Wireframes

This semester I am taking two web classes- one class on HTML and CSS and the other is writing for the web. Two great classes to take at the same time because what I am learning in one can be applied in the other.  This week in my writing class we are learning about wireframes.You ask what is a wireframe? It is a storyboard that is used when designing a website.  It is plain and simple.  Below is my example of a wireframe.

 I built this wireframe backwards. I visited the Chatham website and designed the wireframe AFTER the site was published.   Those who know me know that I am OCD about the details.  The wireframe above was actually was my second attempt at this project. After speaking with my professor, it seems that what I initially created was more advanced than what this assignment was looking for.  It was very hard for me to go from what is below to the stripped down version up above.

I did learn from this assignment that the Chatham website has good structure for the most part. The main content reads from the left to the right and it is easy to read.  What I don’t like is all the boxes.  I understand there is a lot of content to share with those that come to the site, but I think some of the topics can be combined under one heading and do not need to be repeated in more than one box or quadrant.  Examples are:·        

• At the top of the page and the mid-to-bottom of the page there are two separate places to “Apply”·        
• Same for “About” Chatham, “Campus Life”,  and “Outreach”·        
•  Why have a “donors” and “Make a gift” almost directly next to each other?·        
• There is a drop down menu and section to click on the different programs. Why not combine to one list?

This shows me that there was a break down in planning.  The items that are duplicated are important, but instead of giving the visitor the option to link to these topics  once, there are multiple links to the same topics. I feel this could have been done purposely, but it is redundant to me. 

Overall, the Chatham website is easy to navigate for me.  The question I ask, is it easy to navigate because I know the site? Or does the outside visitor find difficulty or redundancy in the site and navigation options?