This example is of our Website Preference test. The reviewers look at two websites, generally your site and a site you consider a competitor, tell us which one they like better and provide a brief explanation why. We’ve paired Park Dental and Metro Dentalcare for 25 results of this test. Here are what the sites looked like at the time of the test:

Site 1: Park Dental

Site 2: Metro Dentalcare

19 responders preferred Park Dental
6 responders preferred Metro Dentalcare

Responders who preferred parkdental.com:

Responders who preferred metro-dentalcare.com

1. I prefer Metro Dentalcare’s website.  It has a more personal feel to it and is more welcoming to visitors.  I also like how the site is broken up into the different categories of patients, for example children, seniors. etc.  The children’s section has a YouTube video which was neat.  The first website, Park Dental just seemed more clinical which is not what I look for in a dentist.
2. I prefer the second website because the first thing I saw was a quote from a customer who was happy about the office having evening hours. I immediately knew what set this dental office apart from all of the rest. That is making the most out of a company website.
3. Metro Dentalcare’s website seems more locally oriented and friendly. The quote from the (possibly real) customer at the top of the page and the badge announcing that they’re the Minnesota Twins’ official dentists do a lot to make them seem connected to their communities. The site’s welcoming appearance almost makes you forget that they’re a franchise-style dental practice with a whopping 39 locations. Park Dental, on the other hand, seems corporate and cold. The photos of all of the professional model-type “dentists” gives visitors the idea that the company cares more about its image and impressing focus groups than it does about meeting patients’ needs.
4. The second site seems friendlier and more inviting, whereas the first one almost looks like a financial website. Even the color (the darker blue as compare to the lighter teal) says more serious institution rather than medical support. There’s also more open space on the second which, which is nice in comparison to the first one that seems to just throw everything at you at once.
5. Website one has these three people in lab coats, but to me it doesn’t necessarily mean that they are professionals. Website two has a lot more community basis and I find that the colors are better. Both of the sites have the same ease of navigation.
6. With no hesitation, number 2 is much softer on the eyes and has a warm, friendly feel to it. Park Dental (1) is stark and clinical. I think a dentist is difficult and often painful so a website that looks more relaxed would be more likely to get potential clients. As the mother of a two-year old I would be much more apt to visit the people of website #2 judging from the impression I get from the site.

It seems the responders who preferred Park Dental liked the same characteristics the other responders did not; clean, white design with bright colors. Those that preferred Metro Dentalcare thought the white was too stark and the colors were too serious.  The navigation of Site 1 was also a favorite.

If Metro Dentalcare ordered this test, they could make changes to their design and navigation according to this feedback, or run their site through our 1 Thing To Improve test to get specific suggestions.

Headwaters Justice Foundation works to connect people, organizations and funding to support social change. We ran their website through the standard review test. Here’s what their site looked like at the time of the test:

What Does This Website Do?

Best Current Feature

1. After clicking past the first page – I like that the menu was right on top and that right underneath was a brief description of the purpose of the site.
2. Publications and reports.
3. The best current feature is the link to the list of grantees from the Social Change fund.
4. The best feature that I see is the variety of social justice issues that the foundation is informing the public about.
5. I like the event list. (To be honest I had to look long to find a thing that I really liked. The good content, such as the grantees, is hidden.)
6. Article about the Grantee Spotlight is excellent.
7. I like the tabs that show different topics because you can go right to what you want.
8. The introduction on the home page, which explains the different incidents where people had to suffer due to injustice is very effective in conveying the purpose of this website. Apart from that the ‘what’s ahead’ section is good as it gives an idea about what is next on their agenda.
9. I liked the navigation; it’s easy to get around and the pictures behind the text are nice.
10. I think the best feature is the menu at the top where you can click on information about Headwaters, make a donation, find out where the money goes, and find out about different types of injustice. It is interesting and easy to use, so it will get people’s attention.

More than one of the reviewers like the flash navigation panels on the second page, but in general they like the contents of the site, which is good. What would they like to see improved about the packaging?

One Thing To Improve

1. Provide more information about the organization on the main page.
2. I didn’t like the landing page.  I was unsure of what the site was and didn’t understand the difference between the two choices of sections to click on. I thought it would take me to 2 different things, but it was a flash object with more information before it took you to the main page with the menu.
3. There could be articles about current work that is being done.
4. This web page needs more information.  It is a bit lean in the “meat” department.  It is a nice start to the topic but if people are to really investigate social justice, there needs to be videos, links, message board, blog, etc.  The newsletter looks like it offers a bunch of information but it is hidden down on the bottom of the page and some visitors might never click on it.  It might also be helpful to offer it as a PDF.  People could also subscribe to the newsletter.
5. Add a discussion forum for people to connect and talk.
6. I would like to see more of the organizations who received a grant. What where the good things Headwaters has made possible? These descriptions are now hidden inside, you have to really look for a list of  ’Current grantees’. Why not put a profile of one of them on the homepage, perhaps with a picture? I also dislike the Flash menu. It makes the navigation feel slow. A quick, responsive non-Flash menu would do the trick just as well.
7. Add more videos that explain what the organization does.
8. When I visited the site, the top half had two blank boxes. I couldn’t understand their purpose and was confused. You need to add a caption there. Secondly the page has limited content but it is very long and blank.
9. The light blue color of the links and the title text are too light and hard to read.
10. Perhaps putting the Headwater’s logo on the top of the home page.

