Colour evokes emotion. People use colour to set the mood of a room, whether it’s a calming bedroom, a fresh bathroom, or a cheerful kitchen. Colour can enhance mood in business settings as well, for example, to encourage productivity in office settings, to promote relaxation in restaurants and spas, or to convey excitement and innovation.
After doing a little exploring on the use of colour in Web design, I find that the use of colour is also a key factor in attracting viewers to stay on a Web page, by appealing to their emotions. But, different cultures associate colours with different emotions, so the colours I use on my page will have different psychological effects for people from various cultures.
Apparently, blue is universally the most popular favourite colour, so I'd be pretty safe choosing blue. In North America and Europe, white signifies purity while in India it means death. Red is the colour of luck and happiness in China, while it is the colour of anger and danger in Japan. And the list goes on. Colour combinations can also have an effect, increasing or decreasing the effect of a certain colour by balancing it with another.
So I need to decide who will be the target audience for my Web page and what emotion I want to evoke when viewers see my site. And hopefully they'll stick around and explore my work instead of moving on to the next catchy website.
Here are a few links to sites that discuss the use of colour on Web pages
http://www.bovec.com/web-design/
http://molly.com/articles/webdesign/2000-09-colormyworld.php
http://webdesign.about.com/od/color/a/aa072604.htm
Sunday, March 9, 2008
Saturday, February 2, 2008
Jakob Nielsen
The Internet is a friendlier place because of Dr. Jakob Nielsen. The good Dr. holds a Ph.D. in human-computer interaction and focuses on making websites user friendly. He has been called “the guru of Web page usability” (The New York Times).
Dr. Neilsen worked for Bellcore, the Technical University of Denmark, and IBM before going to Sun Microsystems in 1994, where he focused on defining Web usability. He left Sun Microsystems in 1998 to form, with partner Don Norman, Nielsen Norman Group, which offers usability reviews, training, user testing, and a conference about Web usability. Dr. Neilsen stresses that websites should be tested by end users to determine their effectiveness. According to Neilsen Norman research, visitors to a new site average about 30 seconds on the homepage and less than two minutes on the entire site. If they spend 15 of their 30 seconds determining which link to click on, they’ll probably leave.
Dr. Neilsen has 11 books to his credit, the latest being Prioritizing Web Usability (New Riders Press, 2006), and he maintains the following website:
http://www.useit.com/
For a recently written article about Jakob Nielsen (August 2007) go to
http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2007/aug/09/guardianweeklytechnologysection.interviews
Dr. Neilsen worked for Bellcore, the Technical University of Denmark, and IBM before going to Sun Microsystems in 1994, where he focused on defining Web usability. He left Sun Microsystems in 1998 to form, with partner Don Norman, Nielsen Norman Group, which offers usability reviews, training, user testing, and a conference about Web usability. Dr. Neilsen stresses that websites should be tested by end users to determine their effectiveness. According to Neilsen Norman research, visitors to a new site average about 30 seconds on the homepage and less than two minutes on the entire site. If they spend 15 of their 30 seconds determining which link to click on, they’ll probably leave.
Dr. Neilsen has 11 books to his credit, the latest being Prioritizing Web Usability (New Riders Press, 2006), and he maintains the following website:
http://www.useit.com/
For a recently written article about Jakob Nielsen (August 2007) go to
http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2007/aug/09/guardianweeklytechnologysection.interviews
Sunday, January 27, 2008
W3C
When I use the World Wide Web (W3), I marvel at how it works seamlessly to access websites around the world—even those in different languages—to produce the information I’m looking for. This ease of access is greatly due to work done by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C).
http://www.w3.org/Consortium/
The W3C is an international group of organizations that work to maintain consistent international standards for technology developed for the World Wide Web. Its purpose, as stated on the website, is
to lead the World Wide Web to its full potential by developing protocols and guidelines that ensure long-term growth for the Web.
Since the time the Web was first created, different operating technologies for it were developed by different groups, technologies that didn’t necessarily work together. Tim Berners-Lee, the creator of the W3 and of the original technology specifications that support it [URL (Uniform Resource Locator), HTTP (HyperText Transfer Protocol), HTML (HyperText Markup Language], realized that the basic Web technologies springing up should all be made compatible to maximize use of the Web. He founded the W3C in 1989 to pursue this goal. The W3C refers to this goal as “Web interoperability.”
