Wednesday, April 22, 2009

InfoArch Exploring Hotwheels

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3 comments:

Sheila W said...

I think the orientation and organization of the navigation menu is well resolved, although the typography of it could use some finessing. For example, the size, style and series text feels simply placed in; I would definitely like to see it play within its allotted space a bit more?
The manner in which you've rendered the different cars feels well-suited to the collection as well; it definitely calls to mind the type of graphics/logos these things are usually associated with.
In regards to your infographics, I would have liked to see perhaps some more detail on some of them. Infographics such as the comparison of number of sticks on a car from 1990 - 2004 only had the text, "BECAUSE MATTEL WANTED TO KEEP PRICES AT ONE DOLLAR." All this does it reiterate what's already established by the button the user clicked on. Perhaps a small blurb of info to clarify how or why this was done>

Logan Smith said...

Blake -

First and foremost, the type size almost everywhere is seriously too small for viewing on the screen.

I like your intro paragraph which sets me up for your site, lets me know what it's about and what I can expect.

The background checkered image you're using isn't connoting race-car-checkered-flag like I think you want it to. It's the wrong color and the wrong size. It also takes up too much space on your page. Why all that empty space?

size infograph: The way you've set your cars doesn't really help me visually recognize the size differentiation. They all look like pretty much the same size. Is there another way to compare? Infographs are supposed to make visual comparison more explicit.

Also, are your cars going to be clickable? How do I learn about each car in your collection?

Style and Series is exactly the same. They may be two different attributes of your collection, but the point is to sort them differently and right now nothing is changing.

Buttons on the left: Your information about these images is in your button. I say, put that information in your image somewhere, and increase the type size everywhere.

I understand the concept for the original 16, but the way the icons are rendered are flat, not interesting.

Simplification is working. I can understand what is going on.

Location: I can see where you got them, but you could easily go further and say which cars came from which location.

Roll distance is a fun infograph, but the lines aren't all in the back of the cars. The rubber-band launcher is strangely 3-dimensional in your very 2-D rendered website.

Anatomy is dimensional, and I like the look. It is the nicest page, I think because it's flat but I get a sense of the shape of the car. Could you bring this dimensionality into more of your infographs, maybe?? It makes it so much more interesting.

Also, I like your icon renderings a lot. It helps set up a feel for your site. I would like to see the actual cars somewhere. Right now this is information about your collection but I can't view your actual collection anywhere.

Corie Chambers said...

The rendering technique of your collection is good, but I think it would have been beneficial to show the car at an angle, displaying the graphic element (if any) on the hood.

In general the typography everywhere looks very plain. The logotype does not reflect the excitement of hot wheels. Some of your type is way too small for the screen.

Your anatomy infograph is good, however the location infograph does a good job of explaining where you go them, but not when you got them. I think there needs to be a separate infograph for this information or you need to find another way to display it within the current infograph.

The site functions pretty well, though I think it would be easier for all your navigation to appear at the top.