Website Review and Suggestions

**vn5ltr** · 02-15-2007, 08:04 AM

Hi all,
I've been working at SC since september 2006 as a graphic designer and programmer. The company introduces a whole new dimension to finding local trades and services without having to resort to the dreaded yellow pages. You call us, tell us what type of work you want, and local trades and service call you back - competing for your work, based on the number of quotes you require.

The old site is available at:

http://old.servicecentral.com.au

My single handed job was to freshen the company and give it a new look. We launched the new site last week and i'm after some feedback - good or bad.

The site uses ajax, mod rewrites, css2.0 and strict xhtml just to name a few.

Here's the new site:

http://www.servicecentral.com.au

Cheers!

**travelagent** · 02-15-2007, 10:07 AM

Your new site is far better than the old one -- great job!

**LadynRed** · 02-15-2007, 01:47 PM

Huge improvement, nice job

My only criticism is that the text is very small and the lite gray is a bit too pale for contrast.

Then I notice you've got an awful lot of absolutely positioned elements and a lot of relative positioning going on. I don't see the logic or the particular need for all of that.

**twiggy** · 02-15-2007, 01:54 PM

Design is very nice, clean and grate use of colour.

The only thing I would say is that it was very, very slow loading any one else have this problem?

**travelagent** · 02-15-2007, 05:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LadynRed

My only criticism is that the text is very small and the lite gray is a bit too pale for contrast.

There's a new item on the market that will fix that problem -- it's called Tri-Focals...LOL...

**vn5ltr** · 02-15-2007, 05:28 PM

Thanks for the feedback guys, definitely keep those comments in mind throughout the rest of the redev.

LadynRed, the reason i used absolutely positioned elements is because i actually started of the container as an absolutely positioned element (don't know why

) hence all the relatives and absolutes within it. But yes you are correct.

As for load times, during the night the servers get a little slow due to backups, etc. But during the day the speed is pretty good.

travelagent, LOL

**LadynRed** · 02-15-2007, 06:31 PM

Quote:

There's a new item on the market that will fix that problem -- it's called Tri-Focals...LOL.

"old" jokes, huh ? .. paybacks are a b&%@h ya know.....

I already wear BI-focals....

**devinb83** · 02-15-2007, 07:44 PM

clicking about us, then terms of services gives me 404
http://www.servicecentral.com.au/terms/

i agree with ladynred with the contrast, it hurt my eyes a tiny bit.

the rest of it looked good

**travelagent** · 02-15-2007, 07:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LadynRed

"old" jokes, huh ? .. paybacks are a b&%@h ya know.....

I already wear BI-focals....

Time to up-date Mama -- you were the only one who couldn't see it very well...*grin*...I always heard "payback's a Medevac"...

**twells22** · 02-15-2007, 08:38 PM

I like your site, looks very professional and better than the first.

**vn5ltr** · 10:10 PM

devinb83,
Thanks for the heads-up on the terms link.
Also, appreciate the feedback. Keep it coming if you can!
Cheers.

**LadynRed** · 02-16-2007, 01:47 PM

Quote:

you were the only one who couldn't see it very well

I never said *I* couldn't see it, I have no problem seeing it -- but I am not 'everyone' and there are plenty of people who will think it's too small and too pale.

I always keep an eye on accessibility and that includes color contrasts. When I need to know if a color blind person could read my sites, I ask my brother - he is completely color blind. If he can't see text clearly on a background in his 'shades of gray' world, then the contrast isn't good enough for others with similar vision impairments.

**travelagent** · 02-16-2007, 01:54 PM

DOH -- slaps forehead -- was that my "payback"?

Yeah; websites should be designed for the visually impaired, but how many of us actually do it?