Today, the W3C develops interoperable technologies (specifications, guidelines, software, and tools) and more. It develops software, provides outreach support, educates about the W3, and serves as a forum for discussion about the Web.
Since 1989, the W3C has grown to include over 400 members worldwide—organizations representing diverse fields—and a full-time staff. Any organization may join W3C. Research facilities in the U.S.A., Japan, and France manage W3C activities while world offices around the globe promote W3C technologies in local languages, broaden W3C’s geographical base, and encourage international participation. W3C also works with other organizations that develop Web standards.
And if you want to see examples of websites that conform to W3C standards, go to
http://w3csites.com/
This website was not created by the W3C but by those promoting websites designed according to W3C standards. The top of the home page states 10,842 sites, 6,165 designers, 110 countries, 1 goal. That’s a lot of browsing.
http://www.w3.org/Consortium/
The W3C is an international group of organizations that work to maintain consistent international standards for technology developed for the World Wide Web. Its purpose, as stated on the website, is
to lead the World Wide Web to its full potential by developing protocols and guidelines that ensure long-term growth for the Web.
Since the time the Web was first created, different operating technologies for it were developed by different groups, technologies that didn’t necessarily work together. Tim Berners-Lee, the creator of the W3 and of the original technology specifications that support it [URL (Uniform Resource Locator), HTTP (HyperText Transfer Protocol), HTML (HyperText Markup Language], realized that the basic Web technologies springing up should all be made compatible to maximize use of the Web. He founded the W3C in 1989 to pursue this goal. The W3C refers to this goal as “Web interoperability.”
Today, the W3C develops interoperable technologies (specifications, guidelines, software, and tools) and more. It develops software, provides outreach support, educates about the W3, and serves as a forum for discussion about the Web.
Since 1989, the W3C has grown to include over 400 members worldwide—organizations representing diverse fields—and a full-time staff. Any organization may join W3C. Research facilities in the U.S.A., Japan, and France manage W3C activities while world offices around the globe promote W3C technologies in local languages, broaden W3C’s geographical base, and encourage international participation. W3C also works with other organizations that develop Web standards.
And if you want to see examples of websites that conform to W3C standards, go to
http://w3csites.com/
This website was not created by the W3C but by those promoting websites designed according to W3C standards. The top of the home page states 10,842 sites, 6,165 designers, 110 countries, 1 goal. That’s a lot of browsing.
Sunday, January 20, 2008
Good Websites
When I think of the thousands of websites I've visited over the years, few stick in my mind. I guess I haven't been very observant. Probably the ones that haven't worked are the ones I've left quickly and not given another thought.
So I don't really have any favourite websites--maybe favourite subjects but not particular website designs. How do you pick websites that stand out from the crowd? I decided to start with what others think of as being the best. I googled award-winning websites. I didn't care for some of the choices but the following appealed to me.
Website #1 http://www.reallywildflowers.co.uk/index/
This website selling garden plants etc., is light, airy, and inviting. The page colours are fresh, muted and relaxing, giving the soft breezy feel of a stroll through a garden or meadow. The flowing flower design in the banner, which takes nearly half the depth of the page and is different for each page, gives the same feeling. I like the way the designer has used a different flower on each page as the O in the word "flower." Creative.
Each web page is simply designed and uncluttered. There are only four tabs across the top which highlight as the cursor touches them. The viewer does have to scroll a little to see the whole page, but not much. When you get into the plant collections and so on, the pages get slightly longer, but not much more than two or three scroll actions are needed to get to the bottom.
There's a very clear path to follow getting from the broad picture on each tabbed page to zeroing in on any plant, service or piece of gardening advice. A clear menu down the right-hand side of each of the tabbed pages takes you to more detailed sections. A click on the words or the picture takes you to the final detail and enlarged photo.
Photos of the flowers (as opposed to the drawings) provide intense focal spots of colour on the pages, attracting the eye to the main product.
I also like that words that occur in the body text, and which are key words in the menus, are subtley highlighted so that you know you can click directly on them in the text to take a shortcut to that section. The search box is a good idea so that you can go directly to something specific.
Yup--this one works for me. I can see using it as a model for something I want to work on.
Website #2 http://www.portfolioentertainment.com/
This website promoting an entertainment company wasn't among the award-winners. A friend sent it to me when I started thinking about taking a website design course. She thought it was very effective and I agree. The Portfolio Entertainment website is fast-paced, serving up lots of information in dynamic, well-packaged, bite-sized pieces.
