DMA 1

Canva Recommendation's and Comments

      Critique

Canva is a graphic design platform that allows its users to use and customize various decorative templates to create a multitude of presentations and graphics. Overall the site is very functional and user friendly, with clear designations on where to click with step by step processes. The site walks its users through where to find things and how to adjust and customize as need be. 

The overall tone and voice of the website is very inviting. The creators clearly intend for the space to be welcoming and encouraging. The color scheme consists of blue and purple texts over a white background with script boarding between minimalistic and cursive. This provides an almost calm-like atmosphere to not appear too overwhelming, while also keeping a professional feel. Overall the tone is very laid back, while also being very informative and formal. 

The graphics, as previously mentioned, are very encouraging and draw the users eye to various functions to encourage engagement. The layout, with the “star designing” button front and center, shows well-thought out intent for navigation. 

The intended audience is clearly for those looking to embrace their creativity and find space to cultivate their artistic abilities. It also provides an inviting approach for those less artistic, to still have the ability to create intricate designs in an accessible way. 

Canva encourages personal connections with its interactors through customization, but does little for user-to-user interface. The application is very consistent in terms of  aesthetics and convenience. 

Textbook Connections

    Brian Carroll’s textbook Writing and Editing for Digital Media, discusses ideal ways for interactors and users to get the most out of their experiences with digital media. Carroll states in chapter two that sites should “identify the audience and the purpose of the content, then serve that audience and that purpose. The needs of interactors should guide what you do and the decisions you make. Fidelity to mission is perhaps a digital editor’s top priority” (Pg 37). Chapter four of the text focuses on how websites can make their content most accessible, functional, and entertaining for users. Here is a list compiled from the text regarding usability; 

“So, at a glance, a website’s homepage or app launch screen should quickly and clearly:

• establish identity and mission;
• manifest hierarchy;
• indicate where to start;
• communicate what’s there;
• indicate shortcuts;
• convey the big picture;
• communicate immediacy;
• avoid clutter” (Pg 97). 

Right away, Canva presents what the websites intended uses are for. It shows users where to start, how to communicate with the app, how to find tabs in a convenient manner with well decorated and labeled sections, and avoids cluttering together in an overwhelming way. 

To help avoid clutter, the website also uses subscription packages to give certain users more tools and access to more items within the site. The application is still free to use, just with certain limitations to different features. However, because there are packages to create a monetary revenue for the app, users are not bombarded with advertisements and overwhelming, unrelated information. The app is solely focused on the needs of its users.