University of Notre Dame (Indiana)http://philosophy.nd.edu/

http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/fac/soc/philosophy/

http://www.arts.usyd.edu.au/departs/philos/

University of Sydney

University Of Warwick

THREE HOMEPAGES THREE HOMEPAGES IN COMPARISON:IN COMPARISON:

NOTRE DAME NOTRE DAME UNIVERSITYUNIVERSITY

SYDNEY SYDNEY UNIVERSITYUNIVERSITY

WARWICK WARWICK UNIVERSITYUNIVERSITY

SYDNEYSYDNEY:: Departement of Philosophy

LEFT-RIGHT ORGANIZATION

SUPERCLUSTERS CLUSTERS MASTHEAD

The web page is clearly SCREANY: there isn’t written text but just images and an Horizontal menu where, on mouse roll-over, appear

dropdown windows.

It’s made up of different minigenres.

STRUCTURE:STRUCTURE:

Images

Top PanelHorizontal Menu

Use of COLOURS: Bright and shine for attract attention.

The site has a modern and fresh look.

Use of SPACE: It’s well-organized. Information appear in dropdown menus, short and clear.

Top PanelTop Panel

Real World:

contacts and links, in opposition with the IDEAL

WORLD presented on the top of the page

Search engine of the page

Logo:

Antique and Classical look

• coat of arms

• heraldic signs

• use of latin

An IDEAL link with the ancient roots of the univesity

A REAL link to the homepage of the university

Horizontal Horizontal MenuMenu

Presentation of the faculty

Contacts:

Phone numbers, addresses and e-mails

Programs for students and

possibilities for future

Curricula of the accademic staff,

teachers and tutors connected with this

subject Seminars conferences and events

Studies and reserches of the

departmentGeneral programs,

argument and historical characters

contemplated Technical information about the

centre

Every botton on mouse rollover opens a dropdown window with other links

Central Central PanelPanelThere are no written panels but just images (important semyotic resouces) that show:

Buildings and students:

Ancient tradition and historical structures

Parks and nature:

Attention for Ecology and health. Peaceful place.

Town:

Possibilities and perspectives offered by a big metropolis; tecnology

and innovation

Images are CENTRE OF VISUAL IMPACT, most of all the one in the middle

Relational and Mental processes of meaning

ACCESSIBILITY AND USABILITY:ACCESSIBILITY AND USABILITY:

The MENU is short and essential, intuitive and practical: it’s easy to find information.

There are QUICK LINKS and a SEARCH ENGINE

HOW THE PAGE ATTRACTS THE ATTENTION OF THE USER:HOW THE PAGE ATTRACTS THE ATTENTION OF THE USER:

Language: simple, for everyone

With the use of COLOURS and PHOTOS

A subject like Philosophy, with ancient origins, is represented as modern and current, as real, considered with technology and the promise of innovation.

An abstract study analyzed in his concrete aspects, too.

“Faculties & schools”

HOW FIND THE DEPARTMENT’S SITE FROM THE HOMEPAGE:HOW FIND THE DEPARTMENT’S SITE FROM THE HOMEPAGE:

The process is easy:

“Schools/ departments” Choose “PHILOSOPHY”

WARWICKWARWICK:: Department of Philosophy

TOPDOWN

ORGANIZATION

This web page is in part SCREANY, full of links and with interactive menus; but partially PAGEY, organized as a

printed paper.

SUPERCLUSTERS CLUSTERS TITLE

STRUCTURE:STRUCTURE:

Top Panel

Central panel

Vertical menu

Right panelLeft Panel

Use of COLOUR: The page is predominantly blue and violet, without other elements of colour or images, just some simple shapes

Use of SPACE: The page is schematic, without different or particular genres, organized in sections

The website has to be analyzed in columns from left to right

There’s a blue frame all around the page that linked all the components of

the page

Top PanelTop Panel

Right PanelRight Panel

There is no logo

Search engine of the

university

There is the possibility to examine the page

without graphic elements but just with

written text

Link to the Homepage of the university

Links and information for

secretariats

REAL WORLD

In opposition to IDEAL WORLD of the department

Vertical MenuVertical Menu

Link to the homepage of the

departmentInformation about admissions

for undergraduate and postgraduate students

Names, Photos, adresses and curricula of professors, administrators

and other relevant members

Link to a forum only for

Philosophy Staff

A calendar with all the activities

Partial list of students who have a webpage

Activities, seminars, centres

Reserches in Philosophy and

Literature

Perspectives for students, information about

teaching, degrees and opportunities offered by

the department

The tabulated menu is functional and of rapid use, clear in the structure and rich of information and useful links.

