Official Luthiers Forum!

Hey folks

I'm getting ready to show my church the work I've done in developing our
site. I'm happy with some things, but only appeased by some other
things. Right now I'm giving it a 7 out of 10, and I'd love to hear your
critiques before I share mine (like the background script inexplicably
working with every browser but explorer for PC).

Any thoughts or ideas?


(I haven't activated the tabs on the community window if that seems to be
a bug).James Orr38913.6684143519

James, you have done a great job so far, easy to navigate in it, bright and well organized! if i ever start a website, will i be able to obtain your services even at distance?

James, you asked for critique right...?
Though once I found them, I thought the pop-out menu items were a cool touch, it took me a while to find the darn things. I was scrolling over the pic trying to find some sort of link. You might find a way to make it all bigger or more obvious. I found that, when I did the design for my site, that the "cool" things were not always appropriate. Sometimes it's best to use the KISS method.
Just my .02 worth

Thanks Paul. What do you think of the colors? I've had the hardest time
working with them and still feel like they're on the weaker side. James Orr38899.5059375

Thanks Serge. We could do something if you'd ever like to. I'm trying to
move away from it all, but I don't mind hopping back in for things and
people I enjoy.

James,

Overall, I like it. I think the colors look good.

I guess I don't see the background script to which you referred, so I can't comment on that. I'd suggest making the lettering for the "service times" and "calendar" links a little larger, so they'll be more apparent to those looking for those items. Also, if somebody uses one of the menu links, is there any reason that the menu can't remain out? I've always found the "now you see it, now you don't" approach to be kind of annoying, because I like to see my options at a glance, rather than having to reactivate the list each time. Just a personal quirk.

Hey James!
    It functioned well! It seems a little funny to use. The colors are a little subdued. It comes across a little plain, but I don't mind that too much!

    It may come to life after everything is finished! When do we get to observe the whole UPC gestalt?   

Billy Dean

_________________
Billy Dean Thomas
Covina, CA

"Multi famam, conscientiam, pauci verentur."
(Many fear their reputation, few their conscience)

Billy, I wish I knew. A committe has to make that decision, then what we
call "session" has to fill up their respective areas with content. It's the
way we presbyterians "like to do things."

On the other hand, the youth pastor and started the youth site two weeks
ago and we're almost done.     

I think I may have the menu open when the site loads, then close after a
second. The change will take all of thirty seconds to do and it seems like
it would improve the usability a good deal.

I really appreciate the feedback. I guess I'm my worst critic so far, haha.

James, i'll finish no 2 and will decide from there if i feel worthy of a website a la Hesh or Kathy, i'd love to share the passion of building and who knows... perhaps a commision build or 2! Will PM you when i'm done! Thanks James!

Serge

Cool

Well, I'm leaving this afternoon to counsel developmentally disabled
adults for a week. It will be my fourth time being part of this particular
camp, but my first in about six years. People who's lives are effected by
legal disability in general actually make up 30% of the United States'
population and establish one of our most culturally neglected people
people groups.

Thanks for the compliments and suggestions, here. The feedback was
great in giving me a feel for things and I'm going to make a couple
changes when I get back!         & nbsp;         & nbsp; 

[quote]& nbsp;        & nbsp; [/quote]

& nbsp; & nbsp;! To you too!

   I found that not only is it very pleasant to work with the disabled, but I also learn more than I ever have, about being a nicer person! Maybe their working more for me?

Have a good time James!

_________________
Billy Dean Thomas
Covina, CA

"Multi famam, conscientiam, pauci verentur."
(Many fear their reputation, few their conscience)

Have a good time James, stay safe and God bless!

Well, as Paul said, you wanted a critique, right? Here's some tough love...   

If the slide out menu serves no purpose other than "it's cool", get rid of it. Besides, it's only cool the first time, and your repeat traffic will eventually become annoyed by it. I use slide-out sub-menus on my site because they allow me to provide more specific navigation without eating up the whole page with it.

Having the main navigation and sub navigation in two places will create confusion. At least put the subs on the left-hand side of the dialog boxes.

_________________
John Watkins
CNC Guitar Parts

Thanks John. I find critiques very helpful which is why I ask for them.

One of my guiding philosophies is to always try my best to represent the
ethos of who someone is or what something is. For example, I'm much
more comfortable with enviornmental portraiture than making someone
look as it they're an elf sprouting out from behind a tree (you know, the
default senior portrait). We know from more than fifty years of research
that sounds and motion communicate, yet so many people approach web
development with a "just the facts, ma'am" approach and try to engage
people by having them read endlessly. An online brochure is easy
enough to make, but to me those sites are the pop music of the internet.

What was very important to me with this site (since it's my church) was to
create a sense of ownership for all of our members. Colors from our past
that our elderly could take ownership in so they don't feel like we're
moving "forward" without them/have forgotten the courageous things
they did to establish us (a rightfully felt fear in the forefront of many
elderly minds), an anti-static approach that would make our members
under 30 take pride in our decision not to opt-out on our society, etc.
More than anything, when that thing first comes up on a screen, I want
people to feel like they're near our sanctuary, not on a website. I'm using
a lot of space and featureing pictures of the sanctuary to help in that.

All in all, it's just a website, but I believe the doing things because they're
the way they've always been done approach is part of where christianity's
and the west's xenophobia springs from. I don't hear anyone here saying
that, but I bring it up because I want you to know what I'm responding to
when I involve myself in an artwork. My fear in making the site in a way
we're all familiar with is that it would communicate that we're just another
church in a area with more than 400 others.

All that to say I do sometimes succumb to doing things because they're
cool, but usually I try to think them out and have bigger reasons. Not
always, but it's something I strive for.

Thanks again! Goodbye for the week.