What does it look like?
IDEO - When you first enter the site you are greeted by IDEO's design work but in a violet colour, which makes the web application interesting very delicate to look at. The main menu icon have been given a bolder look, for example they've used font rather then imagery. This makes the web page very unusual.
All the pages on this site have different colour variations and schemes to it. As well as the colours interpreted makes the web application look sophisticated.
Sony - The Sony website is a very simple due to the the layout and fonts used. It looks user friendly and the button linking to the other pages supports this, being that each button is clearly labelled telling the users directly where they would be taken too. As a result it makes it easy to navigate.
When the user opens the main page the colours are quite plain and not very appealing to the viewers. However when you go through the site the colours change making it more eye-catching. I like part of the website because it creates a lively atmosphere in the design. The layout itself is very simple showing an image of the product being sold, price and the brief description just like an online shopping site would do.
Apple – I like Apple’s web design because the have stuck to the theme of how all the products they sell looks like, slick and funky. Also this works for the site because this theme is how people interpret apple products.
Like the 'Sony' site the products have been set in shopping site layout, which makes the web application easy to navigate. However this only occurs in the 'store' part of the site.
NOW - NOW has a user friendly layout that is simple for everyone because many different people from different backgrounds use it. It is simple and very easy to use and navigate.
The buttons on the page have been clearly labelled to make it that little bit easier. The colours have been kept to a minimum but being that the page is for educational purposes and also the fact it creates a sophisticated atmosphere. I feel that this was a conscious decision.
How easy is it to use?
IDEO - When you first enter the site the buttons look very unusual. It looks very busy and there's alot of links brought up in one time. One thing that the designer did not think of was the page size and the layout. What I did not realise and as I think many others would not realise is that there is a menu bar at the bottom of the page, but you have to scroll down to find it. I think this is the down side to the web page because some people may not be able to find it, due to the size of the page.
Sony - All of the navigation buttons are on the left hand side making it easy for the user to see which link will go. They have a search bar in the top right hand corner, which is always useful because if the user wants a specify something then that's where they would search he item.
I noticed that there main products have been put in bold, which makes it stand out from the others.
Apple - I feel that the apple web site has the easiest to navigate through. With the buttons clearly labelled at the top you can navigate through the site and easily find your way around the site.
NOW - NOW being a new site I'm still finding quite difficult to use. All of the things I need I can find without a problems because they have been clearly labeled and place in a certain area of the site. Whats better is that the they have provided an explanation for each page so the user knows what its about, I feel that this was a conscious idea because being a new site people are still learning what the site is about. Also the layout is simple and the info on the pages very clear to use and understand.
How relevant is the content of the site?
IDEO is a design company so can expect them to have many different contents that show their design work, this is relevant to the site.
Sony and Apple I feel have more along the same content within there sites. The main aim for both sites is to sell their products and so all of the content that I have seen in this site is all relevant to this subject.
NOW is a different site completely and needs certain pieces of content to be successful and to help students. When it first launched I was not impressed with it at all. However recently it has began started working again .
How clearly is the content organised?
IDEO - The main page on IDEO is very jumbled and in your face so the main page isn't really organized. Therefore your are immediately brought to a page packed with different designs and even when you click on a link the user is still greeted with a number of different links.
Sony - I feel that Sony has organised the content in a manner that an online shopping site should be, with each product placed in its certain area, the links under each product linked directly to its description its all very easy to navigate through, because its organised. Like the IDEO page I feel that the first page is still very jumbled and there's alot of information to take in. As a result it looks really professional.
Apple - Apple is the most successful out of all the sites. All of the content has been organised clearly and in a way the users can find what they want. It seems that the content has been organised in a manner that the imagery is the main point of each page, I feel that this was a good idea because having a clear image on what is on that certain page provides the user with a clearer idea on what they're looking at.
NOW - The content in the NOW site could be organised in a more user friendly way. I still find it hard to find what I'm looking for. Even though the site has provided instructions on what to do you still have to find the page before the help is provided. Out of all of the sites I would say that this is the one that is the least organised but it is the newest site so this could potentially change in the future, due to it being an educational site.
