Site Suggestions

[Rennhack]

I'm looking for suggestions on how we can improve the site.  I'm interested in any random thoughts you have.  This is a brainstorming session, there are no bad ideas.

One thing I have considered is changing the "theme" of the site.  Removing the current look and feel, and replacing it with something a little more minimalist. (See attachment).  This is a little radical, as our 'look' is part of who we are.  We are all familiar with the blue theme I've created, and I know most of our users hate change.  One of the advantages of changing the 'look' would be to make the site load faster.  Compared to other sites on the internet, we are really slow, due to all of the 'stuff' we load to make the site look fancy.  -- do you like the way it looks?  Would you prefer something a little simpler like the attachment?

I've also considered having options for people to pick different templates, the classic look, or a new theme.



Understand that the image above is just a mock-up, I was just curious what the site would look like without all of the 'clutter'.
It doesn't mean that we are going to change anything.  I'm just looking around for ways we can improve the site.

[sscone]

The home page looks great the way it is. Maybe you should though make it to where you don't have to scroll to get to the bottom of the page. Like take the left menus and make them drop down. And instead of the jobs and forum stuff, maybe daily news articles or an about nuke worker.

[Rennhack]

The home page looks great the way it is. Maybe you should though make it to where you don't have to scroll to get to the bottom of the page. Like take the left menus and make them drop down. And instead of the jobs and forum stuff, maybe daily news articles or an about nuke worker.

I appreciate your feedback. 

One thing that can't be changed is the job feed and the message board feed on the home page.  Without them, the new user would not know where to find them.  We want to make things as easy as we can for the new folks.

The page scroll really depends on your screen resolution.  We have a lot of people using many different screen sizes.

 Screen Resolutions   Percent Visitors

 1024x768     44.97%     
 1280x1024    20.74%     
 800x600      19.45%     
 Other        9.81%     
 1152x864     3.46%     
 1600x1200    0.83%     
 640x480      0.72%

We don't have to worry about the 640x480 people, but the 800x600 and larger people we have to make sure the site looks good for them.

[Rennhack]

Move the nukeworker logo to the top center of the home page and make it more dominant as opposed to the advertisers.

On the first look it ofttimes appears that new user was directed to a rad or nuke services home page after hitting the google or yahoo link, etc.

I understand the advertisers pay for what they get, yet it does seem they get top billing as it were, and the "nukeworker.com" is an afterthought on the initial home page view (that first 3 to 5 seconds). Until and if the new user begins scrolling down and across the home page, it can take a moment before that user realizes this is the place he wanted to get to and not a billboard for vendors and services providers.

I think that's a great Idea.  You are 100% correct.  When SEC sponsored the site, people thought they owned it, and now that Bartlett sponsors the site, they think Bartlett owns it.  How can we blame them, the logo's are the same size and position.  Perhaps NukeWorker is only an advertiser.  I'll come up with something to put up there.

The new mock up presented is way too washed out, the contemporary heavier blue theme provides a better contrast with less glare for the eyes to scan around on.

Perhaps we can come up with a simplified version, that uses the same colors.  The simpler we can make it, the easier it will be for Tarbox on his iPhone.

We currently use too many images, and too many tables for layout.  I need to get with the 90's and update the design.  We are using 15 year old technology... and apparently amputated monkeys could do a better job. 

[walstib]

  We are using 15 year old technology... and apparently amputated monkeys could do a better job. 

Heh, heh ...Only underwater

[Rennhack]

I was thinking of removing the date the jobs were posted form the home page.  I am also considering r4emoving the name of the company that is posting the jobs.

[retread]

I was thinking of removing the date the jobs were posted form the home page.  I am also considering r4emoving the name of the company that is posting the jobs.

Please don't.  Please.  Knowing what company is advertising determines if I open it or not. Getting pumped because a plant I want to work is looking for techs., then seeing it is being staffed by a group I don't like is like kissing your sister.  I also don't like the idea of not knowing when a job posted.  
I resisted change over a month ago when you started playing with Karma and adding all the emoticons.  Then I saw what a great job you did with the changes.  I'm learning to trust your instinct when it comes to you running your site.

