo is simple but catchy at the same time, the "T" is guilty for that, good one.
A couple of issues I find: 1. Black on brown: Not a good contrast for reading, you might want to change that. 2. The site does look very nice but also some how incomplete, I'd like to see something else, maybe an illustration or picture helping the text to communicate what the business is about. It's needing some more spice for me right now. 3. Regarding usability, you migh want consider a footer and nowadays no link to social sites is like being totally out.
All in all, looks really good. Good job.
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Geert-Jan Brits commented:
Since the icons (comment above) might still not give enough visual 'oomph' to the site, I was thinking about something like 1 or 2 really simple watermark-style sketches, around the edges, spicing things up a bit. What do you think?
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Ezequiel Jaime commented:I was thinking sketches as well. Just outlined illustrations. Can't wait to see it!
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Geert-Jan Brits commented:
I added something different for now. I personally like it, but perhaps I'm fixated on the idea :) I'm still thinking about the illustrations.
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Ezequiel Jaime commented:
Mhhm... nope... that dashed line is not working for me. Sorry!
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Geert-Jan Brits commented:
:) Perhaps I was chasing down the wrong lane. It's actually a woolen thread or something. But the rendering makes it look like some simple dotted line. I wanted to connect it to 'common thread' as to combine strategies together. Perhaps a little far-fetched. Thanks.
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Minor Problem on concept-5.jpg 1 hard to read Serious Problem on concept-5.jpg 1 avoid this placement Serious Problem on concept-6---common-thread.jpg 1 Avoid this type of print ad approach Critical Problem on concept4.jpg 1 Looks like a print ad versus a website Summary:
Hi Geert-Jan,
Consider using a different grid template:
- Inspirational template - a bit more 'alive' Sometimes it's OK to start with a commercial template. Notice the color balance & the placement of the navigation. The best way to deliver your message is to 'keep it simple'
- Change the background color to something more 'exciting' and connected to 'strategy'. Visitors may get the wrong psychological message from the current gray background
- Content: Don't try to be too clever (Common thread content). Online, you have 2-5 seconds to get a visitors attention. Try to connect on more of a subconscious level (Read: Framing and Reciprocity & social proof)
Hope this helps
MichaelR
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Geert-Jan Brits commented:
I realize the navigation is out of the ordinary. To clarify: I wanted to go with a 1-page design: clicking the nav-elements would scroll the page. Perhaps a little too exotic, especially for a site that's about UX among other things. I'll rethink it.
I agree on the background when having it sunk in a bit. Much too dark.
Social proof and all the other elements of typical 'landing page' stuff were/are coming later, I was just trying to get some feedback on the general look& feel. I agree that it's very important. I should probably rework the layout to get social proof above the fold.
About being too clever about the content: are you referring to the text itself: "lets establish that common thread" or about the design of that with the vertical thread? I'm not a native English speaker, so I'm not too sure if 'establishing a common thread' has any negative / cheezy connotations. To me it seemed to fit the bill pretty good of trying to blend multiple disjoint strategies together. I'd love your opinion on that.
On a similar note, how does the name Abiletee ring with you? Is it immediately clear that it should be pronounced 'ability'?
Review, links and mock-up much appreciated! Thanks.
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Michael Rawlins commented:I think you're on the right track. This is where usability testing comes into play. If you test early and often, you will save time and money. Try http://www.clueapp.com/ (which is free) to see what people can remember from seeing your site for 5 seconds (which is just about the amount of time you have to grab their attention)
When I say "try not to be too clever", what I mean is - on average, people come to a given website with superficial interest in the topic, the offering, your sites value proposition. You need to hook them get their attention. Watch this video to get on the same page with my thoughts (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EC7VLjIw8hY). Visitors will be taking the peripheral cognitive process route to connect to your message. You need to think about this in early wireframes - and ensure that your site design accommodates your visitors.
In my very quick modification using the commercial template (my attachment) - you can see, I'm recasting the 'hook-message' into a more expected placement on the page. Question becomes - is that a hook to get a visitor to process information through a more central route of the EML model.
:)
Attached Files:
Summary:
I love the blue/brown combination. I love the logo and I really like the typography.
I'm just missing that something which gives it all impact and grabs the attention. It's all a bit flat right now. It needs maybe a tiny touch of or if not that then some illustration or line drawing which is of enough visual interest to grab the eye and more quickly convey what the site is all about.
