Could some please take a look at this directory script and comment accordingly?

www.justwebservices.com/dapo (use ako as user name and 1234 as access code to login)

Try to even list business if you have the time.

www.justwebservices.com/dapo/admin

The site has not been finished and I am basically looking for people to see how it works.

In terms of ease of navigation and being task focused, what do you think?

It's a job done by hard coding as against getting and modifying a script.

Thanks for your time.

For starters:

1) I would either get rid of the sub-navigation rollover or make it look better

2) I would use a prettier font

3) I would integrate the header links ("about us" et al) with the rest of the page. Right now, looks odd.

4) get rid of what seems like a clip art "advertise here" red star you have at the top. Use a custom one.

1) I would either get rid of the sub-navigation rollover or make it look better

I don't believe in the sub-navigation rollover either but the client insisted on having it. As a matter of fact he insisted on having that as well as the two search forms on the left hand side which I have objected to and decided on my own to have the search forms on top.

2) I would use a prettier font

Thanks for pointing that out, however, I am not done with the formating, basically a css would sort that out.

3) I would integrate the header links ("about us" et al) with the rest of the page. Right now, looks odd.

Guess it's the background colour for the cell, everything on top including the search forms are are included in a single file and remains constant across all the pages.

4) get rid of what seems like a clip art "advertise here" red star you have at the top. Use a custom one.

The client supplied the logo and insisted on using it including the random images.


I really do appreciate your comments. They are all valid and I have raised them (save for the fonts issue) with the client but I guess he has a different idea as to what looks good on a website.

My website is basiclly free from all unnecessary distractions like animations and all that.

aaah,

The typical "client wants what I don't recommend" dilemma

I have had to personally deal with this a lot. In fact, I have gotten into, literally, heated conversations with such clients. BY the time I was done, the guy (whose wife was also there and happened to agree with my suggesitons, to my surprise), the guy was begging me to calm down. The way I look at it is, my reputation is on the line. I will be advertising whatever site I code to other clients with the hopes of landing contracts from them. Besides, I don't want to be the butt of jokes among my peers. I even remember telling one client that it would either b the way I suggested or he could get his money back. I guess he felt I was overly passionate, cos he caved in to my recommendations

Bottomline, sure, the client is making sure you have food on your table at the end of the day. That notwithstanding, you should try your best to push your agenda through, otherwise wat is this person paying you for? To be a rubber-stamping factory worker? Tufia!!

Tell the person you aren't just paid to be a yes-man and code the site, but to offer your professional opinion on things. Of course, if he/she still insists, it's their site. In the end, na dem go lose money

Good luck!!

my2cents,

Thanks for the piece. This is basically the first time I am allowing a client get that far with me.

I never have patience with them especially when they insist of doing things that you know aren't the best for them.

The ratio of my No to Yes should be around 9:1 and I am happy that it is that way because just 10 happy clients are far better than 100 clients with say 2 or 3 giving you wahala.

For someone that works from 8.00am to 4.00pm Mondays through Fridays, I do not need such stress.

That said, there was quite a sizeable scope growth in the project and I only agreed to finish it because I wanted him to know that what he wanted was doable in terms of functionality anyway.

Thanks for your time. Simplicity for me is key in any good web project. Sites like yahoo, google etc are doing very well because they try to allow you complete any task you may want to complete on their website in the shortest possible time and with very clear and logical navigation the user experience is first class.