So, the iVillage redesign launched three months ago. Catalyst worked on the user interface design and all that goes with the architectural side of things - and collaborated with iVillage designers as well as with the superheroes at Chopping Block on the visual design. In a wholesale redesign of a site this size - up in the top 35 for the web overall in terms of traffic - there’s a multitude of business, behaviorial and editorial angles to consider. And inevitably, prioritization needs to occur.

This is why we were pleased with Pedro Sostre’s review of the iVillage relaunch. Obviously, others have commented on the topic - but Mr. Sostre devotes a healthy 700 or so words to the subject, and deploys them judiciously. We were happy to have played a role in what he terms “out of the box” thinking, where design was important to business. Also, never a bad thing for a third party to put you in the company of Apple. More specifically, we were pleased that he noticed what we call the Fourth Column of the iVillage site. That is, the part that’s visible at higher screen resolutions and displays extra content (for more on this and the Fourth Column, download our white paper on the topic, but be aware it’s a large file). As Sostre points out, the screen resolution market is shifting, and fewer people than ever are looking at sites using an 800X600 frame of reference.

We were also interested that he responded so well to the use of flash, since usable flash is one of our recurring topics. More kudos to the folks at Chopping Block, here, as well as the iVillage designers, for figuring out a way to do this that was both eye-catching and a good experience. Given the various profiles of iVillage visitors, it was pretty important that interaction with the flash pieces be exactly as the review describes: fun and simple. Same with the video elements.

As to the criticisms he outlines - we don’t like to get into the nitty gritty regarding continuing clients. But suffice to say (regarding Sostre’s last graph in particular) that yes, there IS a lot going on at iVillage. And therefore, most of the elements he points to that seem dissonant, actually function differently in different places across the eight channels and at different site levels. The interaction is complex enough that it’s hard to see all of it at the same time, just clicking through the site for the purposes of an overview - but for certain well trodden pathways for target users, we believe the visual elements work really well with the behavioral profile and business goals of the site.

JF

This entry was posted on Monday, May 2nd, 2005 at 3:10 pm and is filed under Usability, E-commerce, Flash and Usability, Screen Resolution, Interaction Strategy.