Web Graphics

The GNAC

http://www.thegnac.com/landing/index

The purpose of graphics are to visually and esthetic appeal and maintain visitor interest and attention, create visual structure and clarify information hierarchy, and finally communicate ideas visually because sites are usually quite boring without the use of graphics.

The GNAC website is plastered with graphics.  Some moving, some not, some in the foreground, while others are in the background; at a glance the website is overwhelming to say the least.

  

Guidelines:

•   Web graphics should fit in with the purpose, organization and style of the site

•    Large (file size) graphics add load time to a page — avoid.

•    Graphics should help focus visitor’s attention on what’s important on the page

•    Avoid annoying images, animations, gratuitous effects — they get old fast without purpose

•   Graphics should never be used for text content, except if a header necessitates including a logo. This diminishes search engine indexing, accessibility, etc.

•    Make graphics accessible with alternate text.

•    Make sure there is sufficient contrast when using text in graphics so they are legible. This is especially important when using background images.

The site works as far as displaying the purpose of the organization, showing college athletics' stats, achievements, rankings, and more.  The text is al legible and the logo is apparent. 

The focus of the page is unclear to viewers.  There is so much going on that it is distracting and chaotic. The tiled background layered over a gradient is not the most attractive. I think that they could have used a solid background and it would have looked much better and been easier to look at.

The picture slide show on the home page is one of the most off-putting graphic aspects of this site.  It is an annoying animation and most of the pictures are pixilated.  I do not think that the black information box should disappear and reappear from the bottom of the picture every time it changes.  If they want a caption have the black box stay and the text slide in and out the other side.

The GNAC logo at the top also looks as if they forgot to add padding, as it sits awkwardly high above the rest of the information in the header.