When I was first introduced to the FWA I plunged into the greatness that is Flash. The possibilities seem unlimited, if you want it to look like this, it can, if you want it to do this, it can.
However, with time, and perhaps influenced by a more HTML focus this year, I found Flash sites to sometimes be a little over the top. Is it really necessary to be swinging around 360' when all you want is to find out their phone number? Hence, CSS became my new favourite thing. Well actually, being more specific, large background websites using CSS.
I am surprised, therefore, that a site I've come across uses Flash but in a genre I'm starting to like, increasingly reminding me of postcards. The visual web really is the new postcard. Enter The Girl Effect.
Striking, bold and quite brash, the large black, domineering text instantly creates for the site a sense of character. By directly addressing the user and asking them to agree of disagree with it's opinion through the choice of two options you do feel directed involved. Straightaway, you can tell that this isn't really the sort of stuff you'd expect to receive on a postcard. - Another clever idea implemented by the creators.
On choosing an answer, the postcard flips (a recurring visual technique) and then goes on to show a sort of advanced Powerpoint presentation. Each time you click a link, the flip reveals an image, briefly, of a real life girl, before then flipping again to the textual information. I think this is a clever technique - it brings you closer to reality, it puts a concrete image in your mind of the sorts of girls that the site, as a whole, informs and talks about.
Before getting access to the site, you are shown a slightly advanced form of a Powerpoint presentation. Using this medium on a website usually means I ditch it and go look at another site, however, the relatively charismatic but quaint background music, quite akin to what Apple sample in the background for all their TV adverts, made me stay tuned and give it a go.
There are no images* (OK, there is one repeated graphic) within the presentation, merely text. It is sharp and to the point, often with only a few words per slide. I liked this brevity, it provided a pace to the piece, which actually increased throughout the presentation, signalling momento and then a build up to the big, main event. At one stage I did start thinking that people who couldn't read very well would be lost, but the language being used was simple and regardless of how little it appeared on screen, I found myself keeping up and following.
Normally informative pieces can be very dull and when there is a political/charitable purpose it can sometimes be quite encouraging to make you switch off. However, with the simple information flashing on and off the screen in good time, along with an informal register that tells the story, I found myself engaged.
There are some nice motion graphic effects at play here - motion graphics being something that I too have an interest in, and so found myself approving of their techniques. Even the simple colour palette - black for anything none girl related, orange for the girl focused bits meant that you could tell a distinction between what it was highlighting as good and bad.
I feel that they got it right in regards to their 'Powerpoint' on womens' right to education. The size of the text varies throughout, however the large, domineeting words are clearly emphasising key information, and definitely increases the impact of what is being said. This, I found, was another clever design. Alongside the informal, simplistic language and quaint music in the background, it altogether tied in to make a successful informative piece. Even when the words were so large that they were being split in half, you accepted it and read it fluently, as it has been implemented right.
There is a simple three option navigation bar that looks like a bookmark, which is consistently located in the top left hand corner. Again, I praise their minimalism, and how they have neatly tied in their ingenius logo too. At first glance it's a recycling arrow, but then after going through the site, it becomes clear it is infact a 'g' for girl.
If I were to aim any criticism at the site I would probably question the lack of images or iconography within the site. Yes, there almost full screen images upon each click, but when you are viewing the postcards it does appear a little bland. Icons could address this. This is only a minor suggestion though, as I support this site for what it sets out to do and how it actually achieves it.
Yet again, I've found another form for a website that I could experiment with and develop. It even uses a Powerpoint type presentation which is informative and entertaining. I love web for how unlimited* it is.
@
* Bearing in mind browser capabilities, the user's internet connection, whether they are using a screen reader, if the font is available on their operating system, what version of a plug in they have, or don't have... lol
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