What are the goals of Apple’s website? How does Apple’s website address the needs of a user who has just purchased their first MacBook? (pp. 41-56)
The goals of Apple’s website are to provide users with a comprehensive look at what they have to offer and to offer useful information and support to customers when they need it. Its simple, sleek design allows for easy navigation to ensure a smooth experience that minimizes time wasted in finding what the user is looking for on the website. This design is particularly useful to someone who has just purchased their first MacBook in that a first glance at the homepage leads users to information dedicated to specifics for the MacBook that first-time users would find useful in addition to easy access to the support section of the website for unique needs not addressed on other parts of the website.
What are the functional specifications of Facebook’s wall? If you are not on Facebook what are the specs for the signup page? (pp. 72-75)
The Facebook signup page in designed to quickly and efficiently sign someone up for a Facebook account by entering some basic information. The goal is to allow one to create an account without having to leave the home page. Information to the left of the data entry fields tells users of the benefits of signing up, with the intention of both signing up new users and signing in old ones upon one’s arrival at the home page.
What are four architectural approaches to information structure? Find one example of each. (pp. 94-106)
Four architectural approaches to information structure are hierarchical structures, matrix structures, organic structures, and sequential structures. Hierarchical structures have nodes that have parent/child relationships with other related nodes (example: apple.com). Matrix structures allow the user to move from node to node along two or more dimensions (example: http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=sr_fsl_cat_softlines_brand_ban_sa?rh=i%3Aaps%2Cn%3A7141123011%2Cn%3A10445813011%2Ck%3Apurse&bbn=10445813011&keywords=purse&ie=UTF8&qid=1453089849). Organic structures do not follow a consistent pattern, and nodes are connected together on a case-by-case basis (example: http://www.eonline.com/). Sequential structures flow naturally from node to node in a sequential fashion (example: http://news.yahoo.com/us-pay-iran-1-7-bn-debt-interest-160942074.html).
What percentage of The Huffington Post index page is navigation, and what percentage is content? What about Google, Wikipedia, and Etsy? (pp. 116-134)
The Huffington Post index page is approximately 95% navigation and 5% content. Google is approximately 100% navigation and 0% content. Wikipedia is approximately 100% navigation and 0% content. Etsy is approximately 94% navigation and 6% content.
How does http://www.landor.com guide the readers’ eyes and focus their attention on what is important? (pp. 144-155 )
This website guides the readers’ eyes and focuses their attention on what is important by first presenting them with large, shifting images bursting with color that serve as the background for perhaps the most important aspect of the site, the firm’s purpose. Immediately upon opening the site, one is aware of what the most essential part of the firm is before scrolling down to uncover more information or using the navigation bar. Ultimately, organizing the website in this way reminds the user of the ultimate purpose of anything to be found on the website in a visually appealing way before guiding him or her to a more expansive view of it. Additionally, its limited text does not clutter its appearance and focuses on what is most important. The images also inform in the same way the text does.