The initial flash introduction and the lack of a logo on the main page confused some of the reviewers. “Enter Small” and “Enter Big” do seem to suggest that clicking one will bring you to a different secondary page than if you clicked the other, and the information within the boxes floats by simultaneously and a little too quickly to read them both. In addition to these, there is no indication of what the organization does on that first page.

They would like to see more interaction available in the form of discussion boards, blogs or videos, and make the list of Grantees and their accomplishments more prominent. This would be similar to testimonials on retail and service sites. Real world examples help people understand better.

With some shifting around of information, and making that main page a little clearer, the site would be ready for retesting.

Go East is a Minnesota based design company with a fun, creative website. We ran it through our standard Website Review test. This is what the site looked like at the time of the test:

What Does This Website Do?

For many of the reviewers, the website does not provide a clear idea as to what the company does.

Best Current Feature

1. The display of their projects on the homepage and the unique style of presentation.
2. I believe the best feature is the “Featured Product launch” because it shows your work. It shows some great work.
3. It looks amazing. It’s very vivid and eye-catching, and the navigation is easy to find and follow.
4. I really like the center tiles. They are interesting and different, but not gaudy or overly designed.
5. I like the layout and the color; it’s sleek and easy to navigate.
6. The interactive portfolio.  It makes more sense than the front page of the portfolio which is just a collection of images.
7. Navigation panels are very smooth. It’s also minimalist and very well organized. The color palettes section amazed me.
8. The best feature is that the website loads fast. The navigation is quick, and there were no glitches.
9. I like the layout of the website and all of the little boxes they have. I like that you can view some of the products that Go East makes. I think they have everything laid out really well.
10. The “Why Go East” section, because it is not apparent what the company actually does unless you read the information in that section.

This is the kind of feedback a design firm would want about their own website, which is their most important showcase. What would they like to see improved?

One Thing To Improve

1. A slogan to the name of the company adds value.
2. I believe that the website is fairly confusing. It took me quite some time to find out what it is you do.
3. It could use a brief blurb describing the business on the front page. I’m sure that most people who go there aren’t just idle browsers – they go to that page because they’re looking for it – but it’s not a bad idea to have a clear mission statement right up top.
4. I think there should be a short tag line, catch phrase, or motto prominently featured to help me better understand exactly what the company does. I had to infer it from the “Read Our News” section.
5. Provide more information about what the company does and put it at the top center of page.
6. Things are not as clear as they need to be. What link should I click on to find out what you do? Having a menu on the side and on the top of the page is confusing.
7. I think it could be better described what Go East does. At first I only knew that it was about a bunch of business and could be a collaboration between them. I suppose that orange, black and white are the colors of the company, but a little more of silver could help.
8. The one thing that would make this website better is a clear statement about what they do. It took me 5 clicks to find what they were selling.
9. I think they should describe Go East’s company values and some history about the company.
10. Really make it apparent what Go East does. If I hadn’t already had a personal interest (because of this survey) in finding out about the company and the website I never would have taken the time to search out the answer.

Clarifying what the company does is pretty much the only improvement the reviewers would like to see on this site. It’s one of the easiest fixes. They could add a mission statement to the main page, or a separate About Us page, and retest the site to see the results.

This week we’re testing Netgrocer.com, an online grocery store. Their design is very basic and clean. Here’s what the site looked like at the time of the test:

What Does This Website Do?

1. It is a website of a grocery delivery team. We can buy groceries online and it will be delivered to our home.
2. Sells grocery and drugstore items.
3. Netgrocer.com is a online grocery site.
4. It’s an online grocery store with a nationwide delivery area.
5. Based on what I see on the homepage, this site appears to be an online grocery store. It looks like most any “grocery store” items can be bought here and delivered via FedEx.
6. The site is an online grocery store. You browse the site, select the products, place your order, and have your groceries shipped to you.
7. This web site does a online grocery delivery of various products mainly refrigerated, frozen, and non-perishable groceries, health and beauty supplies, home, and gift items. It’s user friendly.
8. This website allows you to order groceries, gifts and other home items online and have them delivered to your home via FedEx.
9. The site provides consumers the opportunity to do their grocery shopping from the comfort of home. The website allows consumers to purchase grocery and non grocery items and have them shipped to the consumers home.
10. This web page allows users to grocery shop on the Internet. The prices on the site are meant to be bargains that are much lower than normal store prices.

