Contest Number One.....

[Dr. Web]

Contest Number One: I-Education Software.
Who can come up with the cleanest corporate look and feel for this new software development company? Read over what this customer wants, and post your completed layouts in this thread (as attachments or linked gifs/ jpgs). Good luck!!! :D



Contest Number One: I-Education, new software development company.

Start Date: Monday September 9th. Contest begins.
End Date: Sunday September 30th. Last submissions are taken.
Poll Dates: Until October 10th. Winners to be announced shortly afterwards.

Request: post a one page layout that effectively shows the I-Education idea. You are free to create logos for I-Education, its software lines, and any icons you see fit. Your one page layout may be of the I-Education home page, or any of the sub pages that you'd like to demonstrate.

Background: I-Education is a software development company that develops online educational solutions. For the last three years they have been effectively selling their product 'buisiness to buisiness', but would like to develop an online presence. Their target audience will be universities, small buisinesses, and corporate intranets. Since their intended audience may not be ultra computer literate, they would like the design to be clean, easy to view, and 'at a glance' easily identifiable as online educational products and solutions. Our current product lines are: training and development software, assessment and testing software, resume and human resource software, and standards and procedure delivery software.

Site Purpose: To introduce and inform our target audience of who we are, what products we offer, and how they might benefit from using them. We are less concerned with offering an online store, and more concerned to offer a clear idea of who we are and how our software enables companies to save money on external training. We'd also like to make it clear that we offer online, 24 hour turnaround support for software questions, as well as an extended fee based troubleshooting support network.

Stated requirements: I-Education does not have a logo, nor are they dead set on specific color schemes. They tend to be more interested in non-futuristic or crowded designs. They would like to have areas to show information of the following: Intranet Solutions, Educator Solutions, Small Buisiness Solutions, About Us, Contact Us, and Product Support. These can be text links, or full navigation buttons. The site design submission could show any of the proposed areas of I-Education.

Similar sites: I-Education took a look at some online sites, and noted details that they liked.

http://www.apple.com/
We liked the Apple site because of its judicious use of white-space, and crisp clear graphics. The easy to use navigation on top of the screen was a nice touch, and the simple design was really user friendly.

http://www.nissanusa.com http://www.NissanDriven.com
Nissan used quite a bit more graphics that we are used to seeing, but it was laid out very professionally. We loved their graphical representation of the cars in real situations. Even though some of the pages contain minimal text, the overall impression was good... and we thought that they effectively communicated thier message.

What we'd love to see: Clean, clear, visually pleasing layouts. Layouts that look easy to use, and would interest corporate, universities, and small buisinesses.

What we'd like to avoid: Super busy, crowded, and boxy layouts. (http://www.blockbuster.com/). We are trying to avoid layouts that use too many graphics because they can take too long to download, and become distracting. We prefer a mix of graphics, text, and space. We'd also like to avoid layouts that are largely darker in appearence, or that might be confusing to persons who might not be highly computer savvy.

We look forward to your sample work!

[entimp]

Game on... I have a suggestion to make. Can we have a mod start a thread that aways stays at the top of list for the inttention of submitted entry urls only. Any other postings to be deleted by a mod. Why? It becomes easy to see who has posted an entry and ensures other entries don't get overlooked or missed. All in the interest of fairness.

Thanks Guys.

[Dr. Web]

In the prior contests, we kept the contest idea, and the entries in the same thread. This helped so that new viewers could sequentially read through the contest idea, and then see all the entries. Unless this contest goes madly out of control, we'll probably follow the same format.

[Ezkimo_Pie]

I just started my entry...Ill post it in a couple days...So you dont have to do any code right? Does the winner get anything?

By the way what ever happened to the avatar contest? who won?

:D :rolleyes: :P :o ;) :o :P :rolleyes: :D

[Dr. Web]

thats right.... no code, just a jpg or gif.

The avatar contest? I think fredreckish won that .....??!

What do you win? Hmmn.. let me see what I have in my pockets besides lint....

[Dr. Web]

I was looking through a magazine, and got this idea. magazines are a regular place for me to get inspiration if I want to make something 'different' from the rest of the web. I like to use Communications Arts (http://www.commarts.com/CA/) for some groovey ideas. Right now commarts has their interactive annual... the yearly magazine dedicated to online presence. Its a great summary of the cream of the crop in web design. Worth every penny of the hefty $12.00 charge at the local bookstore/ newsstand.

