Stunning photography and probably the most beautiful thing on the web.
Love the nomadic museum concept as well.

Enjoy

I'll agree that the photographs are beautiful but the website experience is truly horrible, loads of waiting for flash to load, the navigation between photos is horrible and I hate waiting for fancy effects to finish just so I can see the page content, Looks like an exercise in website design lookwhaticando wankery instead of focussing on what the user wants to see.

Do people really still use Flash????

Rachel

I love flash. Not seen anything better yet?

(admittedly, I am using a Flash media player on a website I'm building right now but the video will be encoded as h.264 ready for swapping out to a degrading <video> tag => flash => download file situation when I get around to it…)

Yes they do. It still has many uses in today's web. Despite html5, css3 and js offering some really interesting features that could eat into flash's domain, cutting edge of technology just isn't viable for any commercial project that requires legacy browser support.

It's all about how you use the tools really at the end of the day.

God it is slow and boring, no involvement or reason to WANT to continue. The design is terrible and the use of Flash clumsy. The navigation feels like it was designed 10 years ago.

Nope, not a beautiful experience in my view.

m_f – didn't find it particularly slow? It obviously doesnt respond like lightning, but it was pretty fluid?

I found it slow – but that is because when I visit a site for the first time I tend to scan read the content by clicking on lots of links then go back to find the content I want to read.

EDIT – I also found when I was clinking links I wasn't sure if I had clicked correctly as the transitions were taking too long to react.

wafty

Hmm I suppose I do just tend to follow one route to what I think I want, rather than scanning the lot and deciding afterwards.

Very hard to produce a site that everyone thinks works well. I once created an excellent 3D site that I loved, you could wander around inside a room and look at stuff, get info from obvious locations (contact address on the door to room, product catalogues on the shelves, some showcase products in product stands in the corner, phone number by going to the phone etc). I thought it was stunning, loved it (though it was not executed perfectly, it was a proto for fun) but the few people I showed it to decided it was horrific lol. They just wanted flat pages with text and pictures.

**** elephants?

Hmm I suppose I do just tend to follow one route to what I think I want, rather than scanning the lot and deciding afterwards.

Yeah it can be difficult building something that everyone will like – which is why I usually try to avoid doing anything clever unless it adds to the user experience/functionality of the site. I just don't feel that site ^^^^ was adding anything by doing what it does.

But of course all this is subjective and clearly some like it. I wouldn't have even presented something like that as a concept to client though.

FWIW (and I lay myseff open to being slagged off I know) here is a site where we used Flash quite extensively (as well as JQuery in some content pages), but it enhances the user experience rather than dictates it.
Clickity click

Hmm I suppose I do just tend to follow one route to what I think I want, rather than scanning the lot and deciding afterwards.

That is what most people do, clicking on the first link or button that seems like it will yeild what they want straight away rather than viewing the various options available and then making a decision.

That's quite nice m_f though the main nav items are all crinkly on my browser, specifically the selected link in black.

though the main nav items are all crinkly on my browser, specifically the selected link in black.

Yeah – that was a glitch we want to sort out – it bothers me every time I see the site TBH.

That is what most people do, clicking on the first link or button that seems like it will yeild what they want straight away rather than viewing the various options available and then making a decision.

There are so many routes to information it is impossible to say what 'most' people do as it depends on the site design, the content, the user, the site functionality, the reason for visiting etc.

For example, if I visit the BBC site I don't wander aimlessly as I know where I want to go because I visit it all the time and know where to find the information I want. If I visit the Guardian website to find out an alternative point of view on something I have read on the BBC site, I would carefully navigate to find where I want to find the content I need.

But – on a site like the above, which is designed to be an experience, I don't know what content I want so I look around, get a feel for the place, then head where I want to go.

Look at it like going to the shop to buy a sandwich (you just head to the sandwiches then checkout) against going for a walk (where you wander around, take your time, decide what you want to do when you get there). Not a brilliant analogy, but I hope it makes some sense.

I normally can't be bothered with interfaces that slow things down but in this case I think it actually works, especially with the photos gradually fading in and out. This may be a case where faster isn't actually better

I think the whole feel of the site is not about speed, or being rushed. So I didn't have an issue with the speed of it. On the contrary, it enhances the site if anything.
Have any of you watched the video of how the mobile museum is built with the shipping containers that is used for transporting the collection? Genius ! It is under 'Exibition' – Film Gallery

I think the whole feel if the site is not about speed, or being rushed. So I didn't have an issue with the speed of it. On the contrary, it enhances the site if anything.

Perhaps that is why I didn't enjoy the experience – I just wanted to look at it and be 'wowed' immediately as I am at work and not in the frame of mind where I can leisurely look at something.

Using the walking analogy again, I wouldn't enjoy a long aimless walk if I had to rush it.

Have a nice glass of something after work and take a leisurely, or aimless stroll. It has nice calming music and words that goes with it too. ( not any vuvuzelas was used in the recording of the soundtrack 😉 )

🙂

I may have to try – it would make interesting user experience research. Perhaps I could put the 'nice glass of something' through as expenses…

i was quite impressed.

There are so many routes to information it is impossible to say what 'most' people do as it depends on the site design, the content, the user, the site functionality, the reason for visiting etc.

There is research out there to back up that people generally click on the first thing that seems to offer what they are looking for when tasked with finding a specific item on a new website they visit.

All the things you mention have a bearing on things though, hence why testing sites during development with user groups before the final user acceptance testing is vital.

What do people like?

Elephants!!

What else?

Children!!

What else?

Spiritual sh1t!!

What else?

Dolphins!!

Let's just stick with the first three eh? But we'll wrap it up in flash and it'll be fine….

There is research out there to back up that people generally click on the first thing that seems to offer what they are looking for when tasked with finding a specific item on a new website they visit.

All the things you mention have a bearing on things though, hence why testing sites during development with user groups before the final user acceptance testing is vital.
Agreed – but I suppose my point is if I do not know a site, I don't know where to find what I want so I look around. A bit like walking into a clothes shop I guess – I would scan everywhere and identify where I want to be.

But as we agree – there are so many variables you can only achieve your aim by agreeing up front what is required.

Bleurgh. This is the nicest website of that ilk i've seen:

http://www.shimano-yumeya.com/

I don't wan't to have a "I hate football/I love football" reply, but have a look at this :
Pretty slick WC calender

Information overload, but still a beautifully executed piece of information design. 🙂

There were no bikes. Fail.

Would be cool to watch it while tripping or on E.

What's it for?

I didn't like it.. the background parchment sepia thing is soooo 2001.

Ohh shit.

I agree with Molgrips. That's twice this week.

Must do better.

😉