Best Current Feature

1. Pictures of each product are displayed.
2. The colors on the site are very attractive and bright. The logo is also very nice. I like that the categories are lined up on top for easy use. The dirt cheap deals are also very clear to compare and understand.
3. I really like the setup and graphics on the site. Having a few (with pictures) sale items right there to see is very nice. I also like the large pictures on the left side toolbar and they are also very colorful. The pictures, typeface and colors really grabbed my attention right away.
4. For me, the best feature is the selection of products. I live in a rural area, and a number of products available on the site are not available at my local grocery store.
5. The best feature is personalized shopping list.
6. The design and display are very colorful and easy to read.
7. The best feature of the website is that there is the option to search for certain items or browse the store. I like this feature and believe it’s the best on the website because if the consumer is not really looking for anything in particular, they have the option to browse through the virtual store as if they were actually in a physical store location. However, if the consumer is looking for a specific item they can do a quick search for it and add it to the cart!
8. Bold print, user friendly.
9. For one thing I love the logo. The font is a great choice as is integrating the orange into the word Netgrocer. One thing that makes the selection easy to navigate is by breaking things up into such detailed sections, such as grocery, health & beauty, etc.
10. The separate categories. I shop organic and it is clear and easy to find them.

This feedback tells us that users like the bright, clean layout. It’s simple, user friendly and doesn’t distract from the purpose of the site.  The categorization and easy search function are also favorites.

One Thing to Improve

1. I don’t care for the ads at the top of the page. The site seems to lack a human approach. It is setup like a database of items.
2. Provide more of the cheap deals.
3. The first thing I wondered when I opened the page was if this is a legitimate business and, if so, will it work for me. I think I would make the box at the end of the page that contains information about what you deliver and how it is done more prevalent and bigger print. It appeared to me at first to be fine print, which I think people don’t usually read. In this case it contains important information that would sell people on the idea and I would want to be sure it is being noticed and read.
4. I found the product selection process to be a bit cumbersome. You have to click on the category menu several times in order to get to the selection of specific items you are looking for. It would be very useful if the selection process were simplified.
5. Explain more about the option for delivering fresh, frozen and non-perishable items. I would be concerned about whether the fresh and frozen products would be delivered in a refrigerated truck or freezer.
6. One thing that I believe could definitely use some improvement is the piece of information about frozen and refrigerated food should be in a location that is easier to find and in a bigger font. I think that a consumer could easily miss that information and have a bad experience with ordering an item that cannot be shipped to their state and perceive the website as a poor experience!
7. Display the link to create an account on the main page.
8. Your favorites or your products, so repeated items that you would purchase are easy to find.
9. Instead of just having text in the left sidebar, it would be easier to use graphics in the center of the page to display the different sections that items are listed under. Personally, I find it is easier to look at graphics rather than just the text off to the side. Since the initial page for say, grocery, doesn’t have much on it maybe the graphics could fill in all the white space.
10. I wish the dirt cheap deals were for healthier foods. Maybe list specials in each category.

There isn’t one glaring issue that the reviewers are focused on, and most of the suggestions are pretty simple. Reorganize the categories to reduce clicking, clarify the frozen foods shipment information and post it a little more prominently, and clean out some of the white space on the pages.

One of the reviewers suggests adding a way to save favorites so items you purchase repeatedly are easily available. This appears to be a function of the site once you create an account, however the account creation link is not available until you start digging deeper into the site, which explains why the reviewer missed it. What this means is that potential consumers hunting around for an online grocery store that they can use regularly will click through to the main page and may simply assume they cannot create an account and bounce back to the search engine that lead them here.

A few quick fixes and the site would be ready for retesting.

This week we’re reviewing the Twin Cities Business Journal, which recently won a Best Web Site award from the Minnesota Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists. This is how the site looked at the time of the test:

What Does This Website Do?

1. It is the website for the Minneapolis St. Paul Business Journal. It provides online content to compliment the printed magazine.
2. This webpage is best described as an online news resource. The page offers information regarding business news in the Twin Cities.
3. It’s a web page of different business in Minneapolis, St. Paul. You can also find latest news about the state and daily business news updates.
4. It features news, journals, newspapers, as well as business journals. It is mostly about Minneapolis. Also news in other places can be found by clicking Choose Another city option.
5. This website posts news articles about entertainment, life , technology, etc.
6. The website provides business news of the Minneapolis St. Paul area.
7. This site mainly deals with latest breaking business news, updated throughout the day, some of this week’s top stories from the Minneapolis / St. Paul Business Journal and other popular features from the print edition.
8. This website is basically a news website like nytimes.
9. This website has news articles about the Minneapolis / St. Paul area. The articles are about business topics.
10. This is a business website with information also about travel, real estate etc. You can find a job also from this site.