Anyway, heres my first entry....

[kony2003]

Heres my entry. can u find out what the winner gets?.

[Pegasus]

Whaddaya win? Sheesh, guys!

I don't know about anyone else, but if I can finish in the top ten of two dozen entries, I'm happy. It means that I'm not such a dweeb at creating web pages as I thought.

Most of us here are relative newcomers to web design. If we were experts, we'd either be moderators or doing this for a living and getting paid bit bucks for it.

Any idiot can create a page for themselves. But creating an effective page for someone else? That's a gazillion times harder. At least *this* "client" gives us a good place to start - "like Apple.com" or "Nissan.com". At the very least, we know what they *don't* want.

That the staff here are willing to take the time to figure out ways for us to practice and hone our skills is amazing, to my mind. I certainly don't pay them to take the time to figure things like this out. Or to go through all the entries and select the best of the bunch. Do you?

Give the guys a break, will you?

[kony2003]

i really dont care about what you win i was just curious if there is something. cause im just happy if they do choose my work or at least be in the final picks. thats awesome.

[Pegasus]

*lol* Yeah, that "I ain't a dweeb!" feeling is pretty neat, ain't it, Kony?

You know, I think I prefer *not winning*. It gives me more incentive to "go one step further, learn one more new thing". I learn a lot from studying the designs that *do* win, though. What to do, what not to do, where to put things. Things that can't or aren't always taught in a class.

<shrug> I dunno. Maybe I'm just weird, but I think I do better work when I'm "playing around" than when I seriously sit down to work. And "winning something" tends to fall into the category of "serious work".

My apologies for being so cranky about it. *g* Blame my lack of tact and diplomacy on the hour I saw the thread.

Peg

[Dr. Web]

ok Peg, we'll forgive you. Where's your entry? :D

[Pegasus]

<groan> Still sitting in Illustrator, Doc. I'm short an image and the kids have swiped my clipart collection for a school project. I'm hoping to have it back by tomorrow night.

I've got about 4 more ideas on paper. They just haven't made it to the computer yet. I'd like to have at least one sample for each page - one in each design, of course.

I'm also stumbling over some of the wording. "Standards and procedure delivery software"? What's that when it's at home? And what's the difference between the "24 hr turnaround support for software questions" and "troubleshooting support network"? I mean, other than one appears to cost more?

The rest of the stuff seems to be pretty straight forward. From what I understand of it, it's sort of like Brainbench.com. The main difference, that I can see, is that, with I-Education, you can buy the training software and use it whenever you like, rather than having to go on-line to get it - and it can be reused by different people.

I'll try to have at least one image up by Sunday afternoon. *g*

Peg

[Paul]

Actually for a prize I can register the winner a domain. If for some reason I win I can do it for the runner up.
Thanks,
Paul

[Pegasus]

Originally posted by Dr. Web
ok Peg, we'll forgive you. Where's your entry? :D Gees, did you need to *loom* over me like that?! You're worse than my kids! *g*

Okay, here's one. I'll be playing with this one some more, I think. It strikes me as a bit *too* simple.
Peg

[Pegasus]

And another one.

[Paul]

Pegasus, I think you should use gif format not JPEG.
Good Luck,
Paul

[Pegasus]

Ta, Paul. *g* I just discovered that today.

And, as you suggest.... ;)

[Zoanoid]

ok here's my entry. Very simple, but that was the requirement right? :)

[Zoanoid]

Here's another one, a bit more professional looking.

[Dr. Web]

great job folks! keep those entries coming! these are really looking nice!

<still waiting on entip's entry.....>

[Paul]

I will have my entry in this weekend as I have a design I need to create for a client.
Thanks,
Paul

[Zoanoid]

Here's another 1, a bit more playful and colourful. :D

[kony2003]

i thought we can only make one entry per person??....and is it alright if i psoted mine as .jpg, is there a big diffrence?

[Pegasus]

Kony, the guys go through the entries and pick the best ones from all of those submitted. From what I've seen so far, it works out that the final entries are all from different people. You can enter once, twenty times or not at all. Your choice.

As for the difference between jpgs and gifs, there isn't really one when you're submitting things. I've submitted both. The only difference I noticed - and someone else did, as well - is the file size. Gifs are sometimes a bit smaller and load up quicker than jpgs. Gifs can be a bit clearer, too, I think.

