Golden Spider 2007 Grand Prix winner....

PixelTrawler

From the site...

"The Grand Prix award will be selected from the overall winners of the individual Golden Spider categories in 2007. Judges will be looking for outstanding excellence in technology, innovation, functionality & interactivity coupled with a world class user experience."

The winner
http://www.cullyandsully.com/

Just wondering how this is judged as the winning site selected is quite poor (is it by lottery). I know people have complaints every year but this is the "Grand Prix" prize.

For a start its laid out in tables - unusual these days surely. The mix of table layout, flash and html makes its quite difficult for visually impaired users to use it - no alt / title tags used either on images and menu items.

Unforgiveably, a portion of the text on the home page is an image (when do you see that these days). Again a major accessibility error- people with screen readers are screwed there.
Its like they wanted to wrap the text around the chef's heads but didnt know how to do it in css.

Again, for some of the reasons listed above, only portions of the text is re-sizable.

It appears the site was built by developers with a very limited understanding of good web standards and practices - I can't not see how this website matches the criteria.

Also, the site has no privacy policy or terms and conditions, the house icon does not link back to home (why else is it there, admitedly the title does but the house kinda screams - click on me).

I'm not commenting on the design since thats subjective, but these are the obvious faults that stick out.

What do others think.

Edit - just struck me if this site was submitted here for critique by one of us lot, I think it would get a pretty hard time - especially the table layout

Edit2 - Oh yeah the Golden Spiders site is buggy too - when you try and navigate the winner panels sometimes you have to open a different category to open another - this is in Firefox - you'd think they'd at least get that right...

Ph3n0m

I think it would be more appropriate to give out to the company/bloke who designed it

Plus parts of the site are built WordPress

PixelTrawler

Very true, which is why I said "It appears the site was built by developers with a very limited understanding of good web standards and practices - I can't not see how this website matches the criteria.":)

Laslo

The Golden Spiders are not a mark of quality. The judges aren't designers, developers, Information Architects or industry leaders who know what they're talking about. They're largely just business bods, wheeler dealers and people appointed by the organisers.

In general, the winner of the Grand Prix (see Mickey Mouse) award is a mate of those involved in putting the show together. If I remember correctly, Ican won the Web Agency of Year award one year and went on to win the Grand Prix award the next year. Turns out that they're buddies with the organisers. I know this because one of them told me, not knowing that I'm a vehement opponent of the Golden Spiders.

These awards don't represent Ireland's quality websites. They merely represent vested interests. That's unlikely to ever change. And the fact that you have to pay to enter as well as pay a grand for a table to attend the event, just goes to show that it's a nice money-making racket as well (ever hear of someone winning and not being there to collect the award? Exactly)

PixelTrawler

I know, I know - its annoying though because the ordinary joe soap doesnt know that and its a great selling point for these companies "oh, and they've won golden spiders, they must be good".
Its just the criteria description and that site do not match up at all.

Funny you mention Ican winning last year. They designed this years golden spider site and its not without its problems either...


... I guess its all just another form of marketing really....

Laslo

Joebloggs4817 wrote: »

laughable

That just about sums it up.

PixelTrawler

And I edited my post thinking it was a bit harsh

I know there are some guys (one I can think off, there may be more) who post here who have had sites win in the past so I don't want to tar everyone with the same brush - they do good work

BRENSH

I can see where you are coming from. Personally I am currently in the process of learning good web practice myself. I know where you are coming from. There are so many poor webdesigners and developers out there that claim to be good. I hate that. They just throw it togeather with out validating it.

For the Golden Spiders don't talk to me.

Well they are not the worst websites in the world.

axer

Joebloggs4817 wrote: »

Just wondering how this is judged as the winning site selected is quite poor (is it by lottery). I know people have complaints every year but this is the "Grand Prix"; prize.

I'll take it you missed all of these great reasons why it won 2 awards:

cullyandsully.com is a refreshing site in the world of food with a traditional feel that manages to maintain that look and feel in a contemporary online environment. The naviagation is simple and user-friendly and the design pleasing to the eye. Its use of animation is fun and informative to their online audience

but wait it gets better...

CullyandSully.com won two awards, including the Grand Prix. While "Cully" comes from a long line of food lovers in Ballymaloe, "Sully" has a keen eye for a business opportunity and therefore, this website is certainly more than one would expect from a pie and soup producer. Along with the Grand Prix, CullyandSully.com also won Best FMCG website. "The website is almost good enough to eat" commented the judges. It is fun, informal and engaging – just like the brand. It is fantastic to see a young brand creating such an individual presence for themselves in one of the most cluttered categories in the retail sector. Technically it ticks a number of boxes, including feedback forums, FAQs, news, video demonstrations, good design, RSS feeds, moving graphical images, and full contact details

Wow, it really is almost good enough to eat (thats if you don't mind the taste of sh'ite).

Bananna man

If im not mistaken you have to pay to be entered into the competition, or did i get that wrong?

John_flood73

same story every year with the golden spiders. a table based design in this day en age winning the big prize..these guys are a joke

di11on

The single, most annoying design feature to be found on the internet are flash menus where you have to click on the damn things before they become active. They should be banned!

DJB

di11on wrote: »

The single, most annoying design feature to be found on the internet are flash menus where you have to click on the damn things before they become active. They should be banned!

You can use SWFObject to get around that issue:

http://blog.deconcept.com/swfobject/

or you could stop using Interent Explorer!

Laslo

Or you could not use Flash for navigation. Might help with SEO too.

DJB

I agree. Flash is bad for SEO! It should only be used to enhance site elements and the user experience!