From: "Jason K. Larsen" <jkl@MIT.EDU>

Subject: Re: change in assignment for 21w765j

Mime-Version: 1.0

 

The two stories that I chose were Ben Sanders, "Scanman," and Katie

Jeffreys', "The Great Cheese Hunt." Both of these stories have very

positive aspects to them, and I liked them both, but I am going to comment

on some redesign that would be useful so that there would be less confusion

and the reader can just enjoy the story.

 

Scanman -

 

http://web.mit.edu/21w765j/Spring_97/StudentWork_SP97/Final_Project/ben/

 

It isn't too clear how to navigate through the story. It makes sense to

follow links, but relating what the links represent to the scanner isn't

obvious. For easier navigation, it would be useful to make a GUI at the

top of the page that would allow you to switch channels in an interface

similar to that of the scanner. This would also incorporate the titles at

the top that I didn't realize were there until the end of the story. (If

this system was used, the color changing in the background probably

wouldn't be needed.)

 

 

The Great Chese Hunt -

 

http://web.mit.edu/21w765j/Spring98/p1/jeffreys/

 

Having lived in Boston for quite a while and knowing the public

transportation system, I can find my way around the town using the T. The

average person not from Boston might not understand the geographical

relationships between the available paths in the story, and might wonder

why a certain option isn't available to them and others are. This story

could have been easier to use if it a map similar to Freedom Baird's, "Mass

Transit". Not all paths need to be shown at one time, nor does the entire

T map need to be shown, but a condensed map that shows current location and

the available locations on the T map or a map of Boston. That might help to

sink in the geographical relationships.