LIS 385T.6 Spring 2001
Diagram a website
A branching diagram shows each page on a site and how it's related to the other pages on the site. A page architecture maps out the kinds of information on each page, or each type of page, in the Web site. (DiNucci, 1998.)
This assignment contains two parts.
- Sketch the branching diagram AND the page architecture of the Faculty Trends Website.
- Write a brief critique of its suitability to the site's purpose based on Donald Norman's principles of user-centered design.
The Faculty Trends
Website was an ambitious project. I have diagrammed the first level of
links. The second level of the diagram would contain about 200 links!
It provides a vast amount of links such as as samples of award winning
webpages, web development tools, reference information, and announcements
of grants and competitions.
When I initially looked at the website I was confused, wondering why some
of the links had pictures while others didn't. So, I suppose that mapping
of the site was not very natural. I figured that the designer wanted to
emphasize those with pictures. I would say that the website provides a
good conceptual model because it allows us to predict the effects of our
actions. For example, when I click on Showcase if websites I am taken
to a listing of various website links with description of it's contents.
There is an overwhelming about of informational links so...why is there
no search option?! This could be very frustrating to a user who need
to find something specific very quickly. This tool would have been very
useful. The page was last updated August 2000 I noticed. Some of the pages
linked in the website had moved and were outdated.