Best Current Feature

1. The business directory is the best current feature of the web page. If I lived in the Minneapolis St. Paul area, I would probably visit that directory via this web page often.
2. The keyword search option is the best feature of the site. It allows you to search the archives.
3. “FEATURED READER COMMENTS” is the best feature.
4. The best current feature is the latest news which is the first thing you see.
5. Order of representation of various links for various categories is the best current feature.
6. The best feature on the website would be the “Choosing different cities” because not everyone lives in the same city, and people love having options.
7. It’s very detailed. When I mouse over “more topics” there is a long list of all the industries in the area. I’m sure that’s very interesting for businesses in that area.
8. The best feature is the design. They made it look neat and clean and also simple.
9. I really like that you can choose different cities in the drop down box. That’s important for people like me who aren’t from the Minneapolis area and would like to learn about any current business news from a city closer to home. The “Featured Reader Comments” was also a nice touch.
10. The wide range of options provided, such as searching for a job, information about travel, etc.

This site has a lot of different things going on so it’s not surprising that the opinions are so varied. It seems that most of the site’s features and functions appeal to the reviewers. What would they like to see improved?

One Thing to Improve

1. The link to the job ads could be more visible. The general public would likely not see it under the “careers” button at the top quickly enough and would leave the page without being able to use that helpful section.
2. The home page is a little crowded. Maybe try splitting it into more defined sections.
3. Reduce the info on home page with better organizing, it is bit coarse near the bottom.
4. Use separate pages for some of the information, to better organize and clean up the main page.
5. The website feels unorganized. It feels very cramped.
6. The Latest News Published can be highlighted to stand out more.
7. I personally find the homepage too crowded. There are a lot of different topics and lists, boxes, ads, one below the other, seemingly without structure.
8. There needs to be more color or photos.
9. I would like to see the small “Blogs” area expanded. As it currently is, it isn’t all that clear about what is offered once I click the link. Perhaps having some text from the first paragraph of the blog’s article would help, also displaying posts from more than one blog entry in the box would make me more likely to check out that section.
10. The content on the home page is very dense and can be a little confusing.

With the exception of a few suggestions, the main focus is on the amount of information presented on the main page. They agree that it seems to get a little confusing as you scroll down, and there is too much going on. This site covers many topics and trying to get the latest updates and breaking news on everything all on the front page can be overwhelming.  A little organization and prioritization could streamline their nice 3 column layout. Following some minor adjustments the site could be re-tested to see if the reorganization clears things up for the visitors.

The site in this week’s example is Duluth Sauna.com. The design is a little outdated and a perfect candidate for independent review. Here’s what the site looked like at the time of the review:

What Does This Website Do?

1. It is about Duluth Family Sauna that offers private rooms and sauna environment.
2. It is an advertisement for a sauna that says it is a family sauna, but appears to be for both families and singles/couples. It gives information about all aspects of the sauna.
3. Web Page of a sauna for men and private rooms.
4. It is a family sauna place.
5. The site gives detailed information about the “Duluth Family Sauna”.
6. This is a website promoting a sauna/hotel service.
7. The Duluth Family Sauna has private and community sauna rooms available to the public. The Duluth Family Sauna advertises itself as family friendly and a very relaxing, safe place. All people of all ages and sizes are welcome.
8. Based on the website it seems to be a group sauna room.
9. The website is advertising a Sauna called the Duluth Family Sauna.
10. It promotes a business called Duluth Family Sauna.

Best Current Feature

1. Simple presentation is the best. Acceptance of credit cards is a good feature.
2. I like the brick background with the open sign, it is pretty neat looking.
3. It provides information about cost, and the hours of operation.
4. The gallery. Don’t need to click in the pictures. Once you roll the mouse over the picture you can see it.
5. The specials listed on the website is the best feature. It states clearly what the specials are, what the rules are, and the prices for each special including tax.
6. The best feature about the site is how informative it is about the business. By visiting the Duluth Family Sauna website you will come away fully knowing what they do and where they are.
7. I think the best feature on the site is the fact that you describe it as being a family sauna. The pizza and drinks boxes suggest that there are refreshments available.
8. It has the business’ address and phone number.
9. I liked the FAQ section; it answered most questions that one would have.
10. I like that the site navigation is easy to follow and I especially like having a photo gallery. I wouldn’t normally go to a public sauna so it’s nice having some pictures to know what the place looks like.

People who seek out this business’ site are probably looking for cost and hours of operation, which the reviewers agree is easily found. The rest of the website should simply provide the user with an idea of what to expect when they walk in the door.

