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

Group: 6
Student names:
Droz-dit-Busset Arnault, GUILLAUME PHILIBERT, CONAIL STEWART

Date: 16.05.2007


 

Content analysis (weight: 10/40)

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

·          The header with on the left the name of the company and on the right side the slogan with some graphic background and just under the different languages offered

·          On the left frame the main menu.

·          The main frame is divided horizontally in 3 parts :

1.       The upper one contains some questions which resume the goals of this website.

2.       In the middle we find the search panel

3.       The last part contains the recommendation system which proposes “hot” destinations.

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

 We estimate that the percentage of white is about 30 %. The white colour has different meanings in our occidental culture. Many positive connotations such as purity, innocence, peace. But it has also a negative etymological signification like emptiness. In our case, this is emptiness of content. The users want to have information to make a good choice.

 

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)

·          The logo and the slogan should be together to create a true brand identity.

·          We could add some new images to better illustrate the business goals of the website. The users don’t want to travel with some dark clouds as an example of destination as we see on the header.

·          Add more “Hottest Destinations”. The images are too big in comparison to the text. We could reduce the size and add some new “hot” trips. It accentuates the offer proposed by the website and of course the possibility to increase the revenue.

·          The sentences in the upper main frame are useless because the user have to perceive the goals of the website just in looking at its different parts. If we have very clear design structure and appropriate label the user already understand the goals.

·          The main menu need to be more friendly and we have to add new features to enrich the content such as for example the possibility for users to log in and have their own space with the all the travels they have done.  It adds also the possibility to better target the members with specific ads.

·          The search feature needs to be more accurate. We could add a precise period for the travel with a date of departure and return, a precise place of departure and arrival and all the information needed to offer a relevant result.

·          We could also add a recommender system which propose personalized new trip in function of members recommendation. You need of course to become a member of our community.

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)

We would do a complete reorganization of the website. In detail:

1.       The sentences take to much space. As we said a clear design and information structure of the website give already the answer to these questions. And we could add new feature instead of this useless white space.

2.       The search feature needs to be improved because it’s the core feature of the site and the usability and the information needed by the user should be improved.  We add some new fields to the search panel because we think that the fields which were chosen didn’t express precisely the functional goals to the search part. And we move it to the left side of the main frame.

3.       The brand identity is very important to achieve a business goal. The name of the company “Click & Leave” may have different meaning such as the user click and go to another travel website.  We should find a name which captures the real goal of the website. The slogan is quiet good but, as we said before , we should group them together to reinforce the identity.

 

 

Layout design (weight: 20/40)

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

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

 

-- end of this assignment ---