The simplest part of the site is the opening page--the invitation to enter the site. I'm not sure if it's necessary, but it does serve as a moment of calm before entering a busy, action-packed world. It sets the stage as far as colours go too; throughout the website the colours are intense, enhancing the sense of energy that comes from the rest of the design elements.
Once at the "table of contents" page (is that the right term?), I like the fun, little interactive men with umbrellas that trigger the drop-down menus when the mouse passes over them. There's a lot to look at on this website, but not too much at one time. Everything happens within the confines of a centred box rather than within the usual vertical stretch of a web page--perhaps to mimic a TV screen--and you never need to scroll down to see more information. The design keeps eyes focused on the information and pictures presented within the small space. When you click on something new, the pictures and pages change very quickly (even on my slow computer), so you rarely have to wait to see the "next page."
The photos of people who work at the company are shot in unconventional ways, and there are lots of other photos illustrating the work that the company has done. A young, creative look comes through on every page. A video clip provides a one-stop overview of the company if you want to see most of the information presented in one place rather than on the individual pages.
This website shows off Portfolio Entertainment's creative abilites and drive. It's too fast-paced for what I want to do right now, but I think it suits its purpose very well. A+ from me.
So I don't really have any favourite websites--maybe favourite subjects but not particular website designs. How do you pick websites that stand out from the crowd? I decided to start with what others think of as being the best. I googled award-winning websites. I didn't care for some of the choices but the following appealed to me.
Website #1 http://www.reallywildflowers.co.uk/index/
This website selling garden plants etc., is light, airy, and inviting. The page colours are fresh, muted and relaxing, giving the soft breezy feel of a stroll through a garden or meadow. The flowing flower design in the banner, which takes nearly half the depth of the page and is different for each page, gives the same feeling. I like the way the designer has used a different flower on each page as the O in the word "flower." Creative.
Each web page is simply designed and uncluttered. There are only four tabs across the top which highlight as the cursor touches them. The viewer does have to scroll a little to see the whole page, but not much. When you get into the plant collections and so on, the pages get slightly longer, but not much more than two or three scroll actions are needed to get to the bottom.
There's a very clear path to follow getting from the broad picture on each tabbed page to zeroing in on any plant, service or piece of gardening advice. A clear menu down the right-hand side of each of the tabbed pages takes you to more detailed sections. A click on the words or the picture takes you to the final detail and enlarged photo.
Photos of the flowers (as opposed to the drawings) provide intense focal spots of colour on the pages, attracting the eye to the main product.
I also like that words that occur in the body text, and which are key words in the menus, are subtley highlighted so that you know you can click directly on them in the text to take a shortcut to that section. The search box is a good idea so that you can go directly to something specific.
Yup--this one works for me. I can see using it as a model for something I want to work on.
Website #2 http://www.portfolioentertainment.com/
This website promoting an entertainment company wasn't among the award-winners. A friend sent it to me when I started thinking about taking a website design course. She thought it was very effective and I agree. The Portfolio Entertainment website is fast-paced, serving up lots of information in dynamic, well-packaged, bite-sized pieces.
The simplest part of the site is the opening page--the invitation to enter the site. I'm not sure if it's necessary, but it does serve as a moment of calm before entering a busy, action-packed world. It sets the stage as far as colours go too; throughout the website the colours are intense, enhancing the sense of energy that comes from the rest of the design elements.
Once at the "table of contents" page (is that the right term?), I like the fun, little interactive men with umbrellas that trigger the drop-down menus when the mouse passes over them. There's a lot to look at on this website, but not too much at one time. Everything happens within the confines of a centred box rather than within the usual vertical stretch of a web page--perhaps to mimic a TV screen--and you never need to scroll down to see more information. The design keeps eyes focused on the information and pictures presented within the small space. When you click on something new, the pictures and pages change very quickly (even on my slow computer), so you rarely have to wait to see the "next page."
The photos of people who work at the company are shot in unconventional ways, and there are lots of other photos illustrating the work that the company has done. A young, creative look comes through on every page. A video clip provides a one-stop overview of the company if you want to see most of the information presented in one place rather than on the individual pages.
This website shows off Portfolio Entertainment's creative abilites and drive. It's too fast-paced for what I want to do right now, but I think it suits its purpose very well. A+ from me.
Blog Discoveries
Do I know how to pick 'em or do I know how to pick 'em!?
The David Hingsburger blog I chose as a favourite --Chewing the Fat--in my first blog has just been nominated in three categories for a Canadian Blog Award--Best Blog, Best Activist Blog, and Best Blogosphere Citizen. Blogosphere? Hmmm--a whole new language.
