Though I like the general look and flow of the new site, I feel that my drive for reducing distractions may have reduced the functionality of the site. I need your feedback!
Design Intention: Focus on content
When I started designing this site for for 2010, I wanted to focus on the content. I am using this website as a blog, where I practice my writing and instructional skills. With that in mind, I went into Fireworks with the intention of stripping any extra functionality and feature out of the site that doesn’t support that goal.
Problem: Native WordPress Features Disabled / Restricted
Many of the default features built into WordPress that most blogs have have been stripped out of the design. Even though I felt that many of these were simply distractions, I find that the people who do read the site may find that this makes it difficult for them to find content that they’re looking for once it’s left the home-page.
I’ve reduced the “recent posts” to simply 3 articles near the bottom of the design and have focused on categories or “topics” in the side-bar as a way for people to find the articles they’re searching for.
Do you think that this is too restrictive? Does it keep you from finding the content you want?
Planned Features / Updates
1. Browser Testing – Since I created this entire theme in about 4 hours, I didn’t really have time to do extensive browser testing. I have a feeling that because this design is so simple the only browser I’ll need to tweak for is Internet Explorer.
2. Better Comment Styling – I want to restyle the comments section a bit to make it more interactive, and well designed. I want to increase the amount of discssion that goes on in my posts and I want to make it an enjoyable, well-designed experience.
3. Improved Focus on Connect / Contact info – I want to highlight the different social networks, and contact information of the site into the design, versus being a simple side-bar addition. No doubt I’ll play with the header space a bit to fit it in.
4. Printability – I didn’t take the time to style the print styles for the site. I want people to easily print each blog post with full styling and layout to make it attractive and readable!
Give me suggestions
I realize that this is just a personal blog, but if you have any ideas specific or general I’d love to hear from you, especially if you are decent to amazing web designer, I love the input of other people as long as it’s constructive.
Leave me a message below, and “thanks” in advance!
I like the look…it’s clean and simple. Colors are nice on the eyes and the layout flows nicely. the topic catalog is helpful and makes it easy to navigate previous articles….is this going to be just an article/blog style website?
Thanks chip. Yes, the site’s sole function is to act as a blog.
Things I love:
The layout is easy to use and navigate. Everyone goes to a website and looks for the buttons to click. You have the buttons, that even look like buttons. lol
I like the way everything is separated with color and those leaf looking page markers.
I like my navigation bars on the left but that’s just me. I know a lot of people that put their navigation on the right. I wonder if it’s a gender thing or a personality thing?
I really like how you have your topics broken up by categories.
Suggestion,
1, People like pictures. Your icon is fantastic, perhaps you could put a picture of the week and put up Zeus or a web site you’ve worked on or even your mug.
When you appeal to all styles of learning you’ll draw in more audiences.
2. Everything seems soft on my screen. It’s color calibrated for photo optimization and I don’t know if that has anything to do with it but I had to put my glasses on and I usually don’t have to. I’m using Mozilla Firefox.
Thanks for asking.
I will ask when and if I ever get mine up. I can’t decide on lay out so I just use the blogger layout.
Shawn thanks for the feedback. Some of your questions have prompted me to begin writing a “style guide” that explains why certain things are laid out the way they are.
Will update here when I do :)
Hi Sam,
First, I gotta say I really do love the new look. It’s achieving exactly what you were wanting, in my opinion. I also have to say that the content you’re providing is really good stuff. It’s brief, interesting, and valuable.
I do think, however that the content might be a little hard to find. I was actually just looking for a list of all your recent posts, but couldn’t find it, and now I know why. I’m thinking you could simply add a small text link or button in the bottom ‘Past Articles’ bar that would take you to the complete archive or recent posts. I don’t think it would distract, but would be there for those who want to use it. Or, could you just link the ‘Past Articles’ headline to the archive? This, for me, was more of a problem on the homepage. I just see the article, and the topics, but no way to just read all your recent stuff. I don’t really want to click through each section to see what’s new, if that makes sense.
Just ideas… but I really do love what you’ve got going on! Great work.
one more thought, could you just add a ‘recent’ or ‘all’ category to the topics list?
Jason, thanks very much for the feedback. I’ve started a verson 2.1 of the theme, and will be adding alot more functionality back, but still focusing on keeping it simple.
I completely agree with your analysis of the past articles, and will be using the footer of the site more effectively to let people dive into past articles.
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