Portfolio: Looking for Opinions

It doesn't matter if you do all the error checking in the world, or if you have the most beautiful graphics, if your site or application design isn't usable, it's not going to do well. Get input and advice on usability and user interface issues here.

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shadowspyre86
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Posts: 2
Joined: Fri Jun 05, 2009 10:10 pm
Location: Indianapolis, IN United States

Portfolio: Looking for Opinions

Post by shadowspyre86 »

Hello!
Well, this'll be my second official post.
I'll be heading back to school in August and I've developed my portfolio as a way to have been accepted into the Graduate program. I currently am looking for a job in Web Development (currently not in it, sadly), and have this so far as my portfolio. I'd like to get opinions on how to improve and, if anyone is willing to provide, advise suggestions on what one should try to learn as part of a Master's (FYI: I have a New Media degree, with HTML/CSS experience, along with a certain amount of competence in JavaScript along with some PHP) to obtain a good position.

Anyway, here's the link to the portfolio:
http://www.kelleykreativesonline.com

Let me know what you think of it, and any improvements that could be made.
To make it easier, here's the source JavaScript that controls the site's functions:

Code: Select all

 
function changeBanner(type){
    var selection = "";
    var xhr;
    
    if(type == "home"){
        selection = "includes/content/home.php";
        colorSRC ='#888FA3';    
        imageSRC ='url(images/homeBanner.png)';
    } else if(type == "web"){
        selection = "includes/content/web.php";
        colorSRC ='#B2C689';
        imageSRC ='url(images/webBanner.png)';
    } else if(type == "flash"){
        selection = "includes/content/flash.php";
        colorSRC ='#D6585A';
        imageSRC ='url(images/flashBanner.png)';
    } else if(type == "about"){
        selection = "includes/content/about.php";
        colorSRC ='#83675D';
        imageSRC ='url(images/aboutBanner.png)';
    }
    
    try {
        xhr=new XMLHttpRequest();
    } catch (e) {
        try {
            oRequest=new ActiveXObject("Msxml2.XMLHTTP");
        } catch (e) {
            try {
                oRequest=new ActiveXObject("Microsoft.XMLHTTP");
            } catch (e) {
                alert("Your browser does not support AJAX!");
                return false;
            }
        }
    }
    
    xhr.onreadystatechange=function() {
        if(xhr.readyState==4){
            document.getElementById("pagecontent").innerHTML = xhr.responseText;
            document.getElementById('pagenav').style.background=colorSRC;   
            document.getElementById('pageheader').style.background=imageSRC;
        }
    }
    xhr.open("GET",selection,true);
    xhr.send(null);
}
 
if(document.images){
    homebuttonover = new Image();
    homebuttonover.src = "images/home_OVER.png";
    homebuttonout = new Image();
    homebuttonout.src = "images/home_IMG.png";
 
    webbuttonover = new Image();
    webbuttonover.src = "images/web_OVER.png";
    webbuttonout = new Image();
    webbuttonout.src = "images/web_IMG.png";
 
    flashbuttonover = new Image();
    flashbuttonover.src = "images/flash_OVER.png";
    flashbuttonout = new Image();
    flashbuttonout.src = "images/flash_IMG.png";
 
    aboutbuttonover = new Image();
    aboutbuttonover.src = "images/about_OVER.png";
    aboutbuttonout = new Image();
    aboutbuttonout.src = "images/about_IMG.png";
}
 
 
function overstate(buttonname)
{
    if(document.images){
        document.getElementById([buttonname]).src = eval(buttonname + "over.src");
    }
}
 
function outstate(buttonname)
{
    if(document.images){
        document.getElementById([buttonname]).src = eval(buttonname + "out.src");
    }
}
Any suggestion for improvement would be most appreciated. Thank you!

NOTE: I apologize if this is posted in the wrong section.

EDIT: I'd appreciate any opinions at all...
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kaszu
Forum Regular
Posts: 749
Joined: Wed Jul 19, 2006 7:29 am

Re: Portfolio: Looking for Opinions

Post by kaszu »

Since you asked:
  1. Images in flash section and background image looks low quality ('blurry').
  2. What's with doctype? Page doesn't validate even with correct doctype.
  3. Footer text has bad contrast with background
  4. "Powered by Internetquest." <- what does that mean?
  5. On all flash example pages (like /flash/game1_dir.html) I get an alert "This page requires AC_RunActiveContent.js." I'm a user, I don't need/want to know that.
  6. When I hover any flash project content on other column "jumps"
  7. Turn off javascript and have a look
  8. There is no way to bookmark page (send someone a link) of inner page. Page url doesn't change
  9. When I click on any navigation link I get about 1 second delay before something changes. You should cache ajax request responses.
  10. You won't need eval there if you will put all images in an array/object

    Code: Select all

    document.getElementById([buttonname]).src = eval(buttonname + "out.src");
Some stuff to search for & read:
"javascript graceful degradation", "Unobtrusive Javascript"
"Avoid CSS Inline Styles"
"css best practices", "javascript best practices"
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pickle
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Re: Portfolio: Looking for Opinions

Post by pickle »

I've moved this thread to the appropriate forum.

1) The text is hard to read on the background - in the footer.
2) Too much spacing between the top of the left section and "Welcome"
3) The colours are certainly unique, but look better suited for pamphlets I saw in church in the 90's than on a cool website
4) A flash game isn't the best choice for the homepage - especially one that has sound.

This website looks like a hobby website. It looks like it was made as a playground for you. There's absolutely nothing wrong with that, but it doesn't work well as a showcase for your portfolio.

I believe you when you say you have a New Media degree. Not to knock the degree itself, but those degrees typically show you how to make websites in a "this usually works" fashion - not necessarily how to do it properly or particularly well. A good example is how you used Javascript. Your site simply does not function without Javascript - content doesn't even appear. That's a really bad idea. Javascript should enhance the user experience, not be required for it.
Real programmers don't comment their code. If it was hard to write, it should be hard to understand.
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omniuni
Forum Regular
Posts: 738
Joined: Tue Jul 15, 2008 10:50 pm
Location: Carolina, USA

Re: Portfolio: Looking for Opinions

Post by omniuni »

The design itself feels rather over-sized. I would remove the game from the home page, get rid of the several pixelated images and replace them with sharper versions. Remove the JavaScript in favor of PHP. Get the page to validate.
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