One Thing to Improve

1. The scrolling headline thing is a bit too distracting and not very enjoyable. I would say nothing too flashy.
2. It is a little busy which makes it more difficult to know where to look. You don’t really notice the word family in the title as it kind of blends in. I was a little confused about whether it was really a family sauna or geared toward singles and couples with silhouette the at the top and the picture of the man (which wasn’t that good of a picture).
3. Make the picture on top of the homepage more appealing to family.
4. At the moment there are too many animated graphics. They distract the user, and I would recommend removing all animated graphics or replace them by non-animated graphics.
5. Have pictures of people in the gallery section. It’s nice to see a picture of a family to prove that this is a family friendly place.
6. The picture of the man with the blue towel seems to cheapen the site and gives the impression of who your customers are. A photo of a family inside a sauna would be much more inviting.
7. With me not being from the area, if I was to just come across this website and did not read it, I would think that it is for adults only. I guess the picture on the homepage of the man in just a towel is a little misleading. If this is a place for singles or making friends I think the family sauna thing is a little misleading. As a mother of three (teenagers) I am not quite sure I would take my family there because I am confused on what type of place it it.
8. Use simple background colors, no bricks, and get rid of all of the animated images, such as the bug and the word “fun.”
9. If this really does have families visit, maybe the picture on the home page should not be so suggestive. Just a thought.
10. The overall design of the website seems a little amateurish with the brick wall background, the “Come In It’s Open” sign, the different fonts, and the animated GIFs. I’d get rid of all of that, select one or two fonts to use for the entire site, and redesign the logo to look more professional. I’d also lose the images of the dudes in towels. It makes the site look a little too porn-ish.

Some of the imagery on the site seems to conflict with the idea of a family-friendly sauna business. It is a little difficult to decide which demographic is being targeted. Or is it both?

The inclusion of an animated GIF can draw attention to a section of your website, but too many moving images and text effects can feel a little chaotic. These were also very common design choices during the late 90s and early 2000s, so having many of them could be telling visitors that your site was designed a decade ago and you’ve never been back. If the design is outdated, what about the information? Most of the reviewers agree that limiting the animated images and updating the backgrounds and header could streamline the site and give it a fresh, updated makeover.

Once they’ve clarified the targeted demographic and freshened up the design, they could retest the site through 3rd Party Feedback to see how well the reviews improve.

This week we’ve run the standard 3 question test on a website for a hair salon: Moxie Salon.com. It’s a straightforward review on a site with a clear purpose and a simple design. Here’s how the site looked at the time of the review:

What Does This Website Do?

1. It’s for an award winning hair salon that also has an art gallery inside.
2. It is for a hair salon.
3. It is a hair salon which is created as an art gallery. It has both style and art.The interior of this hair salon is very exquisite.
4. This website displays and explains the work and creation by hairstylist at Moxie hair salon art gallery.
5. The website is promoting Moxie Hair Salon | Art Gallery, a salon/cosmetology school with two locations in St. Paul, MN and Minneapolis, MN.
6. It’s the website for a hair salon and art gallery (although there doesn’t seem to be much detail about the art gallery).
7. This web page is advertising the services of a hair salon.
8. It is a website  for a hair salon.
9. This is a website which promotes a hair salon that also has an art gallery. It also offers classes that teaches people how to cut hair.
10. This website is about hairdressing salon situated at Minneapolis and Saint Paul.

Best Current Feature

1. Service Menu. All the services offered at the salon are explained well.
2. I really like the banner, or the first thing you see. Where it says “MoXie” and it has the pictures of the girls. It really pops out to me.
3. The header graphic.
4. The best feature is the break down of the services that the salon has to offer for potential clients to see.
5. The amount of information on the salon, school, services and products used by the salon/school. It is easy to navigate, and has relevant subcategories under each link. I think it would give potential clients and students a sense of confidence when choosing this location.
6. The training link gives accurate and precise details if someone is interested to join.
7. I like the Moxie logo at the top. It stands out and it would make me remember the brand if I was looking for a hair salon.
8. My favorite feature on the page was the gallery with all of the pictures of the salon’s work. I thought the hairstyles were really creative, and I liked that it’s called a hair salon and art studio.
9. The header has a modern feel, but frankly, it isn’t very strong, but that’s the best part of the website. The content is good, it’s informative.
10. The gallery is the best part, it allows people to see what creations are possible.

Two main things are sticking out for the reviewers: the header logo, which conveys and represents their style, and the fact that all their services are listed. For a hair salon site this is basically what you need to accomplish.

Where can we see improvements?

One Thing To Improve

1. I think that the picture on the right corner, inside the salon, is pretty unattractive. I don’t think the inside of the salon is unattractive or anything, but the picture doesn’t really fit and it gives the rest of the website a cheapish look. Maybe a picture of the coolest hair dye/hair cut you have done would look cooler and give it a more hip vibe.
2. The images and links at the left hand side have all different looks. I would place all those at the footer, use the full width to place three pictures in one row and text under the images.
3. The webpage could be better if it contained a video of the features of the hair salon/art gallery.
4. I would suggest using professional photographs of the salon thus matching the professional service/product photographs used (i.e. Paul Mitchell).
5. Double check spelling errors – under the “employment” link the subcategory “benefit” is spelled incorrectly, and using the same font throughout the web page, creating simplistic consistency.
6. The webpage does not specify if it serves the fair sex only or if it is open to the male gender as well. Though the pictures on the home page show only female models, it would be better if the company could make it clear if it serves male clients or not.
7. Some of the design doesn’t work very well on a small laptop screen. The header takes up half the page and I have to scroll to get to any of the content.
8. The rates for the services provided were written really tiny. It was hard to read, maybe if there was a way to enlarge that text, it would help.
9. The header is much too big, it should not be as tall. The problem with the large header is it stretches down the screen, wasting space and forcing people to scroll when they shouldn’t. Just by changing that the site would be better.
10. Update the information more frequently. The promotions that are listed had already expired.

