The UN is another exception - even if you discount the homepage as a splash page for language choice, the internal homepage in English is nicely simple.
[...] Quote of the day. Rachel Cunliffe: “The bigger the organisation, the more complex the homepage.” And yes, Google is the counter example, otherwise we wouldn’t mention them ad nauseum. [...]
I think it’s more like “the bigger the ego of the person who decides what goes on the home page, the more complex it is.”
I’ve seen many sites which have big egos (either for themselves or for their companies) behind them. It gives way to the “Hey everyone, come see how good I look” syndrome, thus propagating the complexity of the homepage because they have to smash the first-time visitor in the face with all their coolness.
Those who are comfy cozy in their (or their company’s) focus get to be simple. Try to be (or think you are) all things to all people and you become nothing to everyone.
your thoughts
doug
So true, though it doesn’t have to be that way.
Eolaí gan Fhéile
Google?
Darren
yeah - google came to mind for me too
But they are in the minority.
Eolaí gan Fhéile
True on Google.
The UN is another exception - even if you discount the homepage as a splash page for language choice, the internal homepage in English is nicely simple.
Robin Capper
Complex is one annoyance but, as a blogger, my pet hate is sites that have no page structure that allows direct linking/permalinks.
I’m not going to link to your site if you serve content in a nested page or “Flash container” so it’s not possible to link directly.
John Labriola
The more people who will want something from their “division” on that homepage.
The more people who have to approve the design and hence personalities to deal with. Ah the list goes on…
But hey sometimes it ain’t so bad. As for Google, I think they are having a rough time trying to incorporate all their “apps.” Same with Yahoo…
Labnotes » Rounded Corners - 54
[...] Quote of the day. Rachel Cunliffe: “The bigger the organisation, the more complex the homepage.” And yes, Google is the counter example, otherwise we wouldn’t mention them ad nauseum. [...]
Chetan
Ya thats quite athentic
nate
I disagree.
I think it’s more like “the bigger the ego of the person who decides what goes on the home page, the more complex it is.”
I’ve seen many sites which have big egos (either for themselves or for their companies) behind them. It gives way to the “Hey everyone, come see how good I look” syndrome, thus propagating the complexity of the homepage because they have to smash the first-time visitor in the face with all their coolness.
Those who are comfy cozy in their (or their company’s) focus get to be simple. Try to be (or think you are) all things to all people and you become nothing to everyone.