Blog Five

"Find two examples of ineffective websites.  What makes these sites ineffective?"

Working within the clinical research industry—where budgets are small and internet technology is lagging—I have into contact with an abundance of ineffective websites.  Two such websites are: http://website.scrclinic.net/ and http://www.swclinicaltrials.com/

The SC Clinical website is ineffective both in design and content.  The branding is inconsistent, the graphics and template layout are outdated, and the content is inappropriate for the target audience.  Additionally, content has been stagnant and the interface is not user friendly.  Finding the website proves to be another hurdle as the URL does not appear in search results, even when the business name is typed in completely.

The S&W website is more of a landing page than a true website.  The design is amateurish and the content is generic.  The website consists of a homepage with links to several text-heavy sub pages. 

Both of these websites are designed to target potential patients, provide information on current clinical trials, and prompt visitors to enter their information to be contacted regarding enrolling in trials.  However, the outdated and unapproachable design of these websites does not engage users, does not provide the necessary information, and does not prompt users to return or spend much time on the sites.