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Title: Pass the Mystery Meat: Learning from "Web Pages that Suck"
Author: Stefene Russell
Article:
Though I learned much at Shakespeare's knee, the two years I
worked for the undergraduate literary magazine at the University
of Utah were almost as valuable. Every night, I took home fat
manila folders full of poetry and fiction that were horribly
instructive in their badness. Example: a parody of "Little
Women," swapping out the main characters for Smurfs.
Last week, we talked about positive web page role models.
However, knowing what NOT to do is just as effective. So this
week our different pedagogical model is called "Learn From Web
Pages that Suck."
A wise-looking fellow, Vincent Flanders, has kindly furnished
the internet community with http://www.webpagesthatsuck.com/
"Where you learn good Web design by looking at bad Web design."
Like Sightings, Flanders offers frequent updates to his
site-though his is called "The Daily Sucker," which features
live examples of new ways to do bad things. Today's sucker is
http://www.bah.com/welcome_pages/0301/index.html What is so
offensive about this site? I can tell you what bothers me:
frames; cramped-up, busy text sure to induce a seizure; and no
clear explanation as to what they actually do. Flanders notes
that there's no "home" button on the pages (huge mistake). His
overall assessment is that "the above site uses too many frames
in a bad way but disguises the fact by its professional look."
Today must be a good day for bad sites, because he has a second
sucker up, a government page that is all too elf-explanatory in
its suckness: http://www.its.bldrdoc.gov/fs-1037/
For a real trial by fire, take Vincent's tour of things that
suck. These are sucky pages that Flanders put together himself,
which include "pretentious front pages," "too many wrong
things," going overboard with special effects, free backgrounds
that suck, and bad text:
http://www.webpagesthatsuck.com/begin.htm
He also has a great article on "Mystery Meat Navigation" -that
is, links and design that leave a user's brain addled and unable
to complete a credit-card transaction. According to Flanders,
recent research indicates that ""39 percent of test shoppers
failed in their buying attempts because sites were too difficult
to navigate." We all know that you don't want that to happen,
yes? So at the very least, read this excellent and funny piece
on how not to confuse the daylights out of your visitors:
http://www.webpagesthatsuck.com/badnavigation.html
Flanders is also the author of "Web Pages that Suck," which you
can probably find at your friendly local independent bookstore.
Though it's a good, classic text about how web sites go wrong,
you'll want to visit his pages as well, because according to
Vincent Flanders (and he's the man) humans with access to
computers are discovering new ways 3:01 PM 3/29/01to suck even
as we speak-so read up, and don't be one of them!
About the author:
Stefene Russell will do a complete analysis of your site,
including personalized tips on copy and design at
http://fixmywebsite.com/analysis.htm Whether you're an
e-business or a content provider, find ut how to make your site
professional and effective. Read Stefene's free web site tips at
http://FixMyWebsite.com Reach her at stefene@drnunley.com or
801-328-9006.
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