Comments on design and concept please.

Unified Intention - Collectively Changing The World

Thanks

It's late in the day and I've lots to do, so please don't misinterpret my lack of courtesy in the following text.

I'm left confused by your choice in site title "Unified Intention - Collectively Changing the world". Are either of those commonly used search phrases? It leaves the impression that the site is a recruiting tool produced by the Borg in some sort of totalitarian plot for world domination. Unless there's a specific reason behind it, you might want to consider a revision.

The first page a user lands on should clearly and concisely explain the purpose of the site. It appears as though you expect anyone hitting the page to know have a basic familiarity with the concept. IMHO, those who don't know the first thing about "Unified Intention" will find the home page confusing.

I find the content background too dark and busy. Using dark photos behind a layer of text makes the page hard to read. People skim. If they can't skim your site, they'll head someplace else.

"Once you know what we're about" tells me that I have to spend time figuring it out. Save us me some time and tell me quickly or I'm outta here.

Take a look at the "About Us" page. You might want to consider adding an extra line break so that the "Unified Intention" text doesn't get cut off at the bottom of the scrolling div in Firefox. Check the other pages for similar issues as well.

Inquiries? What the heck are "Inquiries"?, I'm looking for a "Contact Us" link. You might want to change that as well.

Conceptually, I understand your wanting to convey a "peaceful, easy feeling", "at peace with mother earth" experience. Essentially, the whole site seems over done, bordering on just plain bizarre. In lay terms, It's so granola, it's creepin' me out, man.

Common to Flash sites, you've sacrificed usability and purpose over artistic expression and in so doing, have detracted from the function, purpose and informational value of the site.

From an SEO point of view, you're going to have one heck of a time making significant headway in the SERPs. In terms of search engine results, the site would benefit greatly were it done using CSS and layer positioning. At the very least, text navigation links should be pulled out of the flash file so that they're spiderable by the SE's.

In addition, unless you don't intend to make any updates, subsequent page changes, additions or deletions will require that you recompile flash file after flash file. Look at the big picture and you'll find that a CSS site might better suit your purpose.

Additionally, converting the site to a textual format would allow you to implement a site search feature, something your users would no doubt find useful.

.02

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Thank for the comprehensive review. You are right. The site is not for everyone.

But surely a site that hopes to "collectively change the world" must be for everyone by definition?

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Paul Bilton design services ~ Sites not Sights

Hahaha...so true!

Anyways, I totally agree with Dubbya about building this thing in flash. I just don't think the end justifies the means on this one. Sacrificing ease of updating and search engine exposure simply to have pages that fade in doesn't make much sense to me.

Pull it out of flash, and you can make it look good AND function properly with CSS.

Building in Flash is meant to look towards the future. When it will be easy to interface with evolving technologies like video seamlessly.

Editing in Flash is just as easy as html. If you know it well. Only one file to edit and upload. Complete cross browser compatability and easilt adapted to other media.

On the hair splitting, a collective is is a group. Not "everyone".

Flash is not all that forward compatible. It does not work under most portable access devices (most cell phones, PDAs etc) and being a proprietary application it can not be parsed by newer technologies designed to read and consume content (screen readers, search engines, etc).

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Well it certainly is beautiful work, and I’m sure the message is just as beautiful however I will not strain my eyes trying to read it. I would suggest trying a transparent white ‘cloud’ behind black text to help make it readable. There is too much in the background competing with the text and the background is winning.

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