Just figured out the pic attach

http://www.blackbaud.com/default.aspx


http://support.esri.com/index.cfm?fa=homepage.homepage

http://www.sas.com/index.html
http://www.telelogic.com/index.cfm
http://www.sybase.com/

Week 3 - the world is full of bad sites

So I have spent the last week surfing hundreds of really bad sites including some of those listed below. I gave up listing bad ones as what was the point i am after something good to compare with.
I started by looking for consulting companies vis google which of course gives you thousands of hits, I then looked at software companies which can be equally daunting and depressing, the tech geeks definitely rule here. Then tried data research and finally data modelling (or modeling depending on where you are from) and did finally get some site that show some promise. They are not exact matches to the company I am involved with but the services or site requirements match in some ways. In all the sites there was still some points that could be improved in terms of navigation and does chearly point out the need to test sites with users outside of the company or development team as the problems could be easily fixed in some cases and would improve the flow greatly and then lets face it some sites just should not be and makes you wonder what the owners of these businesses are thinking (or not thinking) when they put their names to them.
I have also come to the realisation that my current level of skill will not be enough to get all parts of this site designed what is php and cold fusion??? When do we get to these courses?
http://www.rginfotechnology.com/Services/software_services.html

http://www.jinssoft.com/

http://www.dayspring-tech.com/

http://www.acromediainc.com/index.htm
interesting
http://www.psisolutions.com/

http://www.fowlersoftware.com/
boring too many words
url removed as requested.
simple
http://www.isdweb.com/
busy

http://www.quantumcloud.com/
busy
http://www.dobhaltechnologies.com/
not bad –need punchline
http://www.schipul.com/
interesting portfolio arrangement

software leads
http://www.alibaba.com/archives/company/280507/Software_Design.html

google data research
http://wrds.wharton.upenn.edu/demo/index.shtml
Very nice introduction style.

Google Data Modeling
http://www.utexas.edu/its/windows/database/datamodeling/index.html


http://www3.ca.com/solutions/SubSolution.aspx?ID=3819
clean look. Not sure what they are selling

http://www.embarcadero.com/
Good ideas for customers, partners

http://www.universaldatamodels.com/
no home, navigation is bad

http://www.datamodeling.com/
similar company activities, boring web site, very basic navigation, too much on page
http://www.blackbaud.com/default.aspx

I like this site. Nothing really to do with what EAnalytics does but very well laid out. Clean, easy to read. Good navigation, nice dropdowns,


http://support.esri.com/index.cfm?fa=homepage.homepage

Software company with blogging. Interesting layout. Tried to put too much on the home page, would be better with someform of drop down leading to other pages. Contact us for example is just at the bottom of the homepage which if not maximized would be missed. Very clean look to the page, good colors, obvious search and login. Knowlegde base is listed by area which could be a good way of going. Blog does not open in same page and you don’t realize it immediately until you go to leave and there is not common navigation. Too many instructions on blog page. Who is going to read all that.


http://www.telelogic.com/index.cfm


Nice flash opening on home page but probably not necessary. Navigation needs work on showing second level. Interesting flag to indicate where you are. Clean and easy to read. Colors are easy on the eye. Links are obvious. News announcement are an interesting feature and easy to read. Navigation is integrated so you know where you are within sub groups. The try/buy/contact me/ print is always prominent on every page. The interactive corporate Brochure is very interesting method of demonstrating how the company can help you, though slow to load and does not link back without using back button – a nice way of getting some complex information across without having to read reams of text. I did not like the way you were sent to a new page when using the tools at the bottom of the page. Lost the plot on navigation here.

http://www.stevehoberman.com/
A one man company. Very casual site very poor navigation. No links to home anywhere.

http://www.sas.com/index.html

Another interesting site. Navigation is integrated until you get to the support and training tab which for some reason opens in a new page with different navigation and no obvious home – it is there but you need to recognize that the web name is home now located in the right side navigation box – build by a techi I would guess.
I like the colors, easy to read. Maybe a bit wordy on the home page.

http://www.sybase.com/detail?id=1044150
A very plain home page but when you mousing over does come to life with dropdowns. It is almost like the home page is not finished or maybe just not working as the subpages have some flash. The navigation is actually very good with the exception of not having a recognizable home key. The logo is actually the home key. And when I went there I got something very different.

Dahhh the first page was not the homepage just some junk page on their site they have forgotten to remove. Pity was not a good look for what is really a good looking site.
Nice blog setup.
Is actually very close to what I need.

Defining website/questionaire

Having now spoken to the possible client it seems I need to slightly change my topic;The site would be a company site where the company sells consultancy and technology in the form of software. Their expertise is data modeling which after a google search is not your everyday company. In fact I have yet to come up with one example of a similar company via search, making comparitive analysis a little difficult. It seems most companies in this area either sell software and don't consult or consult and don't do technology. One such example: http://www.natural-selection.com/ Is not particularly excitingNor is the company they currently use to sell their software:
http://www.wolfram.com/
Am waiting on their list of competitiors but in the mean time it might be more prudent to go with generic business consulting with or without software as the basis of my comparitive sites. Many of the content headings are similar as will be required:
http://www.eclipsegroup.com.au/site/page.cfm?u=257&c=74Was included for its use of a blog, a feature I will need to include.
http://www-935.ibm.com/services/us/index.wssas an example of a large very successful company.
http://www.consultbiz.com/Very boring and too much repetition of the buttons. fuzzy background is very irritating.
http://www.alphawest.com.au/scripts/viewoverview_contact.asp?NID=503Very minimalist but clean.
http://www.abeam.com/global consulting company. Very wordy, nothing really pops out at you.
also tried http://www.accenture.com/home/default.htm?viewType=Flashbut am still waiting for this to load 10 minutes later. So much for being one of the biggest does not equate to having the best.

I put the questionaire together on the basis of it being a predominantly software company.

Questions for Questionnaire

1. Age range
A/ less than 20years of age
B/ 20 – 30 years of age
C/ 30-40 years of age
D/ 40- 50 years of age
E/ 50-60 years of age
F/ Greater than 60 years of age

2. How often do you surf the internet?
A/ Less than one hour a week
B/ 1 to 5 hours a week
C/ 5 to 10 hours a week
D/ 10 to 20 hours a week
E/ More than 20 hours a week

3. When you load a new web page what is the first thing you look for?

4. What do you hate most about surfing the internet?

5. What do you like most about surfing the internet?

6. Have you ever bought goods online?

7. Have you ever bought software online?

8. Did you have any problems with the purchase?

9. When buying goods on the internet and two sites offer the exact same thing what would make you buy from one and not the other?

10. What search engine do you prefer?

End of week one and diving into week two

I have to admitt that this course is not getting my full attention at the moment-am co-leader for a school auction seating 500 people so just a little distracted at present but using lots of photoshop skills so not all bad. Todate have read 6 chapters of Krug (the advantage of not being able to drive over here) and agree with everything he has said so far. I find myself looking a websites in a very critical manner and asking why did they do that, what were they thinking.
Have not given too much thought yet into what my site will be on - but have had a offer for a job designing a site for a software designer (yes one of those friends jobs) but it could be a good fit as it would be a commercial site so would have all the requirements I think. Me thinks I had better call the guy and have a chat asap. Otherwise it might have to be a site for my own future business but that seems to be a popular theme so probably not a good idea.