I’m thinking of redesigning my business site. I had a potential client tell me she couldn’t figure out how to subscribe to the newsletter, even though it’s right there in the righthand column. That got me thinking that maybe I should go with a white-background, minimalist, almost-all-text design. I advocate it, so I should take my own advice.
I don’t really want to redesign this page, though. I like it.
Not to minimize the user’s experience, but I’m amazed that she couldn’t figure out how to subscribe. However, there is something to the idea that a user interface should be understandable by absolutely anyone — it’s just a matter of how low of a common denominator you’re willing to design to. Could she use Yahoo!? Google? Amazon.com? Those are really the usability benchmarks, their shortcomings notwithstanding.
I personally love your business site design: good balance, good use of images. There are some areas where text could be used to augment images (as in your client section, since not all users will understand that you should click on an image to make something happen), but the overall look and feel is great, especially with the luminescent 8-ball carving up the negative space, top to bottom.
If you were to redesign, however — and I can’t believe I’m saying this — I’d keep the white-on-black motif. For your site (and almost no other sites on the planet) it works.
There’s a wonderful quote that, I think, applies.
“Read over your compositions, and where ever you meet with a passage which you think is particularly fine, strike it out.” Samuel Johnson
I think it’s good advice, because internal bias can cause mistakes, but mostly I like it because, occasionally, it’s very pleasant to say “Fuck you, Dead Guy” and keep what I like.
And remember, it isn’t possible to stupid-proof things. Stupid people are very creative.
I think the site is excellently designed. Perhaps if “subscribe” was more particular about what one was subscribing FOR? Otherwise, I can’t think how she missed it.
As a total know-nothing in this field (as was your potential client evidently), the only thing that would make it more clear as to how to subscribe to the newletter would be to make a larger space between ‘subscribe’ and ‘free advice’, or a smaller space between ‘web common sense’ and ‘subscribe:’ Just something to connect the subscribe section to the newsletter section or separate it from the others. Also, maybe instead of just ‘Subscribe:’ it could be ‘Subscribe to Newletter:’
Either way, there’s a fine line between user-friendly and condescension.
I don’t think a full redesign is necessary. Just put a box around the newsletter description and the subscribe field — people will associate the two.
redesign to make it “better” – naw. It looks great as is. But, I don’t know how long it’s looked the same, and perhaps for potential clients, who may have looked at it often over time, something new and different might grab their attention, show off more of your skills and ideas. Just a thought.