Monday, April 7, 2008

We Know What We're Doing - Don't We?


OK, I freely admit that I'm just being mean here.

The problem isn't with administrators, it's with people who don't understand the Web as a communication medium; people who don't understand it's strengths, weaknesses, limitations, needs, or the expectations of users.

The problem is with people who think the home page should try to be all things to all people. Instead, it ends up being nothing to no one. To be effective, a university home page needs to be focused around a specific, clearly crafted message. Users should be able to come away from looking at the home page being able to articulate (in some manner) that message.

I really wanted the tree to collapse under the weight of all the ornaments, but since I can't draw and am relying completely on the Microsoft Office clip art library (no lie!) for props, I had the tree burst into flames instead.

Thanks again to the propeller-hatted admin for the idea for this cartoon.

3 comments:

aA said...

OMG, i work for a large community college...this happens in marketing, too...they want all All ALL the departments to feel like they have something important to contribute.

they rarely do.

you are a funny person. i'll be back.

Anarchist said...

sooooo funny! Thank you!

Unknown said...

Great stuff! Would you mind if I used it in a presentation I'm giving next week at UIUC? (Entitled "Redesign Must Die".) If so, who the hell are you? (I can't tell from your site, and obviously would want to attribute you.) Please let me know: lou [at] louisrosenfeld.com