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URL: http://emproductions.cjb.net
Reviewed by: David Mead
Style Score (1-5) : 3
Screen shots:
Comments on the style:
The light blues and yellow works well together. The style is modern and light and the first inner pages have quite large text for easy reading. Navigation is clear at the top and is in the form of graphical buttons. The light feel is a little bogged down here by the heavy grey surround background, but in the Portfolio and Profile sections we lose the surround and blue background for a white background which doesn't let the site flow together and breaks the consistency. The logo is always present at the top.
Code Score (1-5) : 2
Screen shots (code) :
Comments on the code:
Looks like it was built using Dreamweaver so the code is fairly clean, though there are a lot of instances using the for spacing instead of using CSS. Also there seems to be three different CSS files, one of which cannot be found. One would have sufficed. Most of the pages seemed to be made using frames (for no reason that I can see) this clutters up the code somewhat and would kill any SE placement. No alt tags are used on the images for the navigation or layout graphics.
This table based layout could have been easily replicated using CSS and brought down the file size. Though having an XHTML DOCTYPE it does not validate as there are settings for the tables contained with the XHTML which should be in the CSS.
Overall for a "simple" website, this would be a hassle to maintain with the tables and image maps needed to be updated.
Usability Score (1-5) : 1
Screen shots (code) :
Comments on the usability of the web site:
When first visiting this site you are presented with a standard splash screen, though there is no real indication what you should click to proceed. In IE6 I get a pop-up wanting to install something (see screenshot), this changes on every refresh or visit - this does not inspire confidence in a web site design firm and I personally would venture any further if I wasn't reviewing the site.
After clicking on the graphic (the email address takes you to the same place) it opens a new window and we are inside the site. Choosing any one of the four options in the top navigation opens yet another window as do they all regardless of what window you are in and you can't navigate back! You end up with 5 or 6 new windows open. Add to that some of the portfolio examples also spawn new browser windows; the whole site is overly complex. The Services link has an error404.
None of the navigation (which is an image map) has text alternatives or alt tags. All the text on the Splash, Contact and Index page is contained in the large graphic and is not readable by screen readers or search engines and is not replicated in an alt or longdesc tag.
General Score (1-5) : 2
Comments :
For someone trying to put the message across of being a web designer for hire, this site is not a good ad. Unnecessary use of frames, lack of alt tags, pop-ups to install software, and hosting on "free" web space all go against it.
I think the look could've been a good one, but attention to a clear site map and creating a good clean CSS enhanced (keeping the tables) layout would improve this no end.
