Final Project
IT/236 Web Design I
September 24, 2011
Introduction
The Internet in relative terms is still very new, and people are learning new things about it and its abilities every day. Designing a web page began as something for only the most tech-savvy people. Technology has grown as well as the ability for the average Joe to go out and make their own websites. Companies have sacrificed quality for simply having their name out there. With a little bit of research and a little no-how these do-it-yourself sites can look more professional.
Site Reviewed The site I have chosen to review is http://www.magic93fm.com. This is a local radio station from where I grew up. It is an extremely popular station in that area. The site has been around for a few years now. It has undergone many changes but has remained in the state it is in for about 2 years now. The content gets updated but the overall layout and design has remained.
Evaluation of Current Design The current design is set up to provide you with the music that has been paid recently on the station, the current DJ that is on the air, links to many local points of interest, weather, current news and a lot of different ads.
Pros
The site has the basic needs and functions you would expect from a radio station website. I would expect to be able to find out what song is playing and who the current DJ is. I would want to know about any promotions going on. There are placeholders with links for entertainment news and how to download their app for your phone.
Cons
The site is loaded with ads. It is hard to tell what are features of the site and what are simply ads. The very top banner is for a local college. It is only slightly smaller than the actual page banner making it slightly confusing at first to determine which is for the site. The menu is very small and the color contrast makes it a bit difficult to read. With a little more organization the site may look greatly improved and not so confusing.
Design Recommendations
The overall recommendation for the site is better organization. That is the biggest problem that stands out. More prominent navigation would be helpful as well. Small changes to the color scheme and then consider some of the content that is on the page.
First Recommendation The main recommendation is an overhaul on the organization of the page. First glance, which is the most important, the page seems cluttered and disorganized. There is content you would expect and want mixed in with ads all over. The initial scan of the page before having to scroll should include all desired information. If the desired information can be found easily then visitors will be more likely to stay and look around a bit more. If the information is hard to find or without a pattern the visitor will leave (Sklar, Chapter2).
Second Recommendation The navigation bar is extremely lacking. It is small and almost hidden. On first
