Websites
- Content
- Structure and Navigation
- Visual Design
- Functionality
- Interactivity
- Overall Experience
Content
Content is the information provided on the site. It is not just text, but music, sound, animation, or video – anything that communicates a site’s body of knowledge. Good content should be engaging, relevant, and appropriate for the audience; you can tell it’s been developed for the Web because it’s clear and concise and it works in the medium. Good content takes a stand. It has a voice and a point of view. It may be informative, useful, or funny, but it always leaves you wanting more.
Structure and Navigation
Structure and navigation refers to the framework of a site, the organization of content, the prioritization of information, and the method in which you move through the site. Sites with good structure and navigation are consistent, intuitive, and transparent. They allow you to form a mental model of the information provided: where to find things and what to expect when you click. Good navigation gets you where you want to go quickly and offers easy access to the breadth and depth of the site’s content.
Visual Design
Visual design is the appearance of the site. It’s more than just a pretty homepage, and it doesn’t have to be cutting edge or trendy. Good visual design is high quality, appropriate, and relevant for the audience and the message it is supporting. It communicates a visual experience and may even take your breath away.
Functionality
Functionality is the use of technology on the site. Good functionality means the site works well. It loads quickly, has live links, and any new technology used is functional and relevant for the intended audience. The site should work cross-platform and be browser independent. Highly functional sites anticipate the diversity of user requirements from file size and format to download speed. The most functional sites also take into consideration those with special access needs. Good functionality makes the experience center stage and the technology invisible.
Interactivity
Interactivity is the way that a site allows you to perform an action. Good interactivity is more than a rollover or choosing what to click on next; it allows you, as a user, to give and receive. This includes searches, chat rooms, e-commerce, gaming or notification agents, peer-to-peer applications, and real-time feedback. Interactive elements are what separates the Web from other media. Their inclusion should make it clear that you aren’t reading a magazine or watching TV anymore. It insists that you participate, not spectate.
Overall Experience
Demonstrating that sites are frequently more or less than the sum of their parts, the overall experience encompasses content, visual design, functionality, interactivity, and structure and navigation, but it also includes the intangibles that make one stay or leave. One has probably had a good overall experience if (s)he comes back regularly, places a bookmark, signs up for a newsletter, participates, emails the site to a friend, or is intrigued enough to stay for a while.
Advertising & Media
- Creativity
- Integration
- Overall Experience
Creativity
Most award-winning interactive advertising employs a superior level of creativity. Judging the creativity of an entry focuses on a handful of elements including content, design, technological innovation, and the unique nature of the underlying idea. It includes taut writing, smartly selected music, ingenious sound design, and the relevant use of animation, or video – anything that communicates a creative marketing message. Winning creativity often characterizes advertising that is engaging and relevant, with resonance and a point of