Bellamondo's Blog

Reflection of Semester long Assemblage

bellamondo — Thu, 07 May 2009 17:39:29 +0000

Over the course of this semester, my knowledge of website design has significantly grown. Prior to this class, Writing for the Web, and this assemblage project, I had was able to tell a ‘good’ website from a ‘bad’ website, however, I am now able to articulate the certain aspects that separate a ‘good’ website from a ‘bad’ website. Layout, navigation, and aesthetics, alignment, and typography, are all crucial elements that determine the success of a website. The website’s that I came across throughout the semester all exuded different qualities, and either succeeded or failed in my reception of the website. I viewed websites that had certain qualities, but were bereft of other qualities, which sometime outweighed the utilization of the ‘good’ qualities. For example, one particular website I viewed had simple navigation, and I was always aware of where I was at on the page, however, it lacked in images and overall aesthetics, which ultimately made me dislike the website. Very few websites successfully executed all of the necessary design qualities, and some of them were completley without any. I noticed that my reception of a website greatly depends on the alignment, navigation, and overall aesthetics; without qualities as such, I will most likely not return to a website. I also feel that a ‘good’ color scheme that is easy on the eyes, is also a very important aspect. The color scheme should in turn reflect the content of the page; a professional type page should have a professional type color scheme. In turn, I realized that the qualities of a ‘good’ website should compliment each other, in turn producing a website with a clear purpose and mood. For example, some websites that I encountered through my assemblage were fine in the all the technical qualities (alignment, layout, navigation, etc…), however, the color scheme tended to clash with the overall message of the website. I also realized that a website should clearly state its purpose on the homepage, which would let me immediately know what I will find throughout. Overall, my ability to discern between a ‘good’ and a ‘bad’ website expanded throughout the semester, and towards the end of my assemblage, I was able to notice certain aspects in a website with more clarity, as well as an understanding for why they work or do not work. I am confident that the website I created in this class contains all the necessary elements of a ‘good’ website. My website can be found at http://www.wix.com/JFlannick/Online-Portfolio. Thank you for all your insight this year Professor Yonker!

Earth’s Oceans

bellamondo — Thu, 07 May 2009 16:42:48 +0000

Today I woke up and immediately thought of the beach. I wanted to search for a good place to possibly travel to this summer, and eventually I came across this website. Now I am not looking at this website for its content, however it is pretty interesting. Rather, I was interested in this website for design purposes. This is probably the most cluttered, confusing, and unattractive website I have come across this semester. The navigation is terrible, and many times I got lost and had to use the ‘back arrow’. There were certain moments when I got lost as well. However I am grateful that I came across this website, because this is my last post, and this website goes against everything that I learned in Writing for the Web. Click here to check it out.

The Great Wide Open

bellamondo — Thu, 07 May 2009 16:36:38 +0000

I don’t know if you’ve ever been out west, but it is absolutley breathtaking out there. I was once at Yellowstone National Park, which is in Wyoming and Montana. This website gives you all the information you need to know about the park, and if you read it thoroughly, I am sure that you will be some what convinced to go out there one day. This is mainly a website dedicated to attracting tourists, so there are ‘places to stay’ tabs, as well as a ‘things to do’ tabs. The layout is fine, and the alignment is consistent throughout. It is understandable that I had to scroll down, because there is so much information on this website, however, the designer(s) definitely did a good job balancing photos with content. Click here to check out Yellowstone National Park.

Exotic Pets

bellamondo — Thu, 07 May 2009 16:30:18 +0000

Wow this website is pretty interesting. Recently, I have been thinking about flying squirrells. I am unsure why, but I am glad that I came across this website. This website actually serves as a gateway to other websites, providing you with links to all sorts of pets. It is interesting, and I am unsure why there are sites out there that only serve as a gateway to other sites, either way though, it is helpful. I don’t know why, but they have dogs and cats listed under exotic pets. The website is easy to understand, and, I was actually able to find a link to look at flying squirrells from this website. Click here to check it out.

Falling Through the Sky

bellamondo — Thu, 07 May 2009 16:25:50 +0000

I have never been skydiving, but recently, I have had this urge to do so. When looking for prices and spots to fall from, I came across this website, which is clearly a promotional website. I don’t think you are able to schedule a skydive on line, but their number is constantly listed at the top throughout the website. It tells about skydiving and also gives some pointers to those who have never been, which I found really helpful. Click here to check it out.

Mothers Day

bellamondo — Thu, 07 May 2009 16:22:19 +0000

Here is a website dedicated to Moms acrosst the world. I don’t know about you, but I think about my Mom all the time, and this Sunday is going to be the day where I let her know that. This website not only tells the history of Mothers Day, but it also provides gifts as well as ideas for fun activities to do with your Mom. There is a lot of content, and at times it can get overwhelming, but the overall layout of the website is consistent, and I knew where I was at the whole time. Click here to check it out.

PUMA

bellamondo — Thu, 07 May 2009 16:05:01 +0000

Here is the European version of the online shop, Puma. I specifically wanted to check this website out, because I wanted to see how it differs from the American version of the website. The color schem is apparent in both sites, and is fairly similar throughout. The navigation is also similar, but different in a few ways. Prior to viewing both websites, I thought that the American version would have much more open space, but it is almost the same as the European version. Also, I like the shoes.

Click here for the European version.

Click here for the American version.

Fine Wines and Cigars

bellamondo — Thu, 07 May 2009 15:59:25 +0000

If you enjoy wine and/or cigars, this website is definitely worth a glance. The homepage draws you in with very nice pictures of wine and cigars. Although on the webpage, there are various links that seem sporadically placed throughout, however, it is not difficult to spot them. Once you are in the website, the alignment becomes clear, and remains consistent throughout. The purpose of this website is clear, as well as its design and organization. Click here to check it out.

Fine Dining

bellamondo — Thu, 07 May 2009 15:54:38 +0000

Here is a website that intends to instruct its viewer of the many aspects fine dining takes on. It provides recipes, how-to’s, wine tasting score card, and restaraunt reviews. Although there is a lot of content, it is all relevant and fairly easy to access. The navigation is clear, although, in most cases, you must use the ‘back arrow’ to get back to where you were last. I actually learned a lot from this website though, and I plan to reference it in the future. To learn more about how to dine like the best, click here.

USA Water Ski

bellamondo — Thu, 07 May 2009 15:49:08 +0000

For those who love to water ski, you probably already know about this site, however, for those who are curious as to what this exhilerating sport is, it is all on this website. There is a lot of content on this website, so you’ll have to scroll down, which can be a pain, but there is nothing else that can be done about it. In terms of the layout and design, the website seems consistent throughout, and you will always know where you are at. If you want to learn more about water skiing, click here.