April 2010 Archives
Comment on the information architecture of the site you have chosen. Are there places where the organization and layering could be improved?
The Spectrum Home Services site showcases its essential information, but it's only cursory information and not in the most effective order.
Currently, the site has lists of information without linked information provided to give in-depth info on each service or subject. The company specifically focuses on some of its services and others less so, however, these services aren't ranked in this order on the site. Some of the services could also be sub-categorized more effectively.
The company's services are important to the company in this order:
Senior Services
Home Maintenance
Yard Care/Snow Removal
Cleaning
Relocation
These services should be showcased in this manner so the user understands that the services are focused on the needs of senior citizens. Each listed category should also have linkable, extended information as far as scope offered, education and rates for each.
The IA is structured nicely in menu form, but the bulk of the information needs re-organization and more landing pages.
Comment on your web site of choice for the final project and on the use of headings, illustrations, and link names in your web site of choice. Refer to Redish where relevant.
Overview
The Spectrum Home Services website, though suffering from a lack of effective web writing, achieves at least an average level of heading, illustration and link usage.
Headings
The site's headings accurately label their respective categories, but do not use effective fonts to capture the reader's attention. They are also inconsistent ranging from graphic tabs to small font text. The headings should be consistent and should clearly mark each category with a linkable graphic, preferably an illustration for each. Set in a suitable order, the headings would help achieve Redish' "conversation."
Illustrations
The included illustrations are colorful and bold. There is a rotating, illustration on the top of the page euphamistically describing the company's services. The user is immediately drawn to these spaces. However, the site falls short of effectively using consistent illustrations on the remainder of the page. Each category of service (heading) could use an illustration to effectively describe that portion.
Links
The site does have some links for a variety of information, but not for each service category. Each heading could be linked, with an illustration, to a landing page with in-depth information on each category.
