http://www.webpagesthatsuck.com/worst-websites-of-2010-contenders.html
I found this website while browsing for an interesting website to blog about, and since I'm currently in web design this one caught my eye. Since 2005 this website has kept track of the worst web designs for every year and fortunately posted them for us to see. Some of the websites are pretty outrageous, especially in 2010 the website for the Yale Art School is just awful. I really appreciate resources such as this because instead of showcasing great design after great design, you get a chance to really see what is awful design. Sometimes I think it is easier to understand what not to do than what to do. I think it is important for designers to share ideas and findings, good and bad. Some of the websites you can tell whoever designed it had the intention of making a unique, exciting page, but in the end made a very bad design that is actually difficult to navigate. As in print, I think it is safe to say that sometimes simplicity works best. This goes back to why people need to hire designers, even if they know how to create a website, they do not fully understand the elements that go into design to make it a success. What people/companies need to understand, through our persuasion is that even though most people out their aren't designers, I think it is safe to say it is obvious when a website, especially in this day, is a poor design that reflects poorly on the company.
I understand that people do want to make things look interesting and unique to viewers, but sometime simplicity is best. There are general rules that in place for a reason. Sometimes it's best to just leave it to the designer.
ReplyDeleteI feel this is the same way for logo designs. There are always going to be bad logos and good logos. Having a poor logo design reflects poorly on the identity of the company.
ReplyDeleteThere was one website of a professional agency right here in Chicago that actually had a customized navigation system that was just hell to figure out (it involved using the keyboard instead of the mouse). Worse yet: the instructions for using the navigation were buried behind at least two layers of navigation, in the place where you'd least expect it. I was ready to rip the site out of cyberspace and throw it at the wall.
ReplyDeleteThere are just some things you shouldn't mess with. Or if you do mess with them, you'd better have a good reason.
It seems that the best way to distinguish the boundaries for what would be appropriate and what wouldn't is to evaluate the client, and the bulk of the information that needs to be showcased online. It seems that simplistic would be ideal for a very info heavy site and that a company with more spunk and edge can handle something more over the top.
ReplyDeleteI feel that it is refreshing in a way to see badly done design because it shows us what not to do, and in a way if we are capable of producing better that's an instant ego boost right there!
I went through the site and some of them are hilariously bad, why would some one want to represent themselves with such an awful web page. Makes you want to work that much harder to not end up on this site. Good find.
ReplyDeleteI think that it is safe to say that the majority of websites today have awful design. What is pretty ironic is that some people don't even notice bad design when they run into it, like comic sans. In websites I feel this is particularly true. I feel as some companies think that it is more of a resource of information but a lot of the time it is used for marketing, in fact it is most definitely now used for marketing.
ReplyDeleteCompanies need to start realizing this because to be quite honest the second I see a poorly designed website whether it be from a user experience standpoint or from a visual design standpoint, I will most likely close out of it because its just that annoying to me. I usually will close out of it because in my mind a poorly designed website will more or less be a sign of a dated company, unprofessionalism, or more obviously a company that is not interested in the display of their products or services, which is important to me. I might be alone on that but for designers and even some people who aren't designers it is very important to be well designed and to have information laid out in a way that is easily accessible and easy to navigate.
Wow, these are really bad.There have to be some excuse for their lack of effort or maybe they are inexperienced in web design. I suggest they should stick to what they know and learn what they don't.
ReplyDeleteI definitely agree! It is hard to know what it good in design. Seeing these made me laugh, and I'll definitely remember how awful they are!
ReplyDeleteYale School of Art has an MFA in graphic design. Yet it has this website.
ReplyDeleteHow?
I agree with Julie! I will definitely leave a website if it's designed poorly.
ReplyDeleteThree words (or letters): WTH?
ReplyDeleteI'm in the same boat with everyone else on leaving bad websites right away, I just can't take all the bad design in them. What is kinda funny and ironic is the Shop Paradise website on there is now "under construction" when I try to view it. Hopefully they recognize how bad it is and have hired a professional designer to re-design it?
ReplyDeleteWhat's funny is that a lot of these just look like websites did before Dreamweaver, etc. became popular and easier to use. It makes you wonder how many 'bad' websites are simply 'old' websites.
ReplyDeletethat looks like a horrible websites. that is one of my pet peeves in design. horrible websites.
ReplyDeleteArtwork and design is influenced by self-expression, along with taking into consideration subjectivity and what is appealing to the (target) audience. Though we might all think that this web design is hideous, I'm sure there are people out there that would find this specific art theme/design appealing. It just shows how unpredictable the artworld can be.
ReplyDeleteExactly what Shanna said! And why would they make a website that people who get seizures can't access? Yale should have known better.
ReplyDeleteAt the same time, I appreciate the attempt by Yale at pushing the envelope. Yes, it may have been a complete failure, but I applaud them for trying.
ReplyDeleteSo, the website has changed since you posted this a few weeks ago. Kind of the same aesthetic now, but I actually really like it. Usually things flashing in my face annoy me, but B&W with the blocked text is great, almost like an informative newsprint texture as the background. But, I think that if they did something safe, we would question the credibility of their program.
ReplyDelete