Week 4 Aesthetics, Design & Branding

User-Friendly Websites

https://www.headhunterhairstyling.com/

The fact that they have a video of a stylist cutting hair is mesmerizing. I think that was a great experience and it brought memories of the last time I received a haircut. It sparked emotion in me, so they succeeded in that regard. 

Their branding is cohesive, and the flow of colors are natural on the eyes. They have a good selection of fonts, and they are easy to read. The size and contrast blend well too. Overall it simple to find any information that a potential customer may need.

Only thing I would change is on the services page, the chair could be changed to displaying nails. It's listed in the services menu, but it would go well with the other icons that represent services.

https://www.nps.gov/

The National Park Service has enough information on their home page to keep you interested but not overwhelmed. The website content is appealing for families and every member of it. They have information in Spanish too which demonstrates that they are inclusive. 

 The images are all of high-quality, and it appears as if they are using the same filters giving it a fluid look overall. 

After clicking the hamburger menu, a sub-menu appeared, and that menu was easy to read, the spacing was right. It was clear and orderly. 

Their form for newsletter popped up a little after I was navigating the website which was ideal! There are some websites that as soon as you enter the form pops up asking you for your information. It doesn't even let you see what they have to offer or allow you to learn more about them. It's almost like meeting someone for the first time, and they're asking for your phone number. 

Challenging websites

www.artcenter.org
I was confused when the site appeared, it says California Center for the Arts, but the URL says artcenter.org I was not sure if I was in the correct place. They also refer to it as "the center" everywhere else. They should consider choosing one name to go by. That has probably thrown a lot of people off. I think they should try to find or buy a URL that has the initials of the center which would be easier than re-naming the non-profit. 

They have two search bars. One of them is at the top right like in most websites. Then there is an attempt at separating the top fold from the bottom fold with a thick search bar! I think one search bar should suffice and I would recommend that they remove it.

Their website is too convoluted. There is too much going on. A designer should work on their contrast and revise what they want to focus on. For example, the section at the bottom "Connect with the Center" is too large! It is as large as the other title sections, and I think it could be a smaller font size. 

Also, some of their icons seem more adequate for a pre-school or elementary school. I perceived the center as an elegant place to go watch a show or attend a meeting or a party. I think it should portray more elegance. Those icons need to be transformed into something classier. 

http://www.roverp6cars.com/
First off, the website URL is not memorable, and it's way too long! They should consider purchasing a different URL.

When the page opened up the first thing I noticed is that on the URL input box, it reads "Not Secure." When I clicked on it, it warns me not to input any personal information to this website as it can be compromised. The solution to that problem would be purchasing a Trustmark from a provider like McAffee that can keep visitors' information safe and away from hackers hands. Or else I doubt they will make any sales because no one wants their information compromised.

Roverp6cars seems to be landing page for a shop and an online store. That is outdated! Gone are the days when companies used landing pages. (per my former professor in Web Design) This website is proof that they still exist, but that doesn't mean that they are a useful tool.
It seems like they have a bulleted "menu" going on in the left column. The repeated image of the green vehicle with red font are both terrible choices in color and imagery. They should have a hamburger menu with two levels so if someone is looking at their website from a mobile device (which 90% of people do nowadays) it won't take up so much space. 
Overall there is too much to fix on this website, and I don't even sense any branding or aesthetics. It needs to get redone because it's not trustworthy.