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29-05-2005, 14:42
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#1 (permalink) |
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Registered User
Join Date: Apr 2005
Posts: 8
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www.designerjam.com - pls critique
I finally got round to giving my site a mini redesign to make it a little more aesthetically pleasing and visually coherent. The purpose of this site is to help me get a job as an Information Architect/ UI designer. People visiting this site will have seen me CV and be logging on to find out more about. What are your thoughts? Criticism gratefully recieved... |
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30-05-2005, 03:36
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#3 (permalink) | |
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dt immigrant
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Bucharest - Romania
Posts: 7,013
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no doctype, tables... this Quote:
You don't need that huge chunk of javascript on every page, take it to an external file or better yet, just do your nav with CSS I don't like the logo too much, sorry. maybe work some more on the "jam" idea... your contact e-mail is on hotmail? not too professional, now is it? needs some more work/thinking on the whole, imho. Cheers. Last edited by emil : 30-05-2005 at 03:43. Reason: too many commas |
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30-05-2005, 19:20
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#4 (permalink) |
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Belfast, Ireland
Posts: 416
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Sorry, but I'm not very impressed. Judging by your portfolio you clearly know how to build a site but there are a few problems: 1. Logo needs changed. As 'emilpaun' said above, work on the theme of JAM more, but the current one does nothing for me. 2. Lose the 'Key Personal Attributes' image - what is the point of this?? You have to grab a users attention on the first page otherwise they stay 10 seconds. 3. Get a new email address, or at least use a form that hides the hotmail one 4. Your testimonial snippets <quote> thing - use a list with style sheets or at least make it 1.5 line spacing - its very hard on the eyes. 5. Your screenshots don't need to be 380x285! If the image is too big the user won't read what they are about. If you really want them to see the bigger pictures, display a number of linked thumbnails beside the profile of the site, then they can chose to see the big one if they want - don't force it on them. 6. Cut up all the text - have some separation in the 'What I think' page. The combination of the density of the text and the colour will make users skip it completely. 7. This is a personal one - Arial is better then Tahoma. (I am a reformed Verdana and Tahoma user!) 8. Another personal one - I HATE the colour scheme. Sorry to sound brutal, but it bores me to tears. 9. Also, take your GCSE and A-Level marks off - makes you sound a bit childish and people might think you are boasting. They don't care how you did, they just want to see if you can make websites. Okay - thats me done. Don't take it personally, you can ignore this post if you want, but if you want people to notice and remember your site you are going to have to make a few changes. Take it easy, Sean |
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19-06-2005, 07:00
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#6 (permalink) |
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Belfast, Ireland
Posts: 416
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Getting there, however: 1. Potential clients still don't care much about your travelling of the Adriatic coast or your GCSE results 2. That attrocious "My key personal attributes" image is still there!! (how often do you use the word "acumen" in conversation - it makes you sound pretentious) 3. The boring grey, close together testimonial snippets are still there 4. The logo is unchanged I do like the background - think the "having jam at a picnic" isn't a bad idea. Also like the jam jar email thing. Last edited by SeanMedia : 19-06-2005 at 07:03. Reason: typo! :P |
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19-06-2005, 07:35
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#7 (permalink) | |||||
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Registered User
Join Date: Apr 2005
Posts: 8
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Thanks for your comments Sean, I do appreciate the criticism!!! Quote:
Agree with you about this, just forgot to take it off (done now!) Quote:
May seem attrocious to you, but prospective employers have already found this 'graphic' (i use the word losely) useful in assessing if I have the broad skills required for IA and related jobs! so it's staying. As for the word Acumen: Yes I do use it in conversation and it is a fairly commonly used word in job specs I have been getting. Quote:
I agree these look a bit drab at the moment and i plan to jazz them up in the future Quote:
 Quote:
Thanks, I imagine the background could polarise opinions. The Jam Jar was my old logo. Last edited by jamboy : 19-06-2005 at 10:06. |
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19-06-2005, 14:44
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#8 (permalink) |
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Belfast, Ireland
Posts: 416
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Please please please try to change the graphic. Not necessarily the content of it or even the wording (hey, whatever works for potential employers), but try a few different designs. Glad you didn't think I was having a pop at you, just pointing out some flaws. Oh, and the logo is growing on me a bit.... |
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20-06-2005, 03:49
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#9 (permalink) |
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Registered User
Join Date: Apr 2005
Posts: 8
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I must admit I did knock up that 'attributes graphic' very quickly I promise when I have more time, I will change it! In fact I plan to change redesign/enhance that whole 'Who I am' section. I plan to have each attribute 'clickable'; linking to 'proof' for each of them (i.e. a piece of work, reference etc) I do love good criticism! It keeps you on your toes, what's the point of designing something and not hearing what others think (good or bad) At the end of the day this website isn't a self-indulgent ego trip; it's to help land me a good job so what others think is very important. |
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