http://www.ted.com/
I listen to TED Talks all the time, and I've been thinking about the interface of this website recently. In some ways, it's very simple: well organized, not overly "made up." And yet, the visual images/colors of the talks themselves really grab the eye's attention.
What do you think the interface is implicitly suggesting about this website's central themes, values, or identity and why? Does this website seem to have any effect on people's knowledge, values, ideas, etc.?
Generally, I'm looking at prompts 1 and 7 for this website, but feel free to use any of the other prompts that you think might provide a useful analytic lens. And if you get a chance, you should definitely listen to a TED Talk or two--they are fascinating, cover a million different topics, and are only about 20 minutes apiece! :)
The first visual element that strikes me about the site is how serious and engaged the speakers look in the chosen photos. (See especially: Jeremy Gilley's fist pump and the other open, emphatic hand gestures.) Their facial expressions, along with the stark white background, suggest that the website content will not be frivolous or comedic or purely for entertainment or trying to sell visitors something, but, as the tag line explicitly states, "Riveting," "remarkable," and "free". The choice to show pictures of each of the presenters also suggests that their ethos may be important for establishing a sense of credibility to the website.
ReplyDeleteI had the opposite initial visual impression than Kristen--I was immediately struck by the amount of white space (perhaps because I followed the link from this colorful blog) on the website. It forces the viewer's gaze toward the boxes in the middle of the page while at the same time emphasizing them. Any additional coloration might cause the viewer to be distracted, but beyond that, I agree with Kristen's assessment that the white space seems to grant the website authority, as though it does not need visual tricks to draw in the viewer. Next to the title (the only other colored item on the page), it states "Ideas worth spreading", and the white space seems to be saying that the ideas can speak for themselves, rather than needing the website to promote them.
ReplyDeleteLike Beth, my first impression of the TED homepage involved a heightened awareness of its seeming “bare bones” design; with the use of only two text colors against a white background, the website appears to position itself as different from (and more honest than) a site with an extremely decorated interface. It is interesting to note, however, that even in all of its seemingly honest austerity the TED website does work to manipulate its viewers—but with a sense of user control. As my eyes were drawn up and across the linear composition, I began to wonder about the various size differences between the images, and the ways in which such a visual hierarchy impacted my interaction with the website. The menu at the side allows for a limited number of options to resize the images based upon quantifiable ratings, thus seeming to challenge the idea that certain ideas are being endorsed more than others. Under the direction of the website’s design, then, users are provided with a sense of control over the way in which the content is presented to them and thus place more trust in the information on the site.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Liz about how the austerity of the site confers honesty to the website. The website's spare design (white background, sans serif font, minimal touches of color) and brief tag lines are used to de-emphasize the TED organization and focus on the talks themselves. Apart from the two taglines, the entire website consists of links. The website is designed to facilitate open (free!) access to these talks. How the website is unpacked is up to the user, who has the power to explore, sort, search, and view content according to the user's interests and preferences.
ReplyDeleteWhen the website loads, the talk squares populate the white space like quote bubbles. The images show the speakers in various animated poses during their talks to further the idea that these talks are engaging and "riveting." The engaging body language and the non-confrontational gazes of the speakers create inviting images that lessen the intimidation factor for the non-specialist user to learn about challenging and unfamiliar topics.