Website Layout

I have been trying out different possible layouts for my project. The image below is the first layout I came up with, I made the website in Dreamweaver and then decided I didn't really like it. This was primarily due to the dark navigation bar on the left hand side. I felt it looked untidy and I also didnt really like the text on the side bar.

I then designed the below layout in photoshop. I felt this layout was alot more user friendly with the navigation at the top of the page. I also think it makes it look more tidy and keeps the design simple but still does what it needs to to keep the user interested in the website. I have since created the layout for the page in Dreamweaver, this can now be used across all pages of the website and keeps it flowing nicely.

Analysis

http://www.puma.jp/tribes

This is a Japanese website designed for sports teams, primarily football, to create and order a kit for themselves. I really liked the whole idea of the website and found it very easy to use. The website allows you to choose what kind of kit or training item you need, you can then choose the different styles of top and bottom, and then customize the colours of each item. You can then order your customized clothes directly from the website.

I really enjoyed using the website and thought it was a very good idea. The main problem I had with the website was the loading speed. It took quite a while to get onto each page, however once each page had fully loaded then the website ran a lot quicker.

I also really liked the way the website was designed, it was set out in a really neat and tidy way which worked very well. The way it has been designed means it is very user friendly and straightforward to use. Although this is not one of the best websites I have seen, it is a very nice design and a really good idea.

Colour Excercises

Website Analysis

http://www.nike.com/jumpman23/m6/

This website was made in order to advertise a new basketball shoe from Nike. The website is set out in a really unique way which I have never seen before. All of the pages of the website are navigated automatically in a movie clip. Each page has its own short movie and these play simultaneously allowing the user to browse the whole website without actually pressing anything.
There are also pages which can be navigated by the user, these look more closely at the shoe itself and allow you to have a 360 degree view of the shoe. You can also look at all the different colour ways for the shoe and it gives you great detail. The other options the user have which are featured in the top right of the screen allow the user to get directly to the several different websites which you can order the shoe from, this makes it even easier for the user and it maximises the chance of people buying the project.

Overall I really liked the website and the way it was set out. It is definately a way of creating websites which I can imagine becoming more and more popular in the coming years and I feel that it is a really good way of introducing people to a new product and allowing them to get a thorogh look at something without actually physically seeing it.

Wire Frame

These are the wire frames which I have put together for the proposed five pages of the website I will be making.

Page 1 - Index
This is the homepage of the website and I will try and keep it as minimal as possible and use a lot of visual elements to keep the users attention and make them want to look further into the website.


Page 2 - Photos
This page will contain photos of the stadium. These will be done in a slideshow which will be very user friendly.



Page 3 - Football
This page will talk about the football team which plays at the stadium, Manchester City. It will outline a bit of their history and talk about their move to the stadium.


Page 4 - History
This page will contain information on the history of the stadium. It will talk about things like what was there before and why it was built in the first place.


Page 5 - Other Events
This page will contain information on the other events which take place in the stadium such as concerts. It will outline past people who have performed there, and what is planned for the future.


These may not be my final five pages, and I may decide to change the subject of some of them, however this can be done easily as my wire frame can be adapted for different subject matter very easily.

Analysis

http://www.RedBullProjectX.com/

This week one of my favourite websites I have looked at is to advertise a snowboarding event which is happening next year. The website really impressed me in lots of different ways, for a start the photography used on the website is amazing. Some of the shots are really impressive and add to the whole atmosphere of the website.

The navigation for the website is all on the left hand side of the page and makes it really easy to navigate for the user. All of the information is scattered around each of the different pages and this means the user gets to interact with the website and can learn lots of interesting facts about the event, such as things like how long it took to build the half-pipe which will be used.

The website also contains an image gallery and other exciting features which contain some really impressive imagery which will keep the users attention for quite some time. There is also an audio track in the background of the website which contains very atmospheric music which almost makes you feel as if you are at the slope itself, and this helps to boost the experience gained by visiting the website.

Project Ideas

After Shaun gave us an idea of what our project for this term would be, I began thinking more about possible location which I could base my website on.

I wanted to choose somewhere which is special to me, and which I am able to access easily, should I need to take photos or videos of it. The place which kept ticking all the right boxes for me is the City of Manchester Stadium. This stadium is the home of Manchester City Football Club, and I have been going there regularly to watch the team since they moved to the stadium in 2003.

It is very easy for me to get video and pictures of the stadium as I attend every home game so am there a few times every month. The stadium also has some history around it as it was originally built to host the 2002 Commonwealth Games. Therefore there is plenty of information available which I can use to fill a 5 page website.

Also, after viewing the stadiums current website - http://www.cityofmanchesterstadium.co.uk/, I feel I could easily improve the current website by both looks and content.