Upgrading the images of the salon would be a good move towards consistency, as the images within the header are clearly professional.

These are all very small things but put together can make a website seem thrown together. Touching up the spelling errors, the picture quality, and the font differences could really streamline their site. Then retesting with 3rd Party Feedback to see how much of an improvement they made.

KSTP maintains several resource sites highlighting specific areas in the Twin Cities. The layout on these sites is quite different than their main site, so we chose their University of Minnesota site to run through the initial feedback test to see how people responded to it. Here’s what the site looked like at the time of the test:

What Does This Website Do?

1. The website provides information and links about Minneapolis schools, politics, people, communities, businesses and more.
2. This appears to be a news site for the University of Minnesota and KSTP television. It displays upcoming events and some news stories.
3. It’s a site that is specific to the University of MN. It includes relevant articles about what’s happening in the area.
4. It seems to be the homepage of the University of MN. It provides local news, features events and local businesses, also a forum and classified ads, I presume for the students, but those are still empty.
5. The website is a news source for the area around the University of Minnesota.
6. It is a community web site for Minneapolis city. It contains all the latest news, events, business, real estate and a lot more about Minneapolis city.
7. This is a the University of Minnesota local news portal.
8. It looks like this website is developed to provide an overview of the news in the Minneapolis/University of Minnesota area. It also has sections to learn more about the area and to form a community of people.
9. It is a news site that has lots of information for those who live in MN. It appears to be run by the university.
10. It is a community website about the University of Minnesota, providing news, classifieds, interaction and information.

In general, the reviewers understand the purpose of the website.

Best Current Feature

1. If I had to pick something good about this, and I am sorry, but there is nothing here that I would call the “best feature”, I guess it would be the listing on the left side of community resources. Even when I clicked on the Community pics, there are NO good pictures.
2. I like the use of white space. It doesn’t look crowded, and I can get to where I want to easily.
3. The website seems to be fairly new and some of the categories have no entries yet. Hence, as it is the best feature is I think the local news, including information on upcoming events. This could be expanded.
4. I like the way main stories are organized down the center of the page. It makes them very accessible.
5. It contains all the information required for Minneapolis residents.
6. The local classifieds; college students are always looking for a good deal.
7. I like the current news, but also like the fact that you can look for news stories by more specific categories.
8. It has a live stream from twitter so you don’t have to subscribe and/or go to another page to see the tweets.
9. The best feature to me are the news bits, presented in blog style. They draw attention and are easy on the eyes. I liked that they are separated from one another by blocks, and the structure of headline, picture and a short body of text.
10. The best current feature according to me is the use of Twitter and Facebook. These are the most widely used social networking sites and would help a lot in terms of spreading important news.

The site is pretty new and some of the reviewers have noted that not all categories have content yet, but most of them seem to agree that the news is the focus, and the format is easily readable. Their use of social networking sites is also a bonus.

The layout and theme didn’t really attract a lot of attention from the reviewers when they were looking for the best features. How about what they didn’t like?

One Thing To Improve

1. Initially I did not know if the site was about a city or a college, the University photo confused me and the site does not have a large title indicating clearly what it is about.
2. The page loaded slowly for me.
3. I find the page a bit confusing, but that could be because I’m not local. Locals might not have a problem with it. For me, stumbling onto this web page it would be helpful to have a couple of sentences at the top, along the lines of “Hi, this is the homepage of … We want to provide … for … so that you can easily find … and etc etc” Just some kind of intro that catches the eye of a non-local visitor like myself and helps me to understand quickly where I am and what I can find here. Maybe also explain what is KSTP?
4. I would change the heading from University of MN to University of Minnesota. It looks better.
5. There aren’t many businesses or restaurants listed. There should also be column for sports.
6. More local advertisers targeted to me as far as like apartment supplies or school supplies or food offers.
7. I wish that the box that breaks the news out into separate categories was more visible. I didn’t see it on first look and was glad when I found it.
8. There is a lot of information at the top, you have to scroll far down to see the news stories. some other way of organizing it may be better.
9. The search field should be made more prominent, with a larger size and especially a larger text font.
10. Probably making it more comprehensive. Providing a site map also would help extensively.

There’s a wide range of suggestions here, most of them small changes, but a couple of the reviewers were confused about what the site represented. Local residents and students of the University may be the primary target demographic, but it could serve as a good resource for potential visitors or people interested in attending the U and looking for related news, so making the distinction clearer could be very helpful.

The changes would be quick and easy, and once updated, the value of the suggestions could be tested through 3rd Party Feedback .

The Energy Detective (TED) is an excellent home energy monitor that displays your electricity usage, and can help you save money. For this example, we’ve tested the TED product website, The Energy Detective.com, to see if it’s as good as the product it promotes.

What Does This Website Do?

