Your opinion needed on web design

[rosst]

If you think his is bad take a look at the one they've landed us with - http://builth.epowys.net

[mrforgetful]

Most of your GCSE leverl students could probably have done just as well.

[MkII]

Our Y7s would be pulled up for those image errors.

[tarquel]

Hey Ross... are you going to the meeting tomorrow?

 

Are we all going to give honest answers?

 

I'm thinking about bringing body armour just in case [j/k].

 

I think I'll decine commenting on ours:

 

http://broddyfi.epowys.net

 

Guess I'm glad I didnt get their jobs when applying for them... the scrutiny would be unbearable hehe

 

Nath.

[_Bat_]

I'd love to be a fly on the wall in this upcoming meeting...

 

How do you respond to "what do you think of the website?" when said website cost a lot of money and took seven months? Ummmm...

[GrumbleDook]

I'd love to be a fly on the wall in this upcoming meeting...

 

How do you respond to "what do you think of the website?" when said website cost a lot of money and took seven months? Ummmm...

 

"It appears that whilst one of the primary functions of the new websites, ie they are sites on the 'Web', has been met we do have a number of arrears of concern that should be noted.

 

"1 - one of the uses of websites in schools is to engage with staff, students, their families, the local community and outside groups. Whilst you might say that these sites get a reaction I cannot say that it is a positive one that would lead to returning visitiors. They will look at it and presume the we let the Year 3 kids from the nearby primary loose onto it. As it happens we could have let them loose on it and they would have reached this stage within the first week ... which leads me onto the next point.

 

"2 - Whilst we appreciate that a large number of templates were needed to be created to get the right look and feel for each individual school ... and that this can take considerable time ... we have to point out that even getting one to a high standard and then cloning it to everywhere else, just changing the two principle colours and the logos, would have been a good start. It is not as if we can see a 'perfect' example with the Hub that has yet to be migrated to individual schools ...

 

"3 - This brings up the next point. Time is of the essence here ... and it appears that it has not been used effectively. Time is money and whilst the time may have been put in I cannot honestly say that it feels as if we have had our monies worth of it. We can only assume that it took along time to travel between schools for you to take photos for the sites ... and even longer for you to find you way to the nearest PC World where you obviously picked up the crappest image manipulation software to create the crass that you call a website.

 

"4 - Perhaps during your trips to PC World, presuming you made more than one since you obviously struggle with the site you may have even struggled to pick up the right software ... the fact that the first thing your bought was Microsoft Money might have held a clue in the name that it would be rubbish for doing web sites, you may have thought about making sure that the sites not only looked good to the plain eye (yes ... that is one function of websites you know) but that they also need to be workable for those with impairments ... those that use text readers or need everything on a large scale. You might have also thought about ensuring it works on more the just your own computer ... which you really should upgrade as running IE4 on Windows ME is so 2000.

 

"I know that these few points may seem a little picky ... and we do appreciate that you tried to do something 'different' by using certain combinations of colours ... but getting the right combination makes all the difference. That is why Jackson Pollock is worth a fortune but the friday night drunk spewing a half-digested kebab over the windscreen of a police car is not likely to win major art prizes (unless you are Tracy whatsherface!)

 

"Yes ... withdrawing funding may seem a bit harsh but we do feel that a nice chap up north deserves it more that you ... if only I could remember his name ... I know it is unpronouncable anyway.

 

"Yes ... please close the door on your way out ... "

 

Is this enough for someone to mention at the meeting?

[MkII]

lmao several times - thanks Tony for that - Certainly puts it into perspective! How I wish you could be there and say that. We'd all be rolling on the floor anyway!

 

PS as you got me rolling on the floor already - like the new sig too

[_Bat_]

Thank-you grumbledook!!! I was drinking shloer as I started reading that, I just choked on it due to laughing and it has gone all down my shirt and over my keyboard .

[_Bat_]

"It appears that whilst one of the primary functions of the new websites, ie they are sites on the 'Web', has been met we do have a number of arrears of concern that should be noted.

 

That bit alone stained my shirt red

[bossman]

Have they been paid for the job is what i ask? I'm no expert on web design (ask webman) but even i know when something looks like the kids have done it in front page, only badly! :?

[_Bat_]

I honestly don't think the site is that bad. The colour scheme isn't great, I'll admit, it's just that they are charging for a site into which they have done very little work (and took seven months to do that very little work). Content always takes the longest amount of time and they didn't do anything themselves content wise.

 

I just hope the website designer(s) in question never see this thread.

[GrumbleDook]

It is just that the sites shown in this thread so far are so uninteresting ... you can quite easily make it a little more interesting with moodle templates ... and from working with a number of designers in the past good ones tend to have a stock of images or working colour schemes ... that doesn't even seem to be the case with these.

[CGteach]

Hi,not only am i new to the site, and this is my first post, but I am also one of the ICT teachers at newtown High (also the chap that has been working on the other moodle site for the school), and it nice to see that me and mark are not being to harsh on the epowys design.

 

As a ICT teacher, i am going to feel embarassed to show this to my pupils. All I can really say is

 

Web designer? Get my gun! :twisted:

 

Thanks

[alan-d]

6 months of planning and testing various options by non web designers here has come up with not one but 2 sites which are far superior to those shown by mark.

 

I'd be asking for a refund if you had to pay for it.

 

Here are examples of ours and that is before we get around to tweaking the look and feel of it.

[alan-d]

Sorry missed one :?

[_Bat_]

I'd be asking for a refund if you had to pay for it.

 

How can you actually do that though? I've always designed my own websites, so I've never paid for one before. If you get someone to design one for you, what needs to happen in order to get a refund? The quality of the site is subject to opinion and it has already been said that opinions of the site vary (SMT like it). Surely the designer in question can argue that they did everything that was required of them when they were asked to design the site?

[_Bat_]

Oh... and that shloer isn't coming out of my shirt I think i've ruined it

[daverage]

So you have paid for someone to make a moodle theme? I don't get it.

I am a professional web designer. I have to be honest and I don't think this represents you as a school very well. I just don't get it sorry.

[gwendes]

I'd be asking for a refund if you had to pay for it.

 

How can you actually do that though? I've always designed my own websites, so I've never paid for one before. If you get someone to design one for you, what needs to happen in order to get a refund? The quality of the site is subject to opinion and it has already been said that opinions of the site vary (SMT like it). Surely the designer in question can argue that they did everything that was required of them when they were asked to design the site?

 

That's like saying you should pay for bad food in a restaurant because someone starving would gulp it up. I would not pay that 'designer' anything - he has clearly been very lazy.

[webman]

_Bat_: I'd imagine there'd be a contractual agreement of all specs of the finished site drawn up before any work done. Then if the site doesn't meet the spec get a refund.

[alan-d]

I am a professional web designer.

 

Really? 8O

 

 

Seriously though - Designing a site to specification is one thing but to do it badly is another. It would be like asking for Fish and Chips - how often do you ask for them to be cooked?

 

I'm no web expert but 7 months to put together a moodle site of any description is disgusting.

[daverage]

Really?

Git

[gwendes]

It would be like asking for Fish and Chips - how often do you ask for them to be cooked?

 

I'm no web expert but 7 months to put together a moodle site of any description is disgusting.

 

Exactly. I'll testify in court too...

 

You've plenty of support here mark...

[localzuk]

I think the best option is to print out the site a hundred times, bundle it together and hit the designer with it. Might knock some sense into them

[Midget]

I think it's brilliant and you have nothing to complain about

 

 

8-[

 

*Collects £10 from under the table*