Hello I am back and have re-designed my website, any comments on my more contemporary website please leave a message...

 

images of my previous website can be seen attacehd....

 

 

I was aiming to make it simplicstic, any tips on improving this would be great! any additional comments on my site greatly appreciated

 

my website is www.marcbinns.co.uk

 

Messages greatly appreciated. thoughts on how to improve it further?

 

Many Thanks

 

Marc

Hi Marc,

 

Excuse my ignorance, but I'm not sure what your portfolio is selling me? It looks more like an online CV.

 

The header of your original site is more interesting and I'd look to use this.

 

You have the word "portfolio" twice , very close to each other - I'd drop the larger grey boxed one.

 

Your logo font doesn't say anything. It doesn't give any idea of style. Find a logo designer or download some fonts and have a play.

 

Why are web people so eager to tell people about themselves - I'm not interested in you, only your work.

Hey thanks for the message.

 

It is like an online CV at the moment, i don't have much in the way of work to put up, the intention of the website is to have the website as an extention of my CV. Potential emploeyrs can read my CV and then go on my website and learn more about me and check out work which I have undertaken.

 

Thanks for the message regarding the logo, i was going to stick with the other one used in my previous website but I thought i'd go for a simple look, do you have any comments regarding the layout and structure, theres still a long way to go ive only been redesigning for the past few hours.

 

Marc

If this is an extension to a CV then I don't need to know about you, I want to see your work. Not sure if your work is web designing though? What is it you do? Do you have anything you can show graphically? I don't want to be downloading files from your site.

 

At present your site is just laid out text, so it's not very interesting to look at. There's nothing dividing the page up either. Not sure where the 'design' really is?

 

I can visualise this site being really cool, but you need a proper graphic designer.

I do information systems... stuff like developing systems in java, web applications in asp.net. I do web development aswell (html, css, php, javascript)...i do nothing in the way of graphic design at all academically! With regards to actual web design, I mainy only code as opposed to laying them out with design intentions and choosing colors to set moods although its something i enjoy...

Then I'd say you need to employ a designer really.

Why are web people so eager to tell people about themselves - I'm not interested in you, only your work.

 

To let Agencies know you're not an automaton! Agreed - not too much info about yourself, but you should put some. Having a life outside of work would reflect a balanced and healthy individual. Someone who could integrate into a team well would surely be more desirable than someone who is work-work-work-work. Even professional CV writers recommend this. And of course it should take the least priority, like the bottom of the last page on a cv. But it still should be there nonetheless.

 

As far as the website... maybe some of the wording could be changed. I'm weirded out by the fact you use the word 'sexy' on your homepage. I don't know why! But there are people of all sensitivities out there and some may even be offended by it. The title, 'Information Systems Enthusiast'. Makes it sound like you are doing it as a hobby. If you are seeking a career, change the wording to something like 'Professional' or 'Expert'.

 

Some of your other wording sounds a bit too informal. I appreciate it it's a personal website but if you want to use it as ammunition for seeking work you need to sound more professional - like you really mean business! From the look of your work page you seem to be skilled in some pretty heavy duty stuff. The way you write your text should reflect this. I'm assuming employers in this field of work would prefer a more serious tone of voice, rather than a casual one.

 

To give a couple of examples:

 

"My passion in information systems is one which drives me along the long road of becoming a master in the field."

 

Good although I would shorten it to:"My passion in information systems is one which drives me to becoming a Expert in the field."

 

 

"I'm a 22 year old, raised in Ye Olde Yorke (York)" - I appreciate you are trying to inject a little humour, but it just sounds lame. Imagine you're a very important guy in a suit, can you imagine saying this without sounding lame? Would you think of talking like that in one of your executive reports? Keep it focused, business minded.As one of my heroes Mr T would say, "cut the jibber jabber foo".

 

I won't comment on the Graphic Design, as I know this isn't your field - What you have is adequate for your requirements. Though I much prefer the original(needs more colour!).

Hey thanks for the critique! Exactly what I was looking for. I'm not a graphic designer by any means, I only dabble around in illustrator or Photoshop as an hobby and don't proclaim to be an expert, far from it! Which for the purposes of my site is all that it requires.

 

Like you say, the idea of a personal website being an extension to somebody is known, and it is recommended by many experts and many people do it, not just web developers/designers, for example: although I say I have experience in HTML/CSS in my CV, do I really? The website shows I have took care and pride in my work, shows an element of skill and includes previous work to look at.

The website which is currently up, took me little over 2 hours to knock together so of course its far from complete. I just wanted to gain some initial feedback from people on how its looking compared to my previous one (see the attached images and how it might be improved further. I have took advice and changed it from being a portfolio to just a personal website, although it includes my work it’s not just a portfolio of work.

With regards to my work, my web development work is only a small part of my course, I'm skilled in many areas and I’m only a novice in web development, my web design skills are not great! but as always it’s a work in progress and I’m still young!

The wording in the website, I agree it’s very informal in parts and maybe also inappropriate, totally agree about the lame part, I would sound pretty lame saying that! Going to cut some info about myself out, as if they have already read my CV they will already know the stuff I have put in the website.

 

Many thanks for the critique really helpful

 

Marc

JMC is spot on with his comments. You could probably be a bit more light hearted in a succinct About Me section and keep the experience etc in a professional language.

 

I concede that some personal info is relevant, but I see so many sites where it's on the home page. Like you say, in the CV it's on the bottom, and I agree, it should be one of the last pages on your site.

JMC is spot on with his comments. You could probably be a bit more light hearted in a succinct About Me section and keep the experience etc in a professional language.

 

I concede that some personal info is relevant, but I see so many sites where it's on the home page. Like you say, in the CV it's on the bottom, and I agree, it should be one of the last pages on your site.

 

 

okay many thanks! disregarding the content at the moment i know theres too much about me on there... but would you say the layout as improved, i'd only spent a few hours on the site when you saw it last.