Favabank | Does it need a re-design or will enhancements do for now?

[pamperjohn]

Advice and suggestions sought on the the look and feel of http://www.favabank.co.uk, a new platform for sharing skills, time and items via an internal bartering currency called a Fava.

The site is 100% self developed and still in alpha, although testing of the mechanics of the system is more or less complete. I feel the site could do with a cosmetic facelift, re-write of copy, a more professional intro video, friendlier 'tone' etc...

I'm presently undecided about whether it needs a complete re-design or whether small improvements to the general feel would be adequate along with some decent graphics, especially as we will be aiming to put a lot of effort into a press / media launch later in the year with user case stories etc...

Any thoughts, feedback and suggestions would be appreciated. (I know it's not standards compliant yet, that will be addressed before launch)...

Many Thanks...
John

[pamperjohn]

Since posting this last week I've made a few styling enhancements. Happy with progress but still more to do.

[mizu]

Hi John,

I see a very professional made site.
Can't say much about your writing as English isn't my first language.
I didn't register, so I cannot say whether the process is simple or not. Looks like, though.
Well, since I didn't find anything to complain, design is ok, usability too, I made an accessibility test assuming that the contrast might not be strong enough.
Most color blind people suffer from red-green color blindness (deuteranomaly), so I let http://colorfilter.wickline.org/ test your site.
Nothing to worry, all readable. Well done.
There's one marginal thing I thought twice about. When looking at a profile page I see for example 'Email - Friends only'.
Ok, I'm minimalist and avoid displaying something that has little to no info. On a second thought this 'no info' is actually not useless as it seems.
Perhaps it triggers an impulse for visitors to register on your site.

Conclusion: keep all as it is. Great work!

[pamperjohn]

Thanks for your comments Mizu, very kind... It's still a work in progress so a few more design changed to go....

[bermuda]

It's a great website and there are actually no big issues to name which may need correction. The point I would like to suggest is moving up those social media icons, like Facebook and Twitter to the upper left side of your site, there is enough room for them and this way they will be noticed by people as soon as they arrive on your site. A combination of green, yellow and white colors seems very nice and also mild.

If you manage to make those top navigation links, the ones in the middle, like the Join Us and Login links, inside a dark box, that would also be great and they will absorb more clicks and hits in the course of time.

[unlocking4s]

Overall feeling is good. Looks a bit like groupon

[aditd]

Overall feeling is good. Looks a bit like groupon

Did not looked at all like groupon to me ... but indeed looked good. I don't think a redesign is needed. However you can play with this one by making Items and Time / Skills bigger. It looks a little bit crowded.