The site I am choosing to compare the final project with is The Mac & Gold Truck. I decided to go with this site because it is the same format as the final project, a food truck that is Pittsburgh inspired. It offers many of the same services, like catering, and the theming is similar. I did not know of this truck or it’s site before the project, so it was a good candidate for discussion. The website is very simple with a black & gold color theme, simple geographic layout, and easy-to-use navigation system. I viewed this site through the desktop browser.
The layout is nothing crazy, with text placed above in a navigation bar and captions on photos that are square or rectangle shaped. The eye line typically goes from left to right, so it is easy to follow along. They included a gallery of photos on the homepage. It is not that engaging which is worth noting due to the flat background and no use of moving graphics. There is no distinctive texture; no use of lines or patterns are present. The logo at the top of the page has some going on, but it is cut-off slightly. As for analyzing their use of color, the black & gold theme is an obvious play on Pittsburgh’s sporting team colors. It is used all throughout their marketing; a plain black background is present on each page with yellow or white typography and brief transition between links. This helps with brand identity as well because guests will be able to connect their theming. A bright color against a dark background makes the text and graphics easy to decipher for online viewing. Overall, the food truck’s website builds a strong brand that directly appeals to the demographic of their location but is in need of some work in the design sector of texture. The usability is slightly affected by their current maintenance period as their social medias are not currently active. By looking at some of the information listed, it seems to not have been updated for quite some time as they are going through some maintenance work.
In comparison to our final project, the sites are very different. Our group’s color scheme is different as we are using deep purples and violet shades to add some personality into the website instead of black. We wanted to avoid heavy backgrounds while still keeping the content light with strong golds and pale yellows. We are trying to keep the typography simple, but not bland. Usability is a big factor in our work. I think our website will stand out due to the use of graphics like our brand logo and unique menu offerings. Mac and Gold’s site gets the point across and information out there, but could greatly benefit from a change in appearance.