Central PanelCentral PanelShort introduction of the faculty: Warwick is

presented as “one of Britain's most dynamic and prosperous universities” and the department is

declared “of international reputation” for excellence in teaching and reserch

Central panel considers again the links proposed in vertical menu and gives a short explanation of the topics that we

can find in this section.

Every link is associated with a SHAPE: a star, a triangle, a sphere, an ear.

But apparently there aren’t connections between them: shapes haven’t got a particular meaning that

identify the section of the site.

USABILITY AND ACCESSIBILITYUSABILITY AND ACCESSIBILITY

HOW ATTRACTS THE ATTENTION OF THE USERHOW ATTRACTS THE ATTENTION OF THE USER

There aren’t relevant aspects for catch the interest of the user.

Simplicity could make the page more clear but the poor facade and the apparent confusion certainly don’t help for a positive visual impact of the site.

There are no aspects connected with the ancient tradition of the discipline but not even about the news of the subject, there are no offers or perspectives for students.

There are some information repeated in the page: unclear, find information is not easy

There is a SEARCH ENGINE

HOW FIND THE DEPARTMENT’S SITE FROM THE HOMEPAGE:HOW FIND THE DEPARTMENT’S SITE FROM THE HOMEPAGE:Is difficult to find the page because the Department of Philosophy is considered as part of Social Science Faculty

“Quick links” “Department and services”

“Faculty of social studies”

“Philosophy”

NOTRE-DAMENOTRE-DAME:: Department of Philosophy

LEFT-RIGHT ORGANIZATION

TOPDOWN

ORGANIZATION

This Web page is predominantly PAGEY: information are ordered as in a printed paper.

SUPERCLUSTERS CLUSTERS TITLE

STRUCTURE:STRUCTURE:

Top PanelTop Bar

Left Panel

Right Panel

Information are divided in two panels, there isn’t

a central panel.

Use of COLOURS: The webpage is predominantly black and grey, colours are concentrated in the image on the right. The only light represent the knowledge that breaks

the darkness of ignorance.

Use of SPACE: Space is well-organized but too much information are concentrated in central panels

Masthead (logo + name) is in bottom-right

corner

Bottom Bar

Top PanelTop Panel

There is no logo

Link to the Homepage

Simple, without images or logos: there are only university’s name and the subject of the department

Search engine of the page

The image on the right is the CENTRE OF VISUAL IMPACT. It attracts user’s attention because is the only element of colour in the page.

It shows a man with dresses in old-fashion style absorbed in his studies: the concrete representation of the faculty, personification of the wise

philosopher that reveal the world with the power of his mind.

The sun coming from the window attract the attention and represent the light of knowledge.

Top BarTop Bar

Simple and clear. The top bar presents an horizontal menu with all the activities connected with the

department

Short presentation and

introduction to the department

Staff and students

Admissions, requirement for

studentsTechnical

information for registration and formal elements

Reserch’s centers and information about the Paper linked with the

University

Central PanelsCentral Panels

News and Links: simple and well-organized

But information are not easy to find

Short presentation of the faculty and of the perspectives for the

students

With ancient ideals, tradition and promises of wisdom and a cultural setting full of brilliant minds and professional stuff, possibilities open for every student.

ACCESSIBILITY AND USABILITY:ACCESSIBILITY AND USABILITY:

HOW THE PAGE ATTRACTS THE ATTENTION OF THE USER:HOW THE PAGE ATTRACTS THE ATTENTION OF THE USER:

There are clear links on the top bar but a lot of information in the two panels.SEARCH ENGINE is easy to find but we must retourn to the homepage to use it

LANGUAGE: is not always simple and clear, instructions are confused

HOW FIND THE DEPARTMENT’S SITE FROM THE HOMEPAGE:HOW FIND THE DEPARTMENT’S SITE FROM THE HOMEPAGE:

“Major, programs and departments” “21 departments” “Philosophy”

“Link to the Homepage of the department”

The process for find the page is long but easy and intuitive, just a bit confused

University of Sydney:

University of Warwick:

University of Notre Dame:

ACCESSIBILITY ACCESSIBILITY USABILITYUSABILITY

ATTRACTION ATTRACTION FOR THE USERFOR THE USER

USE OF SPACEUSE OF SPACE

USE OF IMAGES USE OF IMAGES (as (as meaning-makingmeaning-making process)process)

ORGANIZATION OF ORGANIZATION OF MENUSMENUS

EASE IN FINDING EASE IN FINDING THE PAGETHE PAGE