Template for content analysis, filling white space, and layout critiquing

Group: 4
Student names: Junod Cyril, Zheng Da, Kornaros Nikolaos
Date: 11.05.07


 

Content analysis (weight: 10/40)

What are the main content groups found on the current GUI? Please list them below. (5 pt)

- The left menu, allowing the navigation inside the site.
- The title and banner that are on the top of the site, which caracterize the site.
- The center part which contains all the information and is subdivised in three sub-content part:

 To your estimation, what is the percentage of the GUI that is white space? Why is that a problem? (5pt)

We approximate the percentage of white space to 66% of the total space which is quite huge. This is a problem because white space could give the feeling that we have not much to propose or that the site is not finished yet. Elements can seem scattered to hide the emptiness of the whole website. This gives the feeling of a lack of seriousness, or information. But we have to take in account the fact that too much is also not a good choice (we saw that when we had to critique three sites/object/programm at the beggining of the course). We have to find the right amount of information to put in.
White space can be useful to make contrast and thus help the user to identify clearly the information he looks for. But in this case they are not wisely used because they are too present. The website doesn't take advantage of the white space it has. It really gives the feeling that we don't know what to do with all the space we have (due to a lack of information at our disposition, or because we are not serious enough).

 

Content Richness and Completeness (weight: 10/40)

Identify as many elements as you can think of that can be added to the GUI to enrich the content. (5 pt)

First, a login would be quite useful for people that come frequently, so they can quickly get their preferences and profile back. This allow to fidelize the user, and also allow interaction between users. As knowing who likes what, and with who.
Second, we should have a mean to share the experiences that user had with their trips, a mean to make some social networking, because we cannot reach the goal of the website which is to propose trips that are made for them.
Third, having some kind of news, for exemple what are the new trips added or the changes on the existing trips.
We could also imagine as the targeted people are young people to propose promotional (cheaper) trips and not only the hottest's ones.
The site allows the user to create their own trips. Thus the site can provide the customized service.
The site can provide the other relevant information such as hotels and flights
The site provides FAQ, which collects questions the customers have asked and their answers.
We could finally add some visual content, like pictures to represent the attractivness of the proposed locations, and make better use of all this white space.
We also could add icons that emphasize the role of each part.

From the above list, name the top 3 elements that can particularly help the site achieve its functional (business) goals. You may include some explanations for your solutions. (5 pt)

- First a login and profile system have to be added, if you want people to make friends, find people who like the same trips as them you have to keep information and give them the opportunity to get information about other people. So such an element is really important.
- In addition to the login, the community system has to be added, showing the social interaction the site propose. Because as it is a site allowing to discover group trips, maybe users want to stay in touch with the people one met in these journeys
- Including news is a really good way to show that your site is dynamic, and thus made for young people (who by definition are dynamic and want always to discover new things). Of course,it should be updated regularly. Moreover such a system allow them to see quickly if something new is here as they haven't always much time to spend on these things. They want that things go quickly.

 

Layout design (weight: 20/40)

With the newly added content, provide a grouping of contents that belong together. (5pt)

We will compact the existing part to make room for the additional content. And we will add some picture and icons to emphasize the role of each part, and increase the attractivness of the site.
We also will add the necessary interface parts to simulate a login page (in our case the user is already logged in).
The title and banner that are on the top of the site, which characterize the site.
The center part which contains all the information and is subdivided in three sub-content part:
Login and sharing experience(can be put in the left side).
News, such the information about new trips, can be put beneath the title and banner.

Provide a visual rendering of the new content, paying special attention to layout (proximity, alignment, repetition, contrast, typography)   (15 pt)

 

 

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