Firstly, what is Joomla. Their about says it best:
"Joomla is an award-winning content management system (CMS), which enables you to build Web sites and powerful online applications. Many aspects, including its ease-of-use and extensibility, have made Joomla the most popular Web site software available. Best of all, Joomla is an open source solution that is freely available to everyone." from the Joomla website.
In our art-filled and high-touch world, the importance of a well designed website can often make or brake a user's decision to adopt or not adopt something. This overview of Joomla's main site focuses on its top level pages. With so many CMS systems (free and pay) on the market, a first visit can make be crucial.
WHO ARE THE USERS?
Joomla's users run the gamut from expert site designers to novice accidental techies looking to set up a website. No matter who, all users are looking for an easy, fully-controlled way to set up their own web2.0 feature-packed website.
INFORMATION DESIGN
The main banner holds the three most important ideas:
- Get Started With Joomla
- Create and share with Joomla
- Contributing to Joomla
Each is represented by a web2.0-style icon - this is good. It draws the eye, however, the most important one - "Get started with Joomla" is not colorful and does not say "click on me, I'm interesting" like the other two. The text for each button could be a few font sizes larger. The subtitle explanations for each icon are probably not necessary - just having the main ones are enough). "Joomla Announcements" in the body of the text are good to have though the icons are ugly screenshots. It may do better to have icons that are somewhat similar to the banner icons for more consistency. Also, the abundance of blog posts and news, while it shows that the site is fresh and alive, may be too much - it forces the user to scroll down which is not ideal. Lastly, a tradition menu a top mankes for good alternate navigation.
INTERACTIVITY
On this "Getting Started with Joomla", and on the overall navigation of the site is not laid out into a clear navigational hierarchy. The navigation sidebar doesn't allow user-controlled nesting. The main body has links but should really continue with icons. The overall layout evokes that of a newpaper or news site. The navigation is functional enough, but far from ideal. The banner rotates to show testimonial quotes which is good, but rather than show screenshots and laptops, there should be pictures of people or perhaps links to examples.Examples are the first thing that I look for when I go to something like a CRM.
SCREEN DESIGN
My first impression of the site is: somewhat interesting but not "eye-popping". Most elements seem constrained into a grid. If there were more elements of roundness, this would allow the eye something more interesting to look at. There is a weird mist in the background of the main screen of which I'm not sure the function. Color-wise, orange and blue are excellent complements.
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