Website Review and Suggestions

**nonrecursive** · 09:13 AM

http://www.hallwaytesting.com

HallwayTesting.com's main purpose is to provide a place for developers to quickly give and receive usability feedback on web sites and mac apps, for free. Its wider purpose is to reduce the number and percentage of web sites which are a true agony to use.

Also, every week a user who has given great feedback will be featured throughout the site, which hopefully will provide him with real-world benefits (as opposed to the artificial-world-why-would-anyone-care benefit of being a top 10 digg user). Finally, a web site and mac app will be featured throughout the site every month.

Any feedback is greatly appreciated- thanks!

**twiggy** · 01-08-2007, 10:36 AM

Ok is it just me or has anyone else completely missed the point of this site? The home page doesn't actually tell you much about how the site could work for them, navigation about the site is hard. Would I ever use your site for a review? Well the answer is simple no, I can do just what you have done and get a review here.

On the plus side I like the colour scheme seems to work well.

That's just my opinion.

**nonrecursive** · 01-08-2007, 10:58 AM

Thanks Twiggy.

The site is basically a set of forums where people post a URL specifically for usability feedback, and other people give usability feedback. The person who posted the URL can then rate the quality of the feedback.

Were you expecting something else? What misled you?

Also, I agree that this site is a great resource, and I think my site can happily coexist with this site. My site is meant to be more narrowly and thoroughly focused on usability, rather than every aspect of web development. Also, people who give good feedback will be featured across the site, as will good web sites and mac applications, which hopefully will produce real-world benefits.

Thanks again twiggy

**twiggy** · 01-08-2007, 11:19 AM

What I'm referring to is I just don't understand the purpose of the site. Looking at it from a users point of view what would they be searching for to find your site?

Is there really a market for people trying to get a review on the user ability of there site? I can see a purpose for big business and small business alike to see if there site would be good to potential customers but in my experience they are more than happy to pay a specified company to compile a professional report on it.

As I say this is just my point of view.

The workings and site design is grate, maybe a better introduction on the home page would be a good idea in my point of view.

The problem being that I just can't see a need for the actual usage of the site.

**travelagent** · 01-08-2007, 10:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nonrecursive

http://www.hallwaytesting.com

HallwayTesting.com's main purpose is to provide a place for developers to quickly give and receive usability feedback on web sites and mac apps, for free. Its wider purpose is to reduce the number and percentage of web sites which are a true agony to use.

I agree with comments made so far -- your site makes no sense whatsoever ... seems you don't have a firm grasp on "developers" vs. "webmasters" -- there's a very huge difference.

**nonrecursive** · 01-09-2007, 09:37 AM

@twiggy: thanks for your feedback. I spend some time on the Ruby on Rails mailing list, where there are many people who develop their own sites in their spare and who don't have the budget to hire anyone for a usability test. Furthermore, it's evident that most sites don't spend *any* time on usability testing, and could benefit from quick, free feedback. Getting them to think so is another story, however.

@travelagent - could you please explain how your perceived lack of understanding on my part between "developers" and "webmasters" is related to your comment that my site makes no sense whatsoever?

Before commenting further on the viability of the site's purpose, please take a look at http://www.useit.com/alertbox/fast-methods.html . There, Jakob Nielsen explains how Fast, Cheap usability testing is Good. The same message can be found in Steve Krug's book Don't Make Me Think.

In any case, the developer (among the people I associate, the term "webmaster" is hardly used anymore, but the actual words used aren't as important as their referents, right?) friends I've shown this to think it's a great idea, and I do as well. But really it will take time to find if this site is useful or if it makes no sense whatsoever. I appreciate the feedback so far, and would greatly appreciate any further feedback on other aspects of the site. For example:

* Is the purpose of the site clear from the home page?
* Is it clear how the site works?

Thanks!

**Gmarvz** · 01-09-2007, 11:23 AM

ok, i'll just probably review the design part as i really don't understand the purpose of the site.. as for a viewers point, whenever i visit a website and if at first glimpse i found the website's content confusing and hard to navigate, more often than not i'll leave.

the design of the site is pretty simple for me which is still ok, the colors used (IMO) is probably not compatible with each other and in some way it hurts my eyes.. one example is the color white link.. i really don't prefer white link on a light background, it's just not good to the eyes. all in all, the design is simple but i don't know the sites function and usabilty, maybe it's better than what it looks like.