Workshop
Worlds Fair Projects
As you view these projects, you should consider your role as a developer, as well as the user/reviewer. As a reviewer, you should note the following key points, and as a developer, you should also note what features of these projects to emulate and improve on, and what pitfalls to avoid. Keep in mind that the project you develop will also be subject to the same evaluation.
Important: Use these guidelines, write your comments on a piece of paper or in a text file on the computer, and give it to the writer. Give feedback that is specific enough to help the writer understand how to develop the project further. Use the feedback you receive and the discussions in your group to help you think about what your own project needs.
1. CONTENT AND PURPOSE: Can you figure out what this project is about? Is the project appropriate for the mission? Is the informational content rich enough and extensive enough to interest and satisfy readers?
2. AUDIENCE: Does the project anticipate and provide for the needs of a diverse audience?
3. INFORMATION STRUCTURE: Can you figure out the architecture? Is this a linear, networked, hierarchical, multi-track/level presentation or something else? Does the structure fit the content?
4. NAVIGATION: Can you figure out what to do, where to go, where you are, where you have been? Can you go forward as well as backwards between sections, or jump around to/from other parts of the project?
5. SCOPE/DEPTH: Continual exploration vs. dead ends. Superficial vs. comprehensive. Does this work serve as a good prototype?
6. INTERACTION: What levels and types of interaction are apparent? Remember that navigation is not interactivity. Is this a "page turner", or does it engage the audience to do more? Is there appropriate feedback? Is the interaction innovative and effective enough to justify the medium?
7. DESIGN AND PRESENTATION: Why does this interface work or not work? Look for consistency, clarity, transparency and elegance. Is the presentation "intuitable" and appropriate for the topic/intended audience? For web and multimedia projects, look for use of colors, gimmicks, fonts, icons and general layout. For MOO projects, consider the engaging quality of the descriptive writing, the appeal to different senses, the use of wit and imagination in the details. Does it captivate, distract or repulse?
8. PERFORMANCE/TECHNICAL: Functionality, response time, quality of various media. For web projects, will download time be reasonable? How might the author speed download time? For MOO projects, are the technical implementations (exits, puppets, messages) working properly?
9. GUT REACTION: Do you like it or loathe it, or just feel lukewarm about it? Why?