1. It promotes a product (TED 1000 and 5000 series) that keeps track of your electricity use without having to go outside and read the meter. It shows that you can use that information to reduce your electric bill. Since the monitoring is in real time, you can look at what you are doing that is eating electricity.
2. The web site is a promotional and sales site advertising an energy monitor which allows you to see your electric usage in real time, in order to save money on electrical output.
3. It provides info about Energy Detective (TED), a real-time, accurate electricity monitor. It also provides energy facts and other ways to conserve energy.
4. The website advertised the TED product, which is The Energy Detective: a product that allows one to see their electricity usage in real time. The site gives a good overview on the first page, and has links to FAQs, and even a video to explain further some of the advantages to using TED.
5. It offers information about a device called TED. This is a device which can monitor your electrical usage with real time data, to help you in keeping your energy costs down.
6. Based on the web page, it appears that the site sells the electricity monitoring devices. This site also appears to give advice on how to save electricity. It has a lot of technical information about the devices as well.
7. The website gives information and a product name TED. This is an energy tracking and savings tool.
8. This web page gives you information about TED (The Energy Detective).
9. This website explains a device for sale called TED (The Energy Detective).
10. This website sells TED (The Energy Detective), an electronic device that can monitor the electricity usage. This website also describes ways to conserve electricity.

With a large photo displaying two models of TED, and information upfront, the reviewers had no trouble quickly figuring out the purpose of the website. What did they like about it?

Best Current Feature

1. I like the color scheme and the fact that overall it isn’t visually “busy.” It’s kind of soothing to look at and it helps to focus on the text and photos. I’m kind of tired of web sites that try to grab my attention with a visual circus going on.
2. The pages load very quickly. Layout is very good.
3. Displaying the instrument in the front page quickly captured the whole concept.
4. The pictures of TED are shown in front of an attractive background.
5. I always look for FAQs on sites as that’s usually the best place to start in looking for answers to any question one may have. A good FAQ page (like the one on this site) will cover any and all questions that a first-time site visitor may have about the product, as that instills confidence in both the product and the customer service provided by the company selling that product.
6. I really like the video as more folks tend to be willing to watch a short video over reading details about a product. (I like to read details as well, but most others are more visual in nature.) I think the video points out a lot of very positive features of the product, and it also lends credibility to the product as it seems at least to have been done by an NBC news show. A lot of folks are worried about being duped by purchasing products online, and this helps in reassuring them that this product isn’t some kind of scam.
7. I like the pictures of the 2 monitors with the actual readings on them. This shows how easy it will be to see how much electricity you’re, with virtually no effort aside from looking at the device.
8. The site seems relatively straight forward; it sells electricity monitoring devices and explains effectively how it works. The energy facts were probably the most useful and accessible part of the site.
9. The best feature is the section of links on the left side of the web page.
10. The demo of TED in action on the banner is very informative and eye catching. Easy navigation through the website, and a lot of information on how to conserve electricity.

It seems to have hit all the high notes of a product site: clean and simple layout, attractive product images, complete product information, a good FAQ section, and videos demonstrating its use. What are the low notes?

One Thing To Improve

1. The Ted 5000 dashboard was interesting, but it wasn’t much fun. When something appears to be interactive it’s nice to be able to play around with it. I didn’t feel like it did any more than just a photo would do. The interactive element wasn’t worth having in my opinion.
2. I recommend that red print on the landing page be increased as it is difficult to read. Also, the blank white background at the top of the landing page creates the impression the site is not completed. The blue print on the left hand side of the columns should be changed to a darker color.
3. I would remove the broken line which runs through the top photograph, as it detracts from the visual image.
4. Your use of the same photograph on several of the pages becomes boring. I became tired of looking at the coffee pot.
5. I’d like to see better photos on the home page. Perhaps a bit more color on that page. On the positive side, I think the basic description of what the product is and does on the homepage is a perfect length.
6. It might be good to state that this is actually something you have to hook up and it has to be connected via your breaker box, not just something you set on your end table and turn on, which is what it looks like in the pictures.
7. I don’t really need that much technical information on the devices. It should be available, perhaps in a PDF document under specifications but it doesn’t really help me understand how the device will help me.
8. Maybe add some testimonials on how it saved a real human being money. It would also be cool if you could find a test subject where we could actually see real live data.
9. I would like to see some customer testimonials that mention how much they saved using TED. I did not see any real hard numbers on the site.
10. Add some color. The current colors are dull and drab. Brighten it up a bit.

Most of the suggestions are cosmetic and ones I agree with. The white space at the top does seem unfinished, as if a header was missing or failing to load, and was momentarily distracting. It could be minimized down to only the amount of space needed to display current news or updates. The vertical dashed line doesn’t have a purpose above the main image, and the red text above each model blended too well into the background that I hadn’t even noticed it until it was pointed out. These are all very small changes that could clean up the layout of the landing page.

