Profile #4: High Motivation -- need to deliver some content in support of motivating a particular response from users.

This profile is exemplified by the Harley Davidson Web site. The purpose of this site is to enhance and capitalize on the company's brand loyalty and image as a counter-culture icon, using information about specific products, bike maintenance and other relevant topics to support its motivational goals. On these pages there is a clear distinction between information and materials intend to produce an affective response. Information is provided using media models that imply accuracy of fact, realism and authenticity. The materials intended to elicit affective response are highly graphic, but do not interfere with the readability of content-bearing text.

Make a clear distinction between what is content and what is not.

Ensure that buttons look like buttons and other things do not look like buttons. Buttons that lead to content should look different than ones that don't, and that there should be a consistent layout for the content segments of the site.

Minimize interference between the visual elements that are to be "experienced," and those that are to be read or examined closely.

The graphical treatment of the pages, including

• background images and colors,
• large graphics,
• alternate colors of text, and
• animated images

should not interfere with the readability or visibility of content-bearing text and graphics.

Bill Nye the Science Guy's Nye Labs Online offers a fair amount of information and activity for kids in the effort to promote viewership of the program and its educational mission. Within the site this information is all clearly laid out in high contrast and straightforward format, while the cool pictures of Bill Nye and Science Stuff enliven the edges of the pages.

The pages of the Web site should not give the impression that the site holds more content than it actually does.

Except for navigation, link everything only once (the first time a word or phrase occurs -- not every time). Don't chop information into tiny chunks on many separate pages. Even if the site contains only a small amount of content relative to the motivational portions, group it together or provide an optional link where it is all accessible in one place.

AMTEC 1997 Conference, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Canada
Elizabeth Boling, Barbara Bichelmeyer, Kurt Squire, Sonny Kirkley
Indiana University
Last updated 1 June 1997
URL: http://www.indiana.edu/~iirg/RESEARCH/AMTEC97/profile4.html