Comments on: Suggestions for a visually noisy blog

By: WebTools For Teachers 07/03/2008 « WebTools For Learners

WebTools For Teachers 07/03/2008 « WebTools For Learners — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 12:39:22 +0000

[...] Suggestions for a visually noisy blog » VisualsSpeak blog [...]

By: Tom Tiernan

Tom Tiernan — Tue, 13 May 2008 21:47:03 +0000

Hi TJ

You might take a look at IBM’s Many Eyes site. http://services.alphaworks.ibm.com/manyeyes/home

Not sure if this exactly what you are looking for, but they may be a good resource for you. Thanks for your comment.

By: TJ McCue

TJ McCue — Tue, 13 May 2008 21:19:21 +0000

Hi, I just found your site, while researching Excel Data Visualization Experts. I really like some of your posts. I’ve been looking for Excel data tool sites? Do you know of any? I’d enjoy connecting by email if you do. My client’s site is http://www.tableausoftware.com/fast-analytics if you’re interested. I like your blogs.

By: Tom Tiernan

Tom Tiernan — Tue, 13 May 2008 00:30:47 +0000

Hi Fred

I think you’re off to a good start.

I like what you’ve done with the text underneath your photo. Breaking it up makes a big difference. I actually read it! This is a minor suggestion and purely subjective. I would think about deleting the first paragraph to make the text even shorter and more to the point. You could put this message in the About page. I believe your welcoming tone is already affirmed, because you talk about "we" in the last paragraph.

I notice that you increased the font size of the blog links on the right side of the template. Definitely makes them easier to read. To me, the downside is that the bright red is pulling my eye and forcing me to read the post and links simultaneously. Yes, that’s right. Us visual types can actually be forced to do things against our visual will.

Not sure what to suggest about the red. Perhaps a more muted red-color? Black font?

Another option would be a Resource page where you could put all of these blogs, etc. If your template allows it, you could create a Resource page with sub-pages for the Pages you created recently (Ed Docs, Good Books, Worth Watching) and for (Educator Blogs, Edupolicy Blogs, Local Links, Resources, Utility Links) or a couple of themed Resource pages with this info.

We are working on a new theme and content for our website (www.visualsspeak.com), so you’re going to get a good opportunity for some payback (input on the visuals, messaging, etc) in the near future.

Keep up the great work. Our education system needs dialogue and dedicated people like yourself. And yes, educators need more money and more respect with accountability being factored in there.

By: Fred Deutsch

Fred Deutsch — Mon, 12 May 2008 22:48:42 +0000

Thanks for all the great comments! I’ve made a few changes so far, and will play around with a few others in the following days. I’ve moved a number of my reference lists to static pages that are listing in the header. Hence I’ve gone from a single static page, "about me" to multiple pages. Any comments about the changes so far? Like ‘em, dislike ‘em, etc? Header getting too crowded? Whatdya think?

Fred Deutsch
http://www.school-of-thought.net

By: Sue Waters

Sue Waters — Mon, 12 May 2008 13:31:01 +0000

I think you are right his photo will work better on the right and am thinking that he would be better reducing the text below it to 2 short sentences perhaps with a link to his about page. I would also have feedburner email subscription option and the feedburner RSS feed because email may be preferred option by many of his readers.

Definitely also agree about the links - they are cluttering his sidebar and most would be better moved onto pages instead of being in the sidebar.

Answer Tips widget - sorry not working for me. Initially I thought it was an ad then realised that it was to help but could work out how to get it to work.