Though I learned much at Shakespeare's knee, the two
years I worked for the undergraduate literary magazine
at the University of Utah were almost as valuable.
Every night, I took home fat manila folders full of
poetry and fiction that were horribly instructive in
their badness. Example: a parody of "Little Women,"
swapping out the main characters for Smurfs.

Last week, we talked about positive web page role models.
However, knowing what NOT to do is just as effective. So
this week our different pedagogical model is called "Learn From
Web Pages that Suck."

A wise-looking fellow, Vincent Flanders, has kindly
furnished the internet community with
http://www.webpagesthatsuck.com/ "Where you learn good
Web design by looking at bad Web design." Like Sightings,
Flanders offers frequent updates to his site-though his is
called "The Daily Sucker," which features live examples
of new ways to do bad things. Today's sucker is
http://www.bah.com/welcome_pages/0301/index.html What
is so offensive about this site? I can tell you what bothers me:
frames; cramped-up, busy text sure to induce a seizure;
and no clear explanation as to what they actually do. Flanders
notes that there's no "home" button on the pages (huge mistake).
His overall assessment is that "the above site uses too
many frames in a bad way but disguises the fact by its
professional look."

Today must be a good day for bad sites, because he has
a second sucker up, a government page that is all too
elf-explanatory in its suckness:
http://www.its.bldrdoc.gov/fs-1037/

For a real trial by fire, take Vincent's tour of
things that suck. These are sucky pages that Flanders
put together himself, which include "pretentious
front pages," "too many wrong things," going overboard
with special effects, free backgrounds that suck, and bad text:
http://www.webpagesthatsuck.com/begin.htm

He also has a great article on "Mystery Meat Navigation"
-that is, links and design that leave a user's brain addled
and unable to complete a credit-card transaction. According to
Flanders, recent research indicates that ""39 percent of
test shoppers failed in their buying attempts because sites
were too difficult to navigate." We all know that you don't
want that to happen, yes? So at the very least, read this
excellent and funny piece on how not to confuse the daylights
out of your visitors:
http://www.webpagesthatsuck.com/badnavigation.html

Flanders is also the author of "Web Pages that Suck,"
which you can probably find at your friendly local independent
bookstore. Though it's a good, classic text about how
web sites go wrong, you'll want to visit his pages as well,
because according to Vincent Flanders (and he's the man)
humans with access to computers are discovering new ways
3:01 PM 3/29/01to suck even as we speak-so read up, and don't be
one of them!



About the Author
Stefene Russell will do a
complete analysis of your site, including personalized
tips on copy and design at http://fixmywebsite.com/analysis.htm
Whether you're an e-business or a content provider, find
ut how to make your site professional and effective.
Read Stefene's free web site tips at http://FixMyWebsite.com
Reach her at stefene@drnunley.com or 801-328-9006.