Critique Please?

Since I've been doing mega-critique posts recently I wanted to post my own work so that it's not all one sided.

I did this a few days ago and got the clients feedback already. The design will change quite a bit, so I don't think it counts as IP (I hope). Sad though, kind liked the way it worked to convey trust, professionalism and security. Oh, the "echo egg" logo isn't mine. Everything else is though.

What do you think? All constructive criticisms welcome:


http://www.cowkettle.com/spi/comp2.gif

(BTW, I'm hosting this off of my home box, so if it goes down I may be rebooting - I never turn if off though)

Hmm, hard to inspire trust and security with a name like spi dynamics. Not even spelled spy... *grumble*

But thats the clients problem not yours.


I like the site layout, but the too clean monochromatic square look reminds me of cheesy flash sites, and bad animation.. *shrug* could just be me. The buttons too. I don't like the repeated arrows on the buttons.


I really like the top background pic though, with the grass and the tree, but it looks like you've lopped the top of the tree off.

Oh.. and I think that these forums consider putting up large images like that a faux pas.. There are some people running around here on 28k modems.

Not that 53kb is a massive image but..

i really love that design, only that i don't like the color..
nice job neil

The POC (Point Of Contact - for those of you still with you innocence) I'm working with on the project and I have gone back and forth on the color scheme. This morning he admits to me he's red-green color blind! Ack!

What do you say to that? Why am I working with a color blind POC to work out to corporate websites colors???

I like that design a lot. And I like the colors. The little tree is awesome. Then the stuff that looks like grass... It has a very soft and cozy feel to it. Looks like a company I could trust. Great job.

Czak: I believe the issue is when someone 'embeds' the image into the post. Neil just posted a link which is peachy-keen!

Neil: Hmmmm.... color blind, eh? Just be professional about it, and don't bring up colors every time you talk with him!

I like the site! Nice, clean, I believe conveys a good 'image'. Suggestions? I would look @ your balance of space from top-to-bottom. In the interest of usable space (one would assume), you've scrunched your banner and top table up to the top, as pointed out earlier, chopping the top of the tree. While proper tree pruning can promote a healthier tree, I think improper image cropping can be bad.

;)

What is your target resolution? 800X600? If so, you need to go on a little diet. I have to scroll side to side a bit.

Good job!

I edited the post... the original post had the image embedded. That's why Czak said that. It was true at the time.

Overall I like it, very cool. I like the monochromatic look in this case, it's a good non-offensive color and works well. My one complaint would be the lack of contrast. Even if it is monochromatic you've got little to no true blacks in there. A darker dropshadow behind the microscope or some black used more selectively underneath some of the other images would really make it "pop" and lose some of the softness is has right now. Nice stuff overall...

Chris

I like the colors. Its no the most innovative style but it looks very professional. Calm, soothing. Theres probably a whole liste of things that specific combos of color are suposed to make make people feels specific things. Whatever, i'm not a designer i never studied color theorys.

The only thing that makes twitch every so slightly is that boxes on the bottom of the page. They feel sorta of...well floaty. While the rest of the page has a very flat flat look. This is just nitpicking but i wondered if that was the effect your were striving for. With so many moveable lil windows webpages now its easy to get that feel i supose. Because of the slight bevel and the dark background it really makes them seem a bit closer to you than the rest of the site.

hmmm. I can't decide if i like that or not. It might even be a good thing if thats the content you really want to push twoards people.