Michael Fan
Brick And Click Critique (To Mackenzie)
I enjoyed learning about the project, and I think that it is very well planned and thought out. There is a very real problem of businesses not being able to integrate their online and offline operations. Some brick-and-mortar stores may want to establish an online presence, while online-only stores may want to open a physical location. As a result, the purpose of the website is extremely clear, because there is a definite need and you are trying to provide helpful information.
I really liked the fact that you made detailed tables of costs to show how much you would need to spend to create and maintain the website. Although it is difficult to be precise, your figures seem very reasonable for the type of work that you will be doing. However, I am wondering about your proposed source of funding, the $5,000 grant. While it is definitely worth pursuing, I think it might be somewhat difficult to obtain. After all, any organization that gives you that sum of money would presumably want to receive some economic benefit, likely worth at least $5,000. It could be worthwhile to look at other sources of funding. For example, how long will it take you to make ad revenue that is significant enough to cover your costs?
In terms of the benefits of using your website, the information is very clear and easy to access and understand. I especially enjoyed reading your page detailing the advantages and disadvantages of brick and mortar businesses. The two big headings stating “Advantages” and “Disadvantages” helped me scan the page quickly, and the text boxes containing discrete points were very easy to read. In addition, the writing style was extremely clear, concise, and easy to process, and as a result I enjoyed reading the content on the website.
The site was organized very well, with links on the right-hand side. They provided the relevant information with no overlap, so it was very easy to navigate. In addition, I liked the color scheme, and thought that it was a refreshing, attractive change from plain white webpages. I particularly liked the case studies. I think that will be one of the most valuable parts of the site. Perhaps you should think about making a part of the sidebar dedicated to just case studies, since it seems like such a unique and potentially large portion of your site.
The presentation that you made in class was very well done. You were very articulate and engaging, and I learned a lot through it. Great job on the website and presentation, and I really look forward to seeing your final product!
