[Nfb-web] introduction

[Stanzel, Susan - Kansas City, MO]

Hi Listers,

I would never dream of sending something without sighted approval. It looks worse to send something, for example, with our logo upside down. Now, this really happened. I am only interested in working on content, not the final appearance of a site. My boss first put me on that phaise of our project and I asked him to change it. In my opinion, there are too many sighted employees who can do it faster and possibly better than I can. I would rather spend my time learning Java and doing deep computing.

Susie

 

-----Original Message-----
From: nfb-web-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nfb-web-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Gary Wunder
Sent: Friday, October 23, 2009 2:53 PM
To: NFB Webmaster's List
Subject: Re: [Nfb-web] introduction

I am in the uncomfortable position of having to say that my experience with
people's reaction to our sites truly does indicate that what Chris says 
about visual appeal is
true. We do indeed have problems in keeping content up-to-date because after
we put up a page, we tend to move on to other projects assuming this one is
done. Of course, this serves us poorly because once we have a page, it will
be judged on whether or not it reflects what we are now doing or planning to
do, and not what we did a year ago.

Still, in a review of our sites, the problem people most frequently bring to
my attention is that our Affiliate sites are simply not visually attractive.
They do not do this for any personal motive - they're not looking for a job,
but trying to tell me that we need to pay a lot of attention to the first
impression of sighted people. They usually tell me that our attention to
correct grammatical construction and creating attractive newsletters and
magazines is admirable but that we are not giving the same kind of attention
to our sites as we do our printed publications.

This problem is one we have discussed several times in our webmaster
gatherings. First we have to find the tools to let us do the coding sighted
folks do, but more problematic is coming to understand just what is
considered an attractive screen layout. What gets bolded? What is centered?
How large are the graphics to be used? How far apart are they?

As troubling as this is, I think we have to first acknowledge a problem
before we muster the resolve to solve it. We can't just say "Content is the
important thing, and the rest is just eye candy." "The clothes don't make
the man," may be equally true, but try getting past your first round of
interviewing if you show up poorly dressed or groomed.

I mean for this post to stimulate not only discussion but innovation.
Putting myself forward as an example, I have problems confidently generating
and then sending a complicated document in Microsoft Word without having it
reviewed by someone who will judge it as it will actually appear on a screen
or on paper. Am I frustrated by this admission - you bet, but I'd rather
admit the problem and work toward solutions than to pretend, or have others
pretend in an attempt to protect my fragile ego, that presentation doesn't
matter.

Gary



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