This is the initial concept, there will be iterations and additions, such as website design, logo variations, etc.
The guidelines are just a rough draft on what they would be. Please leave a comment for feedback. I am happy to make changes that I think are reasonable.

Here is the basic design concept of the new website that would accompany the v.4 release. The texts are just improvised, more work needed here.

Updated (Version 2) 27.02.2013

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7 Comments

  1. Manuel del Valle

    Hi Robin.

    First let me say it's great to see some actual proposal on branding, and even greater to see that your's is quite integral. I think it's really important (form a user's POV) that any new branding actually gets to spread all around the AOO ecosystem.

    Second, I want to make clear that I'm no designer, so I cannot provide you with any "technical" feedback (sorry about that :/ ). What I do can provide is a "design-consumer" (a client, if you wish) POV. One that does care about design. I want my productivity software (the one I sit in front of many hours a day (wink) ) to LookAndFeel nice. It's not just about bells and whistles, it's about comfort and ease of use.

    Third, please excuse me if my comments sound (or "read", actually (wink) ) a bit harsh. I'm no native speaker, so I may not sound as polite as I'm trying to. Please take into consideration that all my comments are meant to be constructive ones, and just to express another POV.

    OK, enough introduction...now to the point(s):

    • I like your proposal, overall. Mainly I like, as I said before, that it covers many aspects of the ecosystem.
    • I really like your new website draft. It's simple, nice, and it points out the very main features that need to be shown on a landing page. It's kind of Googlish, which designs I'm pretty much a fan of (wink). I recall reading some time ago a Rob Weir's mail on the dev list about Mozilla Firefox's website, pointing out how it integrates FAQs, help, extensions, etc. under the same "look&feel", and how we could try to see it as a future direction. Of course, "easier said than done". I'd be a huge job, but it could work as a "pathway" to be followed.
    • When I look at your designs separately, I tend to like them. Especially website, apps icons, and start and splash screen. What seems to me is that these are designed in a more plain, simple, modern (if you wish, considering actual tendencies) way. Wich I really like, by the way.
      On the other hand, the main logo and fonts combination you picked seem a little more "elegant", if I may say. I find it hard to match these two styles toghether.

    Personally, I'd like a plain, simple design. Especially regarding Logo(s). I think the apps logos are really nice. So I'd like to see a product logo that resembles them in some way, that automatically makes you feel that they are bound toghether.
    Besides, simplicity is (I think) a key feature in a logo: it strengthens the brand feeling, and, from a more practical POV, it makes it easier to scale, in order to use it everywhere and, at the same time, keeping it's "branding power" unchanged.

    But, then again, that's my personal choice. What I think is more important, either you choose an elegant or a plain style (or whatever), is that all pieces of your design work belong with each other. That's the one thing I would (dare) make a comment on.

    Keep up the hard work, Robin! It's a great starting point.
    Cheers,

    Manuel

    PS: I know this looks more like an email than a simple comment, but we were especifically asked to share our POVs here in the wiki, and I couldn't summarize it any better (wink)

    1. Robin Fowler

      Thanks a lot for the detailed response. I agree on the font suggestion, i think i will steer away from the marck script font. I'm finding it hard to incorporate in to designs, so it doesn't really work well.

  2. David Fisher

    I like these designs, a lot.

    I have some comments on the home page design.

    (1) The Download button is "Below the fold" and won't be immediately visible to users.

    (2) A search box and more buttons are needed for the top navigation.

    1. Robin Fowler

      Thanks for the feedback. It's a good point with the download button. I will find a way to make it more obvious.

      Regarding navigation, here are some of my thoughts:

      *Homepage MUST provide concise information of what the product is about. The user should not have to search for this basic information.

      *Keep it as simple as possible. This means less web pages as long as content can be implemented in a way that doesn't make a page feel cluttered or too long. So for instance I would make one "get involved" page, where information is provided on the various ways of getting involved and you find links to more information.

      If possible, I would like to include the "focus area" and "native language" in a single page, perhaps called "Resources". And things like extensions and templates also on one page, providing a "more information" link to where you would actually download extensions/templates.

      Search box will be added, i forgot about that.

  3. Kathryn Schenk

    This is truly a wonderful effort, Robin. Very clean, I like that.
    Looking forward to seeing more. (smile)

  4. jan iversen

    The best proposal I have seen so far !!!!

    I really like this.

    Have you considered how a small icon will look like (browser favicon and minimized aoo) ?

    rgds
    Jan I

  5. Pete K.

    This is currenly my favorite submission. I personally like application icons enclosed in circle borders (Mac OS style, I guess). This is very clean and well thought-out.

    I do agree that the individual app icons should "call back" to the overall product logo somehow. That would complete the "integrated experience".

    Great job!