CS 73N Peer Review:
Bryce Golden-Chen
(by Dian Rosanti)
Your project description and business plan show evidence that you have given a lot of thought to this assignment. I am not sure if you are personally involved in the Climate Crew, but you certainly demonstrate a very thorough knowledge of the issues at hand. You use relevant and current facts (heat wave in Europe, the Kyoto Protocol, role of US government) and as a reader, the specificity of these details helps communicate the urgency of our environmental problems.
I also like how you emphasize the significance of your project by linking it to other schools, and at the larger scale, to local and state movements. Nationally and globally, your project may seem small, but you associate your project to other efforts that, when viewed as a collective whole, may ultimately contribute to pressuring the federal government into taking action. This is very good because it addresses the “So what?” aspect of the project and will help to keep the readers’ interest.
My project is similar to yours in the sense that it is a non-profit public relations tool for social purposes (in your case, environmental) so I can relate to your projected costs and benefits. Since the Climate Crew was founded by a Stanford student group, the costs should not be a problem for you, at least in the short run. Financially speaking, you could continue using the Stanford webspace for free because your site pertains to a Stanford student-run group. Like you said, you can also delegate the maintenance of the site to other/future members so you can keep personal time costs to a minimum. However, if in the future this project expands beyond the Stanford community, you may consider hosting your own site. This might cost money, and you have also addressed this issue and mentioned the possibility of donations—if you want to sustain this as a long-term project, I suggest that besides personal or one-time donations, you may also want to use your website to reach out to long-term sponsor(s), perhaps one that would be willing to work as a “partner” to Climate Crew, so as to provide consistent support and endorsements.
I have also visited your website, and I would rate its usability as very good! The design is simple enough so that it is probably accessible to everyone, but also very attractive. You have a good balance of photos, interactive media, and informational text. I also like the fact that your navigation menu (at the top) is consistent throughout all your webpages—I can find things easily and return to previous pages without any confusion. Some websites do not have a consistent navigation menu and readers can get easily lost in them!
Your use of quotes, data, and text is also very effective. I really like the quote on the front page! Also, stating a very specific goal in your Mission page gives the reader a sense that the project has a strong direction and motivation. Another phrase I like: “Think globally, act locally”—again, this reminds the reader of the importance of your project’s role as a local movement that contributes to a much larger cause. A set goal for 2020 also demonstrates that you are thinking about the future, at least for the next decade or so.
The Downloads section could be one of your site’s most useful assets. It provides background information (campaign report and priorities documents, Kyoto Protocol) and you could even use this section as a tool for interactivity with the readers. For example, the Faculty Letter Template will probably help promote communication with interested faculty members. It would be great if you can do the same for other parts of the audience. Perhaps you may also want to include templates of sponsorship or donation proposals, so that members will not have to write a new letter each time if the need arises.
One suggestion I have concerns the slideshow presentation that you have included in the website. Visually speaking, it is perfectly fine! I like the design a lot, and all the information is presented very concisely in bullet-point form. There is no danger of losing the audience’s interest because there is no “overload” of text. It is very well-structured, and you make good use of graphical data to make your point. I especially like the explanations on the “landscapes”, and the table comparing the developments of different universities. However, there are some technical and subject-specific terms that inexperienced readers may find difficult to understand. I had trouble understanding some sections of the presentation simply because I am not familiar with terms such as LADWP, RGGI, etc. Maybe you should avoid abbreviations, or you could even include a glossary in the website!
Overall, your project is very sound and I definitely admire your efforts to better our environment. Your personal involvement in the project will definitely contribute to its sustainability because you care about the issue and will hopefully continue your work into the future!
