The Design & Publishing Center_ / _ DTG_ / _ DTG-Solutions_ / _ 60-Second Window
You've heard those jokes? "You know you're a redneck when..." or "You know you're over the hill when..."#76
You know that webpage sucks when...
Over the past few months... through Multicom, and Macworld, I've been conducting
a field study. We've also worked with a number of consumers and high-school aged
young people. We are wondering how people react to things on web pages, and what
they think. Everyone will want to be sure and read the latest GUI study now available
from Georgia Tech Research by sending e-mail to: www-survey@cc.gatech.edu.
__ This study is a wonderful insight into the societal
changes being brought about by the web. It also tells us in no uncertain words what
is actually happening out there on the streets. Their results just so happen to agree
nearly 100% with mine.
__ Of our survey results one of the biggest rants is
over animated gifs. Yes, all of the Web magazines are spouting "animate your
website". However, I caution you, as a web page designer, to approach these
evil little demons with a great deal of thought.
1. Why use an animated gif on this particular page?
2. Does it purvey a message to the reader
3. Does it reinforce the message?
4. Does it only loop once or twice? (or does it go on forever???)
5. Will it be distracting from the reader eyeflow?
These questions are very important to the success of the page. Why? We're seeing
as many as 32% of your potential readers turned off by animations of any kind. They
can even lock up the browser, or cause the modem to lose the carrier. With these
victims you can be assured they'll never be back.
__ Over the months to come, we'll be talking about other
aspects of research being done on successful purveyance of information via the electronic
medium.
__ For now... think BEFORE building that animation.
You certainly wouldn't like to have your page land in the same place so many others
have... "You know that webpage sucks when... things blink or move."
Fred Showker
We invite and encourage your comments on our 60-Second Windows column.
Please write and tell us what YOU think. Editorials published here will receive a
trip to The Design & Publishing Center Treasure Chest.
DT&G Online. . |. DT&G. |. The Design & Publishing Center
60-Second Window™ is a syndicated column by Fred Showker which appears in the monthly Mug News Service™, many Macintosh User Group Newsletters around the world, and other computer, graphic arts related publications. 60-Second Window is copyright ©1986 - 1994, All Rights Reserved.
Fred Showker, nationally recognized designer author and speaker, is a 25-year veteran of the graphics industry, with his own firm Showker Graphic Arts & Design. He’s an associate editor for the Mug News Service (MNS) as well as Home & School Mac. You can see Fred in action at any of his Design & Graphics workshops around the country sponsored by Dynamic Graphics Educational Foundation, InHouse Graphics, PrintFest and others. You can chat with him directly on America OnLine, where he is “AFA Shwkr”, a forum assistant in the User Group Forum (UGF), or in eWorld as co-host of the WORKING SOLO forum.
---------
Product names listed are the trademarks of their respective owners.