Choose my new home page - Help! I'm not a designer!

MarkReichard · #1 (**permalink**) 10-19-2004, 10:12 PM

Folks,

I would love some comments on the prototypes our designer created for our planned update of our CMS software product website.

The options are at http://www.synapsecm.com/newlook/index.htm

I mostly want to know which look people like best and which they like least.

Any feedback will be much appreciated since my sense of design is about what you'd expect from a guy who writes code all day.

You can also answer the survey at http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.asp?u=32059679842

TIA,
Mark Reichard[/url]

Grith - WPW · #2 (**permalink**) 10-20-2004, 11:16 AM

Hi Mark, well I can only offer you feedback on the design of your site as I am no programmer myself.
I personally think that option 2 and 4 are the most attractive because they both use images to break up the text on the page and make what you have to say/sell seem more interesting.

If I had to choose between the two I guess it would be 4 for the quite funky feel of the images (although I do like the large size of images in option 2).

And the one I like the least? It has got to be option 3, just soooo dry and ... boring with the images in a long row (hope this isn't your favourite one!).

There you go, hope this helped some.
Good luck.

DIRTYDISCO · #3 (**permalink**) 10-20-2004, 04:12 PM

id have to agree that no 4 looks the best good balance

corporateface · #4 (**permalink**) 10-20-2004, 05:33 PM

Option 1's masthead resembles that of sites that you would download from a template vendor. (So not 1)

Option 2 is the best graphically, I think, but I'm not sure that I agree with the "Keyboard" as it is used a lot

Option 3 - Nope

Option 4 - I think that it is a little "institutional". (Too griddy and rigid)

Also, is your site designed in-house?

Regarding Message - If your site is going to be a marketing vehicle you should make your main offering, mission, etc... more obvious. Don't necessarily use the front page as a hey let me tell you all about what we do, but instead use it to pull visitors in to the site. That is why I like Option 2 the most - The area with the keyboard graphic is set up for doing just that.

Good Luck
Keith Barnett

corporateface · #5 (**permalink**) 10-20-2004, 05:36 PM

Regarding my inhouse question ...

If your site is contracted then I would advise not to agree to have a "designed by" link at the bottom. That would hose your credibility as a web development company IMO.

Just for clarification

shifty · #6 (**permalink**) 10-20-2004, 06:06 PM

no 4 looks great..www.scaffoldtowers.co.uk

MarkReichard · #7 (**permalink**) 10-20-2004, 06:15 PM

I really appreciate the feedback -- it is so intersting to see people's opinions, and then of course feedback about message and consistency etc. is hugely helpful too.

Thanks,
Mark Reichard

DonGreen · #8 (**permalink**) 10-20-2004, 08:24 PM

Mark

Contrary to most of the other opinions on this topic, I really like Look3. I think it is the the tidiest, with the least amount of wasted space, but still a good balance of graphics and textual content.

I particularly lkike the greyed out images. I presume you would do some mouse-overs on these to provide some action on the page.

littleoslo · #9 (**permalink**) 10-21-2004, 05:12 AM

number 3 or number 4. the first two ones are not attractive n a bit messy

corporateface · #10 (**permalink**) 10-21-2004, 08:58 AM

On second look.

3 isn't bad either.
I still don't like 4 personally.

MarkReichard · #11 (**permalink**) 10-23-2004, 12:51 PM

Thanks to everyone for their feedback. I do have to admit that I am a bit confused by the results --- half of the 20 people who responded via survey monkey (including folks from here plus some other folks I sent the link to) liked the current look of the site (big blue head). The reason I'm confused is that this is what I --- a code guy --- came up with. The things our professional designer came up with --- 1 through 3 --- split the rest of the vote.

My questions are: should we try to clean up #4? Should I try to incorporate the big head graphic that people seem to like into one of the others --- #1? Any ideas are welcome!

Thanks,
Mark

Maximilian · #12 (**permalink**) 10-23-2004, 04:03 PM

#4.

Cheers!
Max