I really like Michael's mock up in terms of the eye contact really grabs the user attention quickly but I can see that this design is much more modern and individual than the very traditional corporate template.
If your aim is to convert visitors to contact you, maybe make that contact us more prominent and together with the main headlines to the site rather than separate.
I can see that the Method Explained area isn't finished yet. I quite like the unusual navigation - if the site is simple enough and graphic enough, I can see this working for you. I reckon a nice infographic or line drawings to illustrate more quickly what the company is all about with the coming full circle and working the type headlines into this infographic, you'll grab the site visitor more quickly and engage them more.
I hope this makes sense - it's very late here now.
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Geert-Jan Brits commented:
Thanks Emma, it makes a lot of sense. Indeed I was aiming for something more modern and I like the unusual nav. Perhaps switching it to the left (and moving the contextual 'balloons' that aren't balloons to the right) would be more in line with common wisdom. I'm rethinking that.
I do agree with you (and everyone else commenting) that the site needs something eye-catching.
I'm indeed thinking about some infographic stuff: I want to kill the "you need that integrated perspective" section, because it doesn't add much (at least not as important to warrant this prominent position) that would enable me to have 'method explained above the fold on all browsers. Here, 4 categories are explained: findability, usability, engageability, convertability. I feel these pretty much sum up the 360 deg. strategy. I could present them in an infographic at that point as slices of a piechart or something. Not really sure about that yet.
Of course, I like the fact that the categories all end in '-ability', referring back to the company name. Need to make that apparent as well :)
Does the 'coming full circle' work for you, as in referring to the 360 degree / all-encompassing web-strategy? I'm asking because I'm not a native English speaker, and the dictionary meaning seems to indicate a meaning of 'coming back at the point were you started', which is similar but not quite the same. It seemed to ring good with the 360 degree strategy though...
Aside from this, as discussed with Ezequiel, I'm looking into some line-drawings to spice things up a bit more. More of watermark style, not really part of the contents. Not sure if that's still needed when the infographic is in place. Only one way to find out.
About the Call-to-action: yeah, it should also be part of the main content as well I think. Making users warm for it, and then let the 'contact us' flow in there naturally. At the same time, I like the placement of it now, since the right column (nav + 'contact us') is fixed positioned, so it always stays in place, even though the main content scrolls. Perhaps I could have it both, although this may be a bit ambiguous. Hmm, lots to think about.
Thanks again!
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Summary:
Hi,
Actually the concept is ok but you didn't build anything in the left top corner which is normaly the first place where user looks.
I feel also that the logo should be bigger..
I hope that the requested action for your page is to click Contact us button. If it is then it is ok because this button is most visible.
The information: Method explained -> I'm noob and have problem with this explanation :) What ability? convert to what? TODO.. I'm not an expert but I think you should speak more with clients laguage - and the clients probably aren't experts too.
What should I ready in first place to stay more than 3 seconds?
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Geert-Jan Brits commented:
Thanks Kristof,
the method explained was actually still under construction (that what's the TODO is about), so I'm not surprised you couldn't make sense of it :).
Indeed 'contact-us' the the CTA.
Concerning the top-left being the most important: that's actually not completely true. The first place to look for most visitors is about where the main content generally starts on most websites, which is about where I placed the logo. I agree that the logo could perhaps be a bit bigger, I'll have a look
About why to stick with the site, see other comments on ways I'm aiming to do that.. infographic style explanation and/or wireframe sketches, etc. Thanks
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Summary:
I think this website is clean and easy to use. Lots of white-space focuses user attention onto content.
Wont win a beauty contest but does what it says on the tin.
Minor Problem Remove the word - FREE
Get in touch to discuss your challenge. All FREE of course Remove the work free; its better to use the word. we dont' charge to understand your problem. we charge to solve them or something .. not FREENew Idea Add an image to the home page!!
There are lots of elements screaming for attention with the design. The home page needs an image, it could be a collage of websites that you had worked before + sketches + etc., Just to get the user that this site is what they are looking for. Show people the big picture? A slide show of few images would help.
Thanks. Black on brown I agree, it looks outdated as well. I'll work on that. Below 'method explained' I was thinking of doing a 2x2 grid with 4 teasers for the 4 disciplines, with some colorful icons to stand out. Indeed, social is coming (underneath blog) as well as teaser, etc. I wasn't there yet :) Thanks again!