Another good suggestion is adding testimonials, which is a very common One Thing To Improve. People like to imagine how a product will fit into their lives by seeing how it has worked for others, rather than rely solely on descriptions and photos. It instills consumer confidence when you display what real people have to say about your product. Even better would be providing a Product Review site for all TED owners to submit their experiences.

All the changes would be simple and easy to make, and once updated, the site could be re-tested through 3rd Party Feedback to see how valuable the suggestions are.

Metblogs is a large network of city specific blogs that aim to be an alternative source for news with a local focus. Each blog is authored by multiple people, and they cover everything from local music and art to politics. Minneapolis is among the cities with Metblogs coverage, and we wanted to see how people responded to the site.

This is what Minneapolis Metblogs looked like at the time of the test:

What Does This Website Do?

1. This is a metroblog about Minneapolis. It includes various posts (mostly by one author) about things going on in the Minneapolis area.
2. It is a blog with information about Minneapolis.
3. It’s a city focused blog that cover local issues.
4. It is a current event site for Minneapolis, Minnesota.
5. It’s a blog about the Minneapolis-Saint Paul area. It covers the events and happenings of the two cities. For locals and visitors, it would provide useful information about the area, and let them know of events they may want to attend.
6. It’s a blog site with information related to the local area.
7. This site is a city blog for Minneapolis. This site is part of a bigger site called Metroblogs. Metroblogging covers all sorts of topics from local politics to city events.
8. This site has information about upcoming events.
9. City-based weblog. News and items from the metro area of Minneapolis.
10. It’s a blog in the series of Metroblogging sites in the US, but this sticks to Minneapolis. It deals with the local issues, public concerns and any other news coming out of the city. Also, politics, reviews of various restaurants, and events are covered.

Honestly, I would have been surprised if people found it difficult to figure it out. The name suggests the purpose, and the About link is close to the top, easy to find, and quick to read.

Best Current Feature

1. Seems like a good mix of interesting types of articles and videos, with a generally good overarching category of Minneapolis. Seems to be a good way to learn about the character of the city in an unconventional way.
2. The author links on the page.
3. At this point, the About link only because I didn’t know what metroblogging was up until now. I’m sure others who are also unaware would appreciate that.
4. I personally was interested in the video link of a local hip hop artist who was featured on MTV. The site has a wide variety of interesting topics.
5. It’s full of information. I know if I was living there, it would include information I would find useful. It includes the authors for those who want to follow a particular blogger.
6. The local focus.
7. The variety of the topics is endless.
8. Information about events is very extensive, which is helpful to out of town visitors looking for things to do in the city.
9. Nice retro design.
10. Best feature I liked is that various authors can collaborate together and bring out the news and issues and concerns from every nook and corner of the society in the city. I hope it grows to cover all the dimensions in society.

Most of the reviewers agree that the variety and amount of information to be found is a very good thing, and they’re right. That’s exactly the kind of impression this type of site should have on its visitors. What can be improved?

One Thing To Improve

1. While it’s clearly about the Minneapolis area, the organizing principle of the site is a little unclear. It’s hard to tell why certain stories are posted, or what classifies as relevant content. The site needs a little bit more explanation of how things are woven together.
2. All the links that are on the bottom of the page could be placed at the top.
3. I’m not a web page designer, but it looks plain to me. It doesn’t really grab my attention the way it should. There is a little blurb on your about page that explains what Metroblogging is. I think that blurb should be on the home page.
4. Site is looks to be very simple. I want to see some improvements in the layout and addition of trendy colors.
5. It’s a pretty standard blog format, so nothing stands out from that. The metblogs cityscape graphic is pretty cool-looking though. The one thing I would do is take advantage of all that white space on the right side that extends longer than half the page. I like Google ads, so I would put those there. Extra income too. I would also add a lot more pictures in the blog posts.
6. Being able to find the topics quickly would be helpful.
7. Due to the vastness of the topics, I would think that some sort of subject grouping or site map would make it easier to find what you are looking for.
8. I would definitely prefer some more color on the page and some of the posts don’t have sufficient writeup. I would love to read about various topics in detail, but didn’t find the posts very informative.
9. More collaboration. Front page items are mostly all from one poster.
10. I think news articles should be categorized, apart from the tags being available. So that, if I want to go across to the blogs on Politics, all the blogs should be enlisted on a single page.

Layout, structure and more detail are the suggestions sticking out to me. Additional colors, a more unique layout, and a much better categorization and archive system would be valuable changes to the site. Also, the categories and archives could stand to be a little more prominent. A small drop down list buried among the ads, blogroll and author list can easily be missed, and that is only a list of the categories. You will need to hunt even more to find a chronological list of archives.

There is a standard Metblogs layout and the individual cities can’t make any changes to that, but if the individual site contributors can make suggestions for the layout decisions, someone could pass along this feedback. If the feedback is applied to the layout, Metblogs could retest to find out how valuable the changes are.

What they can address locally, however, is the content related feedback; depth of coverage, photography and frequency of author contribution. A pretty layout will catch your attention, but the content is what keeps you coming back.