I took the Dell and Newegg mobile iPad apps out for a spin this week. Among the sites we track, Dell and Newegg seem to be the only two companies that have jumped into the ecommerce end of the iPad app pool (update! CDW just launched its app). Since Dell and Newegg are the first, it’s time to see if they are the best. Read More→
Archive for Design
By Marty Gruhn · Comments (0)
Tuesday,
January
24th,
2012
Comments (0)
By Kenna Dian · Comments (0)
Thursday,
January
5th,
2012
And the Winner Is…
Overall: IBM Global Services
Usability & Effectiveness: IBM Global Services
Content, Features & Capabilities: Accenture.com
The ripples of IBM.com’s latest site redesign reached the professional services segment this year and has rocked Accenture.com’s first place ranking. The question now is whether or not the tide will turn in 2012. Here’s the rundown from first place to last: Read More→
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Categories : Communities, Design, eSelling, Global Websites, Marketing, Navigation, Search, Support, Usability, Website Rankings
By Kenna Dian · Comments (2)
Monday,
December
5th,
2011
And the Winner Is…
Overall: Symantec.com
Usability & Effectiveness: Symantec.com
Content, Features & Capabilities: Microsoft.com
Each business software site’s redesign over the past year has caused content and features to shrink on a huge scale. But did these diets help the sites’ usability scores? At least one Website should think so. Here’s the rundown from first place to last: Read More→
Comments (2)
Categories : Design, eSelling, Global Websites, Marketing, Navigation, Search, Support, Usability, Website Rankings
By Kenna Dian · Comments (2)
Tuesday,
September
13th,
2011
And the Winner Is…
Overall: Oracle.com
Usability & Effectiveness: IBM Software Group
Content, Features & Capabilities: Oracle.com
With two companies performing complete site overhauls–and one nudging its site into place over the past year—rankings were bound to change in 2011. So which sites were the major movers and shakers over the past 12 months? Which ones are the sites to watch through 2012? Here’s the rundown from first place to last: Read More→
Comments (2)
Categories : Communities, Design, eSelling, Marketing, Navigation, Search, Strategy, Support, Usability, Website Launches, Website Rankings
By Kenna Dian · Comments (3)
Wednesday,
August
31st,
2011
This week, we took the new Intel.com site for a spin. Let’s just say there’s more (and less) to this site than meets the eye.
Kenna Dian: Don’t Bother
Intel.com’s latest redesign is like buying an exotic car. It is visually striking, can be fun to drive, and has more bells and whistles than other cars on the road. But going exotic has tradeoffs. Choosing to pass on getting the full options package can leave the driving experience far less exciting than advertised. In fact, it may even break down–always in inconvenient locations. And the unique controls and design that seems edgy and innovative in the beginning quickly become confusing and irritating.
Comments (3)
Categories : Design, Marketing, Navigation, POV (point of view), Search, Strategy, Usability, Website Launches
With some best practices and innovations in store.
Recently Marty Gruhn and I put IBM.com’s new mega-menu under the microscope and the results were…well…less than stellar. But a couple accidental slips of my cursor exposed some other new designs and approaches that are well worth taking a spin around the IBM.com site.
Navigation first, content second. If you click on one of the artfully hidden “all” links in IBM.com’s mega-menu (i.e. “all solutions” or “all services”) you will land on a page that is so simply designed and elegant that you will think you landed on a different site. You didn’t. This is the highest of the high levels of the new IBM.com. Sophisticated design aside, what is most notable is how the page is focused solely on navigating to the rest of the site. Broad, big-bucket links take visitors to more specific information, while the content only sets the context. Read More→
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Tags : best practice, cisco.com, Design, ibm.com, microsoft.com, Navigation, sap.com, Usability, website design
By Marty Gruhn · Comments (1)
Wednesday,
June
8th,
2011
In this Don’t Miss/Don’t Bother we take IBM.com’s new mega-menu for a spin (or two).
Fair warning, this post is long!
IBM.com has launched revised home and solutions pages that feature the next major piece in its evolution: a new take on mega-menus. Not surprisingly, IBM.com has put its own spin on what is fast becoming an industry norm. In this Don’t Miss/Don’t Bother we weigh in on the pros and cons of IBM.com’s latest design. Read More→
Comments (1)
By Kenna Dian · Comments (3)
Wednesday,
June
8th,
2011
How Cisco.com’s mega-menu merges form with function to deliver a best practice experience
When Cisco.com launched its mega-menu last year it set the best practice bar—and it was high. The mega-menu provided greater access into a large (and sometimes unwieldy) site. Its design was easy to scan and use. And, it was also attractive—which is no small feat in a small space. In the siteIQ blog Cisco launches drop down mega menus & fat footers, we applauded the design and architecture of its Product and Services menu. This post welcomes the Support menu into the best practice fold. Read More→
Comments (3)
Who is updating their home page, how are they doing it—and why it might not matter.
2011 is turning out to be the age of the home page. We’re seeing updates in record numbers– and some designs are actually breaking new ground. On the other hand, few of these designs are actually making it down to lower levels of the site—which is a big no-no in our book.
I’ll leave that point for a future rant. Meanwhile, let’s take a look at who’s producing these new home pages, the important design points and strategies they bring to the party—and explore the age-old question: why only the home page?
I’ll start with the “who” and “how” and leave my humble opinions for the end. Read More→
Comments (0)
Tags : adobe.com, Design, Home Page, hp.com, ibm.com, juniper.net, launch, Level3.com, microsoft.com, sap.com, Usability, website design
By Marty Gruhn · Comments (0)
Wednesday,
May
25th,
2011
In this Don’t Miss/Don’t Bother we tackle HP.com’s new home page launch—and the waterfall effects on this mega site.
Kenna Dian | Don’t Bother
I have been watching the latest HP.com home page launch for the last three weeks with great interest—waiting to see how the new home page design would shake out. But after all this time, I am left wondering what on earth HP.com thinks it’s doing.
A short history. The cycle started about three weeks ago with a new home page, which suddenly disappeared the next day. Next, it appeared again in a rotation with the old home page. Within a week, there were 3 versions of the home page—then 4—and now we’re up to at least 5. Add two animated versions that show the visitor how to use the home page’s feature panels and navigation—and you have the whole picture.
I don’t know if HP.com will eventually settle on something—or will continue playing Russian roulette with its home page. But I do know that I’ve learned four things watching this…um…unique launch. Read More→
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Marty Gruhn on Twitter
- New case study on the way: The IBM SWG Website team is executing its cult of personality strategy to perfection. http://t.co/YuBBODwr about 14 hours ago from web ReplyRetweetFavorite
- Smart moves. IBM uses "Connect" tab 2 drive visitors 2 high value social media venues & LinkedIn groups to start conversations with IBMers 05:20:29 PM January 13, 2012 from web ReplyRetweetFavorite
Follow Kenna Dian on Twitter
- Online communities your thing? The Online Communities Index report is hot off the presses for Library subscribers! http://t.co/EAAgG7bi about 13 hours ago from web ReplyRetweetFavorite
- RT @SageNAmerica: Great quote from Larry Ritter RT @LCoates1: "If you don't like change, you'll really dislike being irrelevant." @ACTby ... about 13 hours ago from web ReplyRetweetFavorite
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