This Desk Crit was given verbally following the showcase dress rehearsal.
The T3 Design Team's project, Knock on Wood,
is a very interesting attempt to supplement in class learning with an computer based resource.
Its strengths lie in its look and feel, content, and organization. The look and feel is pretty slick,
while remaining functional. The content is both straight forward in cocept and varying in execution,
allowing the users to easily maintain interest. Additionally, breaking up the material into
contrasting sections (Hardwoods and Softwoods) allows users to compare the two major wood types,
reinforcing the differences between them.
The project also has some weaknesses. To begin with, the 'Self Check' button that appears at the
top right of almost every page gets lost in the other content. It is very easy to miss the button
all together, and that is very undesirable since the user's primary purpose is to learn, and self
checks allow learning to be reinforced and quantified. A possible solution for this would be to
move the 'Self Check' button below the primary heading on the page.
Additionally, on several screens, there are problems with text written over graphics or drawings being
lost within their background. Either using a color that stands out more, or changing the opacity of the
background, would help in this regard.
Finally, there is an overall problem throughout the entire program - there are no real directions for the
users. In order to get the most out of Knock on Wood, the users must understand how to interact with the
system, which could be implemented using a few sentences on each page.
Overall, Knock on Wood is in good shape, with only minor changes needing to be made before the Showcase.