And wouldn't you know--I learned of a new blog the day after making my choices. It would have made my favourite list just because it will chronicle the story of a dear friend of mine and her fellow church members as they travel to a small village in Uganda. They've gone for three weeks to build relationships with the people there. I'll definitely be keeping track of that one. They won't post regularly because Internet access isn't exactly easy to come by in Masooli, Uganda. What an adventure that will be.
http://trafalgarchurchtravels.blogspot.com/
The David Hingsburger blog I chose as a favourite --Chewing the Fat--in my first blog has just been nominated in three categories for a Canadian Blog Award--Best Blog, Best Activist Blog, and Best Blogosphere Citizen. Blogosphere? Hmmm--a whole new language.
And wouldn't you know--I learned of a new blog the day after making my choices. It would have made my favourite list just because it will chronicle the story of a dear friend of mine and her fellow church members as they travel to a small village in Uganda. They've gone for three weeks to build relationships with the people there. I'll definitely be keeping track of that one. They won't post regularly because Internet access isn't exactly easy to come by in Masooli, Uganda. What an adventure that will be.
http://trafalgarchurchtravels.blogspot.com/
Saturday, January 12, 2008
Blog or Bog
So, here is my first real entry into the world of blogs. I knew there was a reason why I haven't delved into this particular corner of the Internet universe before. Blogs would be more appropriately called bogs--once you take a step into the blog world you get sucked in. I've purposely tried to stay away from them. There have been ones I've stumbled across that seem similar to watching "Days of our Lives" or some other daytime TV soap. I have enough to read without getting trapped in someone's day-to-day account of their personal life.
But that's not fair. That's an opinion based on far too small a sample. The truth is I haven't explored blogs much. I'm one of those that's had to cruise around for this assignment, finding out what's out there. I've spent a good part of a day doing this. Yikes--I still maintain that bog might be a better name! Sucked in for sure.
But I have to say I found some interesting stuff. And I came across a blog by David Hingsburger that I'd discovered several months ago and forgotten about, and I was impressed all over again with the comments and insights that he has about the world of those with disabilities. With a disability himself, he knows what he's talking about when he works with people with all kinds of challenges. David's blog, Chewing the Fat, is well written--he's an experienced writer with a few books to his credit. Many of his posts left me grinning; many left me with a lump in my throat, and some left me down right angry. Many of them hit very close to home as I think about life with my daughter with Down syndrome. I think I might try to read his blog a little more regularly.
So into the bog I've leapt and hope that I can learn to tread water while I'm there. Or at least come up for air occasionally.
Oh, and one other blog I quite enjoyed comes from a girl in Seattle who has some great stories to tell all wrapped up with her love of cooking. Her blog and the recipes she includes even led her to meet her future husband. He from New York and she from Seattle. And now they're both is Seattle teaching cooking classes together and other stuff. How cool is that! She has some good links to cookbooks as well as nice clean photos on the page--nice visuals.
http://orangette.blogspot.com/
But that's not fair. That's an opinion based on far too small a sample. The truth is I haven't explored blogs much. I'm one of those that's had to cruise around for this assignment, finding out what's out there. I've spent a good part of a day doing this. Yikes--I still maintain that bog might be a better name! Sucked in for sure.
But I have to say I found some interesting stuff. And I came across a blog by David Hingsburger that I'd discovered several months ago and forgotten about, and I was impressed all over again with the comments and insights that he has about the world of those with disabilities. With a disability himself, he knows what he's talking about when he works with people with all kinds of challenges. David's blog, Chewing the Fat, is well written--he's an experienced writer with a few books to his credit. Many of his posts left me grinning; many left me with a lump in my throat, and some left me down right angry. Many of them hit very close to home as I think about life with my daughter with Down syndrome. I think I might try to read his blog a little more regularly.
So into the bog I've leapt and hope that I can learn to tread water while I'm there. Or at least come up for air occasionally.
Oh, and one other blog I quite enjoyed comes from a girl in Seattle who has some great stories to tell all wrapped up with her love of cooking. Her blog and the recipes she includes even led her to meet her future husband. He from New York and she from Seattle. And now they're both is Seattle teaching cooking classes together and other stuff. How cool is that! She has some good links to cookbooks as well as nice clean photos on the page--nice visuals.
http://orangette.blogspot.com/
Monday, January 7, 2008
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