Carol's Web

Immersion Active has tossed up Carol’s Web – a promotional flash presentation for their services.

While there’s not much new here, all the points made are valid. Of course, it’s an introduction to their philosophy of web design/navigation, so they don’t give away the store. Nothing wrong with that.

My only real criticism has to do with Carol and her cheesy, stilted, quite annoying “inner-voice over.” I doubt that anybody actually thinks like this. Perhaps in a focus group, or in a controlled situation where the participants are critiquing a web site, they might blurt out comments like ‘Hmmm. I’m certainly having a hard time making out the name of this company…’ or ‘What’s this eagle here? Click on it? For what?’ …… ???

In reality, it’s much worse. Most people over fifty simply ignore things on the web they don’t care about, can’t really see, or that don’t make much of an impression. If they find a web site exasperating, they move on. If you could peer into their minds, you probably wouldn’t find much inner dialogue going on about the web site they’re viewing. If they can’t find the info they’re looking for – bye, bye.

Add to this the fact that most Baby Boomers are internet-savvy – especially the well-heeled, successful women demo this particular exercise/example uses. They’re not deer-in-the-headlights, bumbling idiots like Carol.

For a report about web design and navigation that’s much deeper and comprehensive, contact Dick Stroud. He has a PDF he might send you: Tips For Building 50+ Web Sites. It’s my instant web design bible when I’m consulting. Gill Walker also writes and talks about web and print design. So do I. But again, we don’t give away the store.

I’m sure Immersion Active does top-notch work. Check them out.

But if you give them a call and Carol answers the phone, hang up.