web critique #1- cps, artic, naea

http://www.cps.edu/Pages/home.aspx
content: i am not too familiar with the chicago public schools but site is loaded with information that i feel will educate me as well as be informative to others familiar with the system. i really like how the site is accessible for different users- parents, students, teachers, community, etc.

design: the design is very simple, clean, and straight forward. it lends to easy navigation. from an artistic point a view it seems a bit bland. but i realize this site is catering to a large, diverse population, so an eye-catching design is not necessary.

usability: the site is very user friendly. there are many clickable links that lead other easy to use pages. the larger and bold fonts that direct users to more information is noticeable and functional. i feel that all ages can surf this sight.

http://www.artic.edu/aic/
content: i feel this site covers the basic information needed for a museum but also "covered" other interesting information such as the history of the museum. because it is such a large museum i find surfing on their online collection a little overwhelming. there are great resources for students and teachers.

design: again, i find the design a bit bland. but again, i know this site is intended for many viewers and accessibility is more important than an intricate, artistic design. the color palette chosen coincides with the nature of the museum- clean and classic.

usability: this site is user friendly. i wish the links to the left of text/images of the sub pages were larger and more distinct. the information there is interesting and useful. if i overlooked them i'm sure many other users would as well.

http://www.naea-reston.org
content: i am a visual person and enjoyed the great images accompanying the text through out the site. there is a lot of useful information as well as resources. it is up to date with news and events. outdated sites always annoy me.

design: the design of this site is my favorite of all three. it is more colorful, imaginative yet still clean. the slide show of images and text on the main page is a great way to grad your attention.

usability: links highlighted better than the art institute site. it is extremely easy to navigate and relevant information is easily available in headers/footers/side of pages.