feedback request

[mmreed]

I am working on a site and have added a little flash enhancements.

http://www.reedassociates.com/paguardV2

I was wondering what suggestions people may have on ways to improve it or other suggestions about the layout.

thanks!

(I put this in the KM board since the flash work was done in KM and is the primary focus of the feedback. If it should be moved to another board, my apologies.)

[necromanthus]

Very nice layout !
A single suggestion: try to escape from the (too many) GIFs from the left side (Home_HRp4.gif , About_the_Guard_NRp2.gif , etc) because the page is loading slowly.
cheers

[johnie]

I like your layout a lot.

your load time is estimated at 67.6 seconds on a dial up- not terrible but not the best.

You need to optimize your GIFS and it will fix that.

Asthetically the page looks pretty good except it doesn't really seem to be a National Gaurd page, seems a bit cartoony, but it also seems to work... I'd get more input from your target audience on the asthetics of the page by asking some soliders what they think. After the first page I really like it... In Fact I like it better than the US Natl Guard pages, except their first page I like better.

Compare your site with http://www.arng.army.mil/ and look at the aesthetics (They really need to Optimize their images also-I would have thought the govt would be more strict).The Green is a bit mudier and the Images are Starker- almost Black and White with a tint of that green. It contrasts with that Black Band running across the top. The color on the right contrast sharply with the lack of color on the left giving it more of an edgy feel.

I would probably give the page that you are designinmg a more edgy/stark feel to it... but that is me. Again I would ask some of the target audience their opinions.

[mmreed]

Thanks.

I have not optimized the images yet - I usually do that as the last step.

I had a hard time with the layout and feel of the site... they wanted a site that isnt aggressive as most military sites, and gives more of a community service type feel.

For some reason they want to get away from the harshness and stress the hometown service side of the national guard.

Kinda like SEARS... they are famous for thier tools,... but the ads say "Come see the softer side of Sears" <grin>

[johnie]

Well if they want it softer then you are doing what they asked... looks good.

Optimize those images and show it to them.