Jennifer Sawyer's Analysis of pbs.org/independentlens

independentLens logo

PBS’ Independent Lens website has a non-linear format that allows its users to quickly and efficiently access information relating to the television program Independent Lens.  The very top of the page provides links relating to general PBS pages.  Below that, links to Independent Lens pages are organized under the program’s title and these links are repeated at the bottom of the page.  The rest of the page contains links to videos and articles with a brief description and a picture for each.  The background and colors are classy, simple, and don’t distract the user.  To allow the site to load quickly, there is no flash animation and videos do not load automatically.  This site incorporates examples of all three cultural forms that Manovich discusses (print, cinema, and HCI) through partitioned and easy to distinguish headings, articles, videos, and links. 

Every year, the South-by-Southwest Festival (SXSW) honors the best and most innovative web destinations with their interactive web awards.  In 2008, Independent Lens garnered a finalist nomination in the SXSW’s classic category, which recognized sites launched before January 1, 2007.  My analysis of Independent Lens will focus on key elements of the site: audience, theme, site structure and chunking, typography, color, and multimedia.  I have designed additional pages that discuss each of these elements.  These pages can be viewed in any order and I have provided links to them on the right side of the screen.  I will base my analysis of this site on information from our class texts: Making the Invisible Visible (Hillman Curtis) and the Web Style Guide 3rd Edition (Patrick J. Lynch and Sarah Horton). 

 

CMS 3710 Home            Jennifer's CMS3710 Home             Next

Jennifer Sawyer
Clayton State University
Updated: 13 April 2009