Running Head: MTV WEBSITE ANALYSIS
Analyzing MTV website in terms of its
aesthetics, usability, overall design, and the application of Krug’s five rules
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Aesthetics, layout, and overall design
- Over the decade we
have seen the introduction of HCI (Human-Computer Interface) that has created
awareness regarding the aesthetics of a website (Theuma, 2007, 5). In
older world the aesthetics meant how the buildings, artifacts, and
craftsmanship were attractive. However, in the age of information
technology, the aesthetics is also attached to the website as well. The
website has now become a platform for the companies to reach their
customers without having the hindrance of boundary. One such website is of
the MTV (www.mtv.com)
- The first
impression of a website is essential. It depicts how the web user assumes
the working of the company (themua, 2007, 10). If the website is appealing
then it is though that the company is exceptional too. We would be
analyzing the website of MTV not only in terms of aesthetics, but also in
terms of layout, overall design, colors, fonts, backgrounds, suitability
for the brand’s image, use of graphics and white space.
- As soon as the
website is opened, a dialog appears that guides about the two types of MTV
website available. The first impression formed regarding MTV is that the
website mostly deals in pictorial representation. As it is targeted
towards the younger generation, the heavy usage of pictures makes it quite
attractive and suits the teenagers’ understanding.
- The website cannot
be regarded as truly aesthetic as it is more lively rather than an
abstract theme. Aesthetic experience should be separated from usability.
Aesthetic experience is what the visitor feels about the website and it is
difficult to quantify. MTV is average in aesthetic.
- The website is very
rich. It has a huge amount of data, represented by pictorial form rather
than text. The layout of the website is excellent too. All the sections
are clearly identifiable having all their options at their correct place. The
overall design of the website is good too. If we look at the website from
the perspective of elder, we would find the overall design of the website
as very dull or may be confusing. But if we look at the overall design
from the viewpoint of a teenager or youngster, we would find it very
interesting as there are a lot of pictures of the celebrities, programs,
and a lot of information regarding the industry that can be accessed by
us.
- The color
combination is quite fascinating too. The starting of the website has a
background of black color. The middle portion of the website has the
background color of white with brown and green colors for borders and
text. The end of the website is again black. This helps in differentiating
the three major portions of website as the starting, middle, ending.
- The website is
exactly suiting the image of the brand. MTV is all about youngster and
teenagers, and who are in their early 20s too. The website, in my opinion,
presents a partial funky look. If any one wants to see how a complete
funky site targeted for teenagers looks like then he or she can visit the
website of Djuice, a telecommunication website of Pakistan (http://www.djuice.com/).
- Website of MTV has
effectively used the graphics. The very first page of the website displays
all the updates in graphical forms. This is very effective as the website
clearly targets the perception of the youngster and positions itself as a
truly interactive website. The white space is utilized effectively too.
Krug's five rules for "billboard
design"
- The author of Don’t
make me think: A common sense approach to web usability, Steve Krug, is
regarded as the best consultant who has ever worked with the circle.com,
excite@home, barnesandnoble.com, netscape, and Apple. His experience in
the website development has made him the guru of designing website with a
common sense (managementconsultingnews, n.d, 1). Krug identifies a website as a billboard in
his work “Don’t make me think”, and states that the web page should be
considered as a billboard on a internet highway on which the web users are
passing at a speed of more than 60 miles an hour.
- According to Darren
(2010), the first thing to keep in mind is the target audience. MTV is
very good as it has provided a very lively website by pictorial
representations that appeal to the youngsters (1). Secondly, 3 basic
questions need to be answered by the website. The first is to answer the
user as to where he is standing. This can show by highlighting the option
he or she is on. This is not fulfilled by MTV. Buy.com explains it much
better
- The second question
is that whether or not the website is explaining what it is made for. MTV
is successful by explaining what it has been created for. It is created
for providing information to the users and supports it by pictures.
- The last question
is to tell the audience why he or she should do on the website. MTV does
it best by stating various options of movies, videos, music. All the
options are stated on the top side of the website.
- Thirdly, the
website should be constructed so that visitor is not confused. Krug states
that the website should be intuitive. MTV is so rich that the user visiting
the website for the first time would be confused as to where the required
options are. But the frequent user would find their options easily.
- Fourthly, the website
should be designed by keeping the customers in point of view. MTV on one
hand states that the website is for youngster and teenagers too but has
also added certain adult contents that need to be 18 or 21+. Dating sites
are best at creating a website rendering the true feelings of single men
and women.
- Lastly, stick to
the conventions. People may not prefer new navigational options, etc. MTV
is following the conventions by providing its logo and the main options on
the top bar. The essence of Krug’s five rules is that even minor
ambiguities can raise confusions in the mind of the visitors. The
ambiguous display may prove to be negative in regard to the website. This
would diminish the amount of user visiting your website. To conclude we
can say that MTV website has partially fulfilled the Krug’s five rules. It
is not acting like a billboard complete. The huge amount of information
available on one page only makes the searching very visible. MTV should
revise the website keeping in mind that the users usually skim the website,
not just read it completely.
References
Darren. (February 18, 2010). 5 Timeless Usability Principles for Website Designers.
Retrieved 14 November, 2010, from http://www.1stwebdesigner.com/design/important-usability-principles-website-designers/
Managementconsultingnews. Meet the
MasterMinds: Common Sense Web Design with Steve
Krug. Retrieved
15 November, 2010, from http://www.managementconsultingnews.com/interviews/krug_interview.php
Theuma. Matthew, Evaluating the aesthetics of
websites, pp. 5, 10
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