Elements of Web Design

Adam Hartwig Website Screenshot
Adam Hartwig landing page

Adam Hartwig

Critiquing a webdesign expert.

The unassuming, quirky home page is misleading. I thought I was entering a simple webpage, but it took me a few clicks before I knew what Mr.Hartwig's site was intended for. The "about" page is almost too clever, so I clicked out to another page in an effort to find some information. The designer is clearly attempting to impress potential clients, but the use of flash causes the page to load slowly. There is a navigation bar at the top right of the home page, which helps in moving throughout the site and the designer's use of strong colors gives the site life.

I would have expected a web designer to use a fluid layout, so he doesn't disappoint in that regard. Overall, the site is impressive, but the excessive use of flash may cause slow loading times and the need to click many times could potentially cause users to click right out of the site. I would rate the site 2 clicks, out of 5, for overall function.