We were given the choice of either one, Kony. Help yourself.

Peg

[kony2003]

ok got it, thanks for the reply!

[kemikalfire]

can someone help me? I was in the middle of working on my submission, and my computer crashed...I managed to get it working minimally, but I cannot get photoshop and a bunch of other programs to reinstall. I saved my submission as a .psd file and uploaded it to my site before the crash, but I have no way to convert it to a .jpg or.gif If someone could do that for me, that would be really cool...The site is not done yet, but I don't think I am going to be able to completely finish it before the deadline, so I will submit what I have...

i-education (http://www.revolves.net/restore/mainbox.psd)

thanks so much

kate

[torrent]

Here's my submission........hehe not really. Here's Kemikalfire's :D

[kemikalfire]

:D :D :D thanks torrent!!! :D :D :D

kate

[Paul]

Here is my entry so far. If I have more time I will try to add to it before the deadline.
Thanks,
Paul

[KWJams]

Not satisfied with the wording yet,,need to sort it out some.

Entimp sent me a PM the other day saying his PC died. :(
Should be back in business in a week or so.

[entimp]

Lost my computer in a big way... recovered some stuff... but thats another story and a lesson I had to learn. Maybe post a little bit about it in the lounge.

But with my new rocket of a machine I am working on a submission. Yay.

[Dr. Web]

cool. Just a few more days until this contest deadline. I've got a great idea brewing for the second contest. MUCH different than the first scheme.... should really inspire some of you! Cant wait to get that one under way.

[entimp]

Heres my entry, I didn't think I would get one in after my computer burned up. But here it is. If anyone wants some info on how the image was put together give me a shout.

[Paul]

Originally posted by entimp
Heres my entry, I didn't think I would get one in after my computer burned up. But here it is. If anyone wants some info on how the image was put together give me a shout.
That's pretty original, you don't see many sites like that. I just feel bad for Ian or whoever will slice that baby up :D.
Good Luck,
Paul

[Dr. Web]

looks like there is just a little over 24 hours left in the contest..... lets get those last entries in!

[entimp]

how do u mean slice it up...

and you better be careful when talking about my duck... that is lucifer the bathroom duck and he wasn't to happy about posing for a digital shot without his horns.

[Paul]

Originally posted by entimp
how do u mean slice it up...

and you better be careful when talking about my duck... that is lucifer the bathroom duck and he wasn't to happy about posing for a digital shot without his horns.
I mean turning it into HTML. The design looks great though and tell the duck I think it should be a model :).
Paul

[kemikalfire]

does anyone know when the results are going to be announced? And who are the judges?

kate

[Pegasus]

Kate, I'm not sure when the finalists will be selected, but usually the moderators chose several of the entries and we vote on the best in a poll.

Probably about a week or so before the poll goes up. Maybe a bit longer.

Seems to me as one of the guys has or has to set up some sort of counter so that people don't vote more than once. I have no idea how long *that* takes. *g* He may still have it from the last contest we had.

Peg

[Zoanoid]

Peg: perhaps we should just vote in a topic, w/o a poll. That's the best way to prevent cheating i think.

[Pegasus]

I'm not sure how they do it, Zoanoid. It's some sort of programming that double-checks the ISP number, I think. I know it didn't take them long to set the last one up.

One's just as easy as the other, I suppose. Actually, I think a blind poll is easier on the nerves. I can vote for whomever I wish without causing any undo pain to anyone because I didn't vote for their entry. And I don't have to explain my choice to anyone.

I don't know about the others, but I tend to vote for the entry I *feel* is the best - even if it's not my entry. I'm learning to look at things from a client's point of view, rather than my own. Which banner or site best fits my "needs" - in this case, my interpretation of the guidelines. And, a bit, on my own personal preferences for colour, layout and so on.

By keeping an eye on what others like, I get some idea of what professional designers are thinking and what the next generation of web users is likely to consider "good".

Peg

[Dr. Web]

okay.... thanks for the entries folks! Soon... very soon we will post the poll and let YOU decide the winner of contest number one. And keep your eyes open, Contest number two is just around the corner. A sneak peek? Sure...

"Sinewave" is developing a new futuristic video game, and they want YOU to design the website for it! Contest number two will begin after the polls for C1 have settled the score.

Thanks for all you entries! We'll keep you posted.