Carnegie+Mellon+University+-+School+of+Design

Benchmark Analysis Carnegie Mellon University - School of Design by Amy Lin

**Introduction**
Carnegie Mellon University's School of Design offers undergraduate and graduate studies in the field of Fine Arts, Communication Design, Industrial Design, Interaction Design, and Product Design. The website functions as a promotional and informative tool in which users such as prospective, current, and alumni students, admin and teaching faculty, staff and visitors could look in to. It is a place where the most recent news and ideas are put forth, while students recent works are also showcased to the world. An overview of all the requirements and electives students are to take, and the process of application to these programs are also informed. They have a current exhibition and archive in the gallery section to exhibit a continual learning process the school is delivering to its students. News of design jobs and employment within the professional teaching faculty is also acknowledged in the website. This space is where the latest information comes together in a network of all that is made available in the school to its community. The first impression users get of the site is that all the content seems to fit in to a small rectangular shape. However, once clicking on the navigation on top, users are able to scroll through the content within each category. The banner changes four times with different impacting images that are specific to the special event or news that is posted underneath. It also gives an impression of the student life and what it is like to be at the school, or what the school has organized for the academic public.
 * Information Architecture and Usability



The navigating bar on the top stays within every click users make. When the user hover on to one of the main categories, it makes a drop down menu in which they could select what subcategory they would like to further explore. This creates an information hierarchy that is present and very well organized. Users are not taken to a place where they are unfamiliar with. The titles of these categories are well recognizable within the community, and users are able to find their information quite easily without agitation. **



Within each category, the left hand side also has subcategories in which users can further click on for more information.

Visual Design

 * The navigation on the top is carried throughout the entire website, giving it a constant cohesion. Another aspect that brings the entire site together is the overall colours chosen. With dark blues, greys, white and orange as its colour scheme, the harmony of all the content also plays in it together.

One of the weaknesses I found of the website is the typography. The typography of the content is black against a dark blue background which is very hard for users to read, although the information is informative. The font appears to be smaller against the dark background. The links on the subcategories are of white colours, so that is a good differentiation that stands out within the whole layout. When clicking on one of the categories, it is highlighted to inform users they are presently on this page.

Content ** The content is presented through the main navigational tool bar. This allows the users to always be able to click from category to category without hesitancy - always bringing a consistency within the site. The labeling of the categories are easy to comprehend. There is no need to guess what will be in the category.

I really like how they made a gallery in to one of the main categories as this is a school of design which should always present the latest and recent works made by the student and what going in to the school will help you, as a prospective student, learn. Outside communities even in the international level will be able to see what Carnegie Mellon is able to produce out of a student. The gallery is also sectioned off within courses, and within each individual course, it talks about the specific project and how the student is able to tackle the project to its capabilities.



There is also a small lighter grey rectangular sectioned off at the right hand side which shows students works and what kind of events are happening around campus. This is a good way to promote any new events and to help foster a better community.



Synthesis
The website acts as a functional arena where users are able to find the information they need. I found it to be excellent in providing details of the most recent information of the school. Within the whole scope, however, if I were to redesign the website, I wish to see a bigger width in the layout as most browsers these days are bigger than 800x600. The content would have been easier to read if the width of the layout was a bit bigger, and the content could be broken down in to more grids.

**Cited Material**
All images extracted from Carnegie Mellon