Designer Portal

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thecaptain

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Hello,
I was wondering if anyone would be interested in adding their portfolio or website to a designer portal? One which requires the designer to actually do some work, whereby they must create their own link.
This is a brand new site and we may be asking too much, but we thought that as designers tend to enjoy designing, they may be willing to do i little extra to showcase there stuff. The concept has been well received but the participants are needing a little more persuading.
http://www.designersassemble.com
Are we asking too much? Could you be bothered?
Thanks guys.
The Captain
 
the whole idea.... the website isn't that clear for me personally but I didn't spend too long on it either, it wasn't good for my eyes...
 
Have to agree with Levi, you're asking designers for their input on a site, that is, to be honest very poorly designed.
The whole concept just needs more explaining on the homepage, and loose the spotty background IMO
 
thecaptain said:
Are we asking too much? Could you be bothered?
Thanks guys.
The Captain
Hmm, well ending like that makes me think that you're not entirely sure about your own service, or if it's even worthwhile. The site doesn't look terrible, but it's quite a way away from something which I could ever consider good. I tried looking through the website but.. it's just not very nice on the eyes. If this is a site for designers then you are going to need to go back to the drawingboard with this one I think. The whole clicking on each number and going back to get to the next number is a good example of something that, whilst not terrible, simply doesn't work very well.
What is your concept exactly, because right now I'm kind of confused! What preparation have you done to ensure that everything goes according to plan?
 
thecaptain said:
Thanks for your input, this helps a lot.

Appreciate it!
well this doesn't help us though...
give us more and we can give you more....
 
Ok, well this began as a a simple exercise with a simple brief. To design and build a website which must grow alone with no marketing(paid for) in 7 days. The user has to contribute to the development of the site for no incentive. Site will run for undetermined time frame which will end at 1 days notice. Site with most user contribution is developed further. (1 of 4 sites)

We have chose graphic designers (maybe a mistake) hoping that this is a group of users that would work for enjoyment rater than incentive.

Although initially this seemed like a very self explanatory idea and site, it is obviously not. 3 weeks and no bites! We have tried to introduce illustrators but we'll see how that goes.

I still personally feel the site will look more interesting if populated, and the content is the focus but that's the hard part.

A big question is, as a user, would you not contribute to a site because you don't like it (look feel) or because you have to actually create something for no gain or little purpose?

If the reason is because of the look, would you still not contribute if you knew the site was receiving a lot of hits per month?

Thanks people.
 
Ok, well this began as a a simple exercise with a simple brief. To design and build a website which must grow alone with no marketing(paid for) in 7 days. The user has to contribute to the development of the site for no incentive. Site will run for undetermined time frame which will end at 1 days notice. Site with most user contribution is developed further. (1 of 4 sites)
Not sure about the others, but that doesn't help me much lol

We have chose graphic designers (maybe a mistake) hoping that this is a group of users that would work for enjoyment rater than incentive.
Bad choice, we're (graphic designers) probably the most incentive orientated lot you could ever find

Although initially this seemed like a very self explanatory idea and site, it is obviously not. 3 weeks and no bites! We have tried to introduce illustrators but we'll see how that goes.
It is a LONG way from being self explanatory and from what I'm reading you have trouble explaining it clearly if I'm honest... thats never a good thing.

I still personally feel the site will look more interesting if populated, and the content is the focus but that's the hard part.
Chicken and the Egg, you needed to get content 'before' the site (it's the egg for anyone wondering... pretty easy question really)

A big question is, as a user, would you not contribute to a site because you don't like it (look feel) or because you have to actually create
something for no gain or little purpose?
Simple way of putting it - my 'professional' time costs money, I want something out of it if I'm going to contribute. I'm also less likely to contribute when 1) I don't understand the point/idea (which I still don't really - see later) and the site hurt my eyes, serious your site is dreadful in my opinion. The dots are distracting, the font treatment is amateur and the fact that 90% of the site is an image means its seo is basically zero - meaning no benefit for us and no content for you.

If the reason is because of the look, would you still not contribute if you knew the site was receiving a lot of hits per month?
See above, the site is 90% image, the seo of the site is basically zero so the odds of your sit getting lots of hits per month is well pretty much zero. Besides, number of hits isn't the metric that most people would grade a site these days, in most people's world, low hits but big turnover from those hits is better than lots of hits and no return.

Lets break it all down from my understanding////
Your site is basically a:
showcase site with a link to my site - there are LOTS of sites like this... pinterest is an obvious one...
the site could close tomorrow +1 day - yeah real incentive to do work this one....
I have to spend time 'creating' a custom avatar which I don't get paid for - really, not everyone has time to spend doing a cartoon character
You have no incoming page hits due to no advertising - again, no gain for us
People are likely to leave your site before getting to our parts because of the design of the site - what is the point in us doing work for a site where no one is going to understand what it's about...
 
Purely out of interest thecaptain how old are you? Is this a school or college brief?
 
