TASK 04://

Using the SWOT analysis to compare two Leeds based design studios; B&W and The Consult judging from their websites. I have chosen to compare these two as they share a few similarities such as their location and the quality of work that is evident from their website. Both studios are also ideal places, that I can see myself working for in relation to their philosophy, work showcased and the type of client based work they are involved in.

B&W studio - Leeds
Strengths://
The recently updated website for B&W studio has a rather simple but interesting interface which incorporates a column of links on the right of the page, which flows throughout the site. In terms of the visual appeal, users are introduced to the site with a bold black & white homepage containing the initial links and a brief description of what they do accompanied by their full address. The layout is well considered, with all the work categorised into different project links, possibly in order of production, which makes it easy for people who view the site regularly for updates. Throughout the site, only black and white is used to reflect the brand name, with exceptions for the work itself which are showcased in full colour, this gives the site a consistent look throughout and doesn't attract any attention away from the work.

In terms of interaction and functionality, the whole site is categorised into several clear sections; work, clients, awards and contact information. Each project is followed by the title of the brief/ project, the type of work involved eg: branding, packaging etc, the year produced and anything that needs to be credited such as external photographers, illustrators etc, offering potential clients a brief idea of the work they do and their concepts behind each project. The photos of the work itself has been taken very professionally with a well lit back drop and a range of different angles to ensure that the stock and production quality is captured. The site doesn't follow a scrolling system, where you can literally scroll down on the site. In fact users are required to click on each project title link to view a piece of work, although this might be more time consuming it shows more appreciation for each project.

There is a wide selection of work displayed on the site ranging from branding to editorial designs. Majority of the work on the site are client based work, which range from local builders to universities around the UK, demonstrating that they are quite versatile where they can adapt good design to a range of areas and produce work of a variety of formats. They've also dedicated a section on the lists of clients and awards won over the years. I think this is incredibly important for a studio, as this shows that they're being recognised for their achievements. For a client, this instantly builds more trust, which can make a difference from offering them a project or not.

As a whole, the site is well designed and thought out, the content is appropriate and the overall site gives a good impression for the brand and offers clients/ viewers a positive idea of who/ what B&W studio is about.

Weaknesses://
I can't really fault the site that I'm seeing really, only few areas that I would reconsider would be to have all the work under one single 'Projects' link. I'm not sure why there are 3 separate links, but would be more efficient to have them all under one heading as it can sometimes become quite confusing trying to navigate back to a piece you've seen before. Another point would be to include more information about the scale of the studio and generally more information about them as a design studio. They might have limited this deliberately to allow the work to speak for itself, but as a designer and client's point of view, I would like to know more about them, especially if i'm considering commissioning them a project.

The Consult - Leeds
Strenghts://
The Consult's homepage contains a clean layout displaying the latest news/ work produced with several links at the top leading to the different parts of the site. I have been following both websites for a while now and I've always found that homepage both worked really work. Now looking at the Consult's homepage with a more critical eye, I do feel that it has an advantage by showing some of the latest work/ news as it instantly gives viewers an impression that they're an active and current design studio.

The site follows a consistent layout throughout, for example the top section of the site is constantly reserved for the links etc. A efficient grid format is used to ensure that the contents are displayed effectively. Similar to B&W and many other design websites, the background and text of the site itself are quite simple in terms of the type and use of colour to reduce any attention away from the work itself. Each piece of work is displayed accompanied by the title of the project, brief description of the project, client, solution and any extra notes about the final resolve.

The site is essentially designed with the clients in mind, therefore the work needs to be easily accessible and easy to understand navigate around. The work is categorised by 'discipline' and 'sector', which makes it easy when clients are in search for a particular type of work to sample. The filter option also allows them to list the different disciplines that they offer.

I think the two most important parts of a design studio's website is the design of the site itself and the work they have to backup the site. The Consult definitely seem to have both, with a strong selection of work showcased on the site, their work demonstrate high quality design solutions for both print and digital production and a good understanding and experience with client based work as shown from the ever growing list of clients they have worked with. The site contains some brief information about The Consult as a design studio, ranging from their philosophy to the awards they have been rewarded, which makes them more approachable and trustworthy. They've also included a 'testimonial' section which displays the positive feedback left by their clients. Something that I rarely see in other design websites, but definitely something to consider for myself as it shows that they're professional in achieving successful design solutions while sustaining a good relationship with their clients.

Weaknesses://
Both the function and aesthetics of the site seem to represent them well, showing a good range of work and covering the essential information that a client or designer would require. Again, there are minimal areas that I would criticise on. In comparison to B&W, The Consult seem to have more information about the studio itself which was what seemed to be missing in the B&W site. I think the navigation around the site is slightly more straight forward and user friendly with The Consult especially as the work was categorised into different disciplines.