February 20, 2006

The Many Problems with Dance Websites

For many months I've been thinking about putting together a list of the top 25 dance websites. The reason why I haven't done this yet is because I think most dance company, performance venue and dance studio websites are miserable.

The main problems I have with dance and related sites is that the navigation system is not logical, it is too difficult to find what you're looking for, the web designer/developer takes control away from the user and the e-commerce system for purchasing tickets is a mess.

The Kennedy Center Website

For example, I've bought tickets online a few times from the Kennedy Center here in Washington, DC. I've never liked the design of their vertical navigation bar on the left-hand side of the page. Click on "Find a Performance." You'll notice that there are two separate listings for dance that are not even next to each other: "Search Ballet" and "Search Dance." Why don't they have one dance category and then by selecting this single dance category website visitors can choose a specific sub-categories of dance?

Also, why do the two options for dance use the word "search." The first thing that you see when you click on either "Search Ballet" or "Search Dance" is a list of upcoming performances. Then, on the right-hand side of the page you can conduct a search.

For each program, the Kennedy Center does provide an ample description of each event and it is clear what the dates and times of the performances are and whether any tickets are left. But then once you initiate the process of purchasing a ticket, there are a number of problems.

First, you have to be a registered user of the site to purchase a ticket. The better e-commerce systems allow a dual-track approach. You can buy a ticket as a user, which speeds-up the process because some data is pre-populated for you in the address and other fields, or you have the option of simply starting the ticket purchasing process from scratch each time you buy a ticket without having to be a registered user.

Second, every time I buy a ticket I'm notified that I can't continue unless I fill-in my promotional code. But I don't have a promotional code - so I don't understand what is happening here.

Alvin Ailey Website

Two weeks ago I saw a performance of the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater at the Kennedy Center. Wonderful performance, but terrible website. You'll notice that when you visit the Alvin Ailey website the first thing that happens is that a smaller window pops-open on your screen with a navigation system you can use to locate different types of information.

It is always a terrible idea for web designers to force open another browser to provide access to information about your organization. First off, many users turn-off pop-up windows. So it's possible that some/many users will never be able to access your website. Second, what's the point of this? Keep things simple and give people access to information that they are looking for. And, third, don't ever take control away from the user. You'll notice in the pop-up window, that the URL address line has been intentionally removed so that users have to close this window before they can easily visit other websites.

While I'm at it, forcing a new browser window open to provide access to your website content is equally as bad as showing a Flash animation on your home page. While most users can view Flash animations, these presentations take extra time to download and users don't like to wait. So while your wonderful animation is loading, users are off to other websites.

Continuing with the Alvin Ailey site, I clicked on "The Company" and then "Repertory" in the top navigation menu to read about "Revelations" - Alvin Ailey's famous 1960 work. While I guess it's nice that you can watch a short video clip, the description is embedded in a frame, I think, and you have to use these pain in the neck little navigation arrows to read the entire text. As a general rule, text of any type should never be embedded in little windows that make it difficult for users to read and navigate.

The Kennedy Center and Alvin Ailey websites are just two of the many hundreds (probably thousands) of dance/performance websites with many problems.

If you know of good websites in the dance world, please let me know about them. As I said at the outset, I'd like to put together a list of top 25 websites and I'm sure there are excellent sites out there - somewhere - I hope.

Posted by Doug Fox on February 20, 2006 7:22 AM

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