How not to design a website

Victor

I saw http://www.finance.gov.ie/ today - the used to have a fairly simple html interface, one or two snazzy bits on the extending dropdown, but essentially "keep it simple stupid". And it worked. It also had a great black background like the cloud style, but no they had to get "design" people in to make it look "nice".

So now the Budget 2004 page (formerly a meaningful http://www.finance.gov.ie/budget/budget2004/bud04index.htm) seems to have disappeared, just when it becomes relevant) and becomes something like http://www.finance.gov.ie/viewdoc.asp?DocID=831

Do web designers do this deliberately to torment users?

Oh, and the menu seems to change in some non-meaningful way.

Figment

Its a government site. I bet the original concepts and draft designs were lovely and usable.
But then each and every member of the committee will try and redesign it for no other reason than that it looks like their opinion matters and that they are doing something of value, whether or not they are actually involved in the design process. And for the sake of in-house political backslapping each and every 'design suggestion' will have to be taken on board to produce a bastardised final design that will have little resemblance to the original design brief that the committee took 6 months to produce.



Bitter moi?

vinnyfitz

This Dept used to have all sorts of information published intelligently and clearly. The revised site is a real disappointment.
They used to publish the email addresses and Direct dial numbers of loads of officials for example - that seems to have totally disappeared.

They seem to be following a strategy now of saying "If we did not have to publish it elsewhere why on earth should we put it on our website?"

Maybe the IIA should have another category in their awards - for deteriorating websites!

(Or maybe Boards should
)