I’m starting to get carried away with look & feel design on the nomad-one redesign. This is even before my wire-framing is properly completed, but I just can’t help myself at the moment. I’ve just really enjoyed working on this design. There are a load of changes I want to make to my site, graphic design, functional, content and information architecture & usability, so it’s all over the place at the moment. This post lists a few of my thoughts, but I hope to get more ideas from you about what you think would make my space special. I’ve suggest how the best advice might be rewarded down at the end of this post.
Look & Feel
I suppose explaining where I’m going with this desert scene might help for starters. The nomad concept has been with me for some time, though not in this form. As you may know, I’m no city slicker. I’m also very much set on remaining as independent as possible, something the Bedouin values extremely highly. I’m a traveler at heart. So this is partly where the desert scene comes in.
Saving Space with some Ajax/Design Patterns
Regarding the layout and general interface, there’s a few space saving design patterns I want to build into the homepage, which include using some jquery tabs, a slider and an accordion to fit everything into a smaller space. My current design is way too long and lacks a few features above the fold. I don’t want to loose anything but feel I need to tuck lots of excess away in a more logical manner.
Integrating Social
I definitely need to integrate my social links into the interface much higher up the page, as well as include a twitter feed, what would we do without twitter. I like the idea of a user generated feed or post wall but am uncertain how this might impact the space on the homepage.
Showing my Portfolio work
Something I have failed hopelessly at s keeping an up to date portfolio area. I don;t even have a latest work feature on my current site so this is a must have i think. Of course it needs to be coded in such a way that it’s easy to maintain as well me always being pressed for time.
Quick Contact & Chat widget
I’d also like to include a few quick ways of getting in touch, like a mini form as well as skype me & gtalk widgets which allow people to chat with me directly when I’m online, which is like all the time.
My Blog area will remain pretty much the same in terms of it’s location and general functionality, but of course in needs some space saving neatening up. I also need to get a featured post sorted. I’ve been toying with the idea of having 3 main areas of featured posts, and running titles of these in the header area somewhere but haven’t fully embraced this idea yet.
Menu with Subtext
I really love the idea of menu links with sub text explaining the links in more detail so these are almost definitley going to be part of my next menu. I also need to rework the way I display my pages, what stays, what goes and what needs to be added. Lots of information-architecture work lies ahead, and the dreaded writing!
Header Message
My header will have to have a brief explanation of where you are and who i am, some kind of elevator pitch style slogan. I’m considering having a few messages, one for first timers and a few others for returning visitors. I like the way yoast.com addresses the visitor based on where they have come from.
What do you think? Want to earn your own design/redesign?
I’m thinking of turning this into some kind of competition, asking for feedback and awarding the best advice a design of their own. What you you think? Would you be interested in participating in something like that?