[UncaBuffalo]

I vote minimalist.  Get some of the 'clutter' off the homepage.


I can do without the company name on the job posting...

[OldHP]

Mike:

Who is posting and the date it was posted are essentials.  retread is right, finding out who has the job available after the fact is not desirable.  There are many duplicates posted, which is great, but when company A, B, & X have the same job posted and B is the most desirable to work with, which do I go to first?

[Rennhack]

How hard is it to click on the job to see who posted it?  It's not like the information will no longer be available.  You jut have to click on the link, it takes 2 seconds, then click the back key.

As for the date, if its on top it was today, if it is at the bottom, it was a day or two ago.

I'm not saying I'm going to change it, I'm just throwing ideas out there.

[Rennhack]

Maybe have the extra info pop-up if you hover over the job.

The problem we have is that the full job title can't be displayed right now, because some other 'less important' information is being displayed.  I'm tryign to figure out how to display more of the important stuff.

[mostlyharmless]

Easy now don't be so touchy. I did not mean blind disabled mentally ill emotionally deprived and other wise unstable monkeys could do it better; I meant they could create this or anyother web site before I could. I like the site pretty much the way it is. I have no trouble navigating the site and it loads up quick enough for me. Any site that is laid out in a logical way I will generally just accept with little question. Again ,its just an expression of my computer illiteracy. Can I grovel more in supplication?  How bout some monkey  emoticons?

[Rennhack]

Easy now don't be so touchy. I did not mean blind disabled mentally ill emotionally deprived and other wise unstable monkeys could do it better; I meant they could create this or anyother web site before I could. I like the site pretty much the way it is. I have no trouble navigating the site and it loads up quick enough for me. Any site that is laid out in a logical way I will generally just accept with little question. Again ,its just an expression of my computer illiteracy. Can I grovel more in supplication?  How bout some monkey  emoticons?

I was just busting your balls.

[retread]

How hard is it to click on the job to see who posted it?  It's not like the information will no longer be available.  You jut have to click on the link, it takes 2 seconds, then click the back key.

As for the date, if its on top it was today, if it is at the bottom, it was a day or two ago.

I'm not saying I'm going to change it, I'm just throwing ideas out there.

I'm an A.N.S.I. 3.1 Senior Health Physics Technician.  Going the extra angstrom isn't in my DNA any longer.  I didn't know showing the tech company was taking away from more pertinent information.  Again, I defer to your decision making abilities.  I was just saying.......

[mostlyharmless]

How bout a link to educational opportunities in our field. Doesn't have to be huge just obvious and easy. The operative being easy.

[Rennhack]

How bout a link to educational opportunities in our field. Doesn't have to be huge just obvious and easy. The operative being easy.

Example?

[mostlyharmless]

I don't know how to give you an example. Click on study or training or maybe education or continuing ed and then link to tech schools and universities that have radiation protection programs or nuke engineering programs. Include schools like Thomas Edison. Something to make it easy for anyone already in the industry or anyone interested in pursuing a degree or certificate to find a simple list of schools. Says the hairless ape. Put the monkeys to work.

[Rennhack]

I have another question for you.

Are the three things in the left-hand column of the forum important to you at all?  How would you feel if I did away with it?

[Motown homey]

I'm not tied to any of them.  Rating what I could most live without, it would go B, then A, then C.

[UncaBuffalo]

I like A...don't need B & C.

[retired nuke]

I like A...don't need B & C.

Ditto

[RDTroja]

If you could incorporate 'A' into the existing header (Show unread posts, show unread replies... you have x messages) then you could get rid of all 3.

[Rennhack]

If you could incorporate 'A' into the existing header (Show unread posts, show unread replies... you have x messages) then you could get rid of all 3.

The software, already has the "new" PM count integrated into the software.  The link up top says "My Messages [1]" right now, because I have an unread message. (Between Profile and Calendar).

I'll look into adding it a SECOND time, just up above that mention of it...

[RDTroja]

Well, if it is there already, there is no need for a second time. Once will probably be sufficient.

[mostlyharmless]

All three can go. I normally glance at a and c, but if they were moved I would look there instead. I realize c is at the bottom .