The website plays out as a sort of visual journey. It has a very minimalist look however the contestant movement of type across the page keeps the experience feeling very alive and interactive, as well as telling its own story. This website does not follow regular conventions and seems to be a lot more abstract and unique functioning as an art piece.
https://holdmenow.rietveldacademie.nl :
The website has a bold, structured navigation and a minimalist look, but its overuse of black detracts greatly from usability and might put off certain people. The strong black menu buttons make navigating easier and produce a striking visual hierarchy. Though the content hierarchy is unclear and the text contrast may be difficult to see, the bland design is cold and unfriendly. The design defies convention by putting aesthetics ahead of functionality. It sacrifices inclusivity for creative expression by straying from accessible guidelines (colour contrast, scannability) and breaking the standard by offering few visual signals.
By effectively mimicking the appearance of a mobile phone call log, the website offers a distinctive and entertaining user experience. It's a clever and captivating idea. The design effectively mimics a smartphone interface's feel, using user familiarity to entice them in. However, people familiar to standard navigation or site features like menus and links may become confused by its unusual style. The design deviates from conventional on the web conventions by emphasising visual imitation over usefulness. Although it supports user-centric familiarity, it sacrifices features like accessibility and scalability.
