Websites Frequently Visited

Mission Federal Credit Union

https://www.missionfed.com/

1. Why are they effective? 

 The site is effective because it provides existing and potential customers easy access to information.  Existing customers can also transact business easily once inside the site via clearly lableled sections.

 

2.  What specific principles of good design do they include and why?

 

The site is very organized.  Color is used to provide contrast to the different sections.  Repetition is used via the brown bordered areas which directs users to different topics.  Proximity principles are used to group site topics from promotions. 

 

3.  What makes you come back again?

 

I bank with them.  

 

4.  What could be improved?

I personally think the large photo graphic of the family is distracting, but it could be there deliberately to message a hands-on, friendly image as opposed to the negative reputation of large Wall Street banks.

Environmental Working Group

http://www.ewg.org/

1.  Why are they effective?

An organized series of graphics provides interest and directs to the reader to subsections of the site.  

2.  What specific principles of good design do they include and why?

The muted sage canvas provides a neutral background to the information provided.  The section heading type is a clean, sans serif type not cluttered with bolding and underlining. Site navigation is clearly visible. Information is aligned within boxes which are also aligned.  Principles of proximity are employed to group site information.  Repetition is used to present information consistently (i.e. graphics in boxes)

3.  What makes you come back again?

This website provides a wealth of information, as well as industry links, that are easy to navigate. 

4.  What could be improved?
The graphics could be smaller, which could potentially eliminate the need to scroll down the home page for information.