Ok, well this began as a a simple exercise with a simple brief. To design and build a website which must grow alone with no marketing(paid for) in 7 days. The user has to contribute to the development of the site for no incentive. Site will run for undetermined time frame which will end at 1 days notice. Site with most user contribution is developed further. (1 of 4 sites)
What has to happen in 7 days? It must be completed or it has to grow to a certain point? The site will end at 1 days notice? What does that mean? If you've contributed to the site and then randomly it closes down, all the work you've done has gone to waste? Why are there 4 sites being created?

We have chose graphic designers (maybe a mistake) hoping that this is a group of users that would work for enjoyment rater than incentive.
You can't just say you've chosen graphic designers, like you've spoken to every single one of them and then conclude that as a whole, we're not well motivated. This is a terrible view to have! You will get motivated, non motivated and people who are motivated by lots of different things. In fact there are many types of non financial motivation that are more often than not only really available to those who aren't in a low skilled job that pays hourly. I'm inclined to agree with Levi on this, graphic designers were probably one of your best bets. Especially with how the industry has been opened up to non traditional professionals, there's a lot of people out there trying to make their way, just looking for a good opportunity to further their career.

Although initially this seemed like a very self explanatory idea and site, it is obviously not. 3 weeks and no bites! We have tried to introduce illustrators but we'll see how that goes.
I don't really understand why you're doing this, how you're going to achieve that goal or why you've gone about this in the way that you have. You speak of illustrators as if they are an entirely different species, as if designers were simply not up to your (unpaid) tasks? Have you considered that the problem isn't with the industry segment, but with your project? I don't see any benefits for me to spend my time helping you to develop your site/project and this is why you're not having any bites.
I still personally feel the site will look more interesting if populated, and the content is the focus but that's the hard part.
Well, a shopping centre will rake in loads of money if it's populated, that's not a reason to set a new one up in the middle of a field. You need to consider more than just how it's meant to work after the hard part of working out how to populate your project.
A big question is, as a user, would you not contribute to a site because you don't like it (look feel) or because you have to actually create something for no gain or little purpose?
As a web designer, I look at your site and think, "Well, I could do a lot better than this, why am I dedicating my free time to this person, in the hope of future rewards. Shouldn't it be the other way around?" I'm not a moderator because I get any kind of financial incentives, in fact there are no other incentives to this position other than helping to further the community that I'm a part of. That to me is why I'm happy to help, spend my spare time making sure things are going well and thinking up ways of how to improve the site. It's also why I'm happy to spend my time writing up large posts like this, analysing users situations and attempting to provide useful and meaningful feedback - not because I receive any financial incentives ;)
If the reason is because of the look, would you still not contribute if you knew the site was receiving a lot of hits per month?
I don't believe that you do have lots of hits per month, as Levi pointed out you have too many images on your site to be effective in the search engines, and images aside there is simply far too little content for it to be able to rank highly in anything. The look of your site doesn't help with this conclusion either. Successful or well funded projects usually have well designed websites, because they have the means to secure the expertise in order to properly showcase their project. Even if this isn't the case, this is what people will believe, and so you still have the same problem.
Thanks people.

On a side note, I'd also like to know more about why you're doing this project, is it a business venture, are you in education, what's the background?
 
This is not a business venture or an educational project. It's doing great though, and serving its purpose. Thanks for your time designer people.

Now back to work.
 
Seriously, you're not going to answer a single question or give any actual feedback? Hmm, yes, well good luck to you and your project.
 
Squiddy said:
Seriously, you're not going to answer a single question or give any actual feedback? Hmm, yes, well good luck to you and your project.
I decided to bite my tongue.... man I should have just kept my 'negative' rep going lol
 
Sorry for not getting back within the forums specified time... Jeeeeezus! Some people do more than sit on here.Levi, man you can stick your negative rep where the sun don't shine, is this were you come to be a bitch. I'm not here to debate. I asked a question at the start and nobody understood the site. That answered my question. A lot of questions were answered which is what was needed.The site was a test. We work with rough, quick designs for initial reaction to concepts, this one got a good response. The site is updated.And for the record, of all boards I've visited you impatient pratts have been the most entertaining... I will defo be back. But not to this thread so save your fingers!
 
But I haven't said anything yet!
Actually while the design isn't inspiring I can see what could be achieved. Designers are critical by nature and I think if we had a more indepth rationale to start it with we may not have been so harsh.
Problem with any forums is a typed response can be direct and deemed a personal attack. It's not ( that's my job!) I have to give credit to anyone who wants to promote and showcase any form of design. ( Don't leave the forum till you've been mauled by me)
Kudos for doing something. ( Oh God I must be getting soft..... right I'm off to behead next doors kittens )
 
Forums specified time? Not sure where you pulled that from. You got the responses you did because of the way you spoke to us and how you responded to people when they tried to offer help with something that looked to be in a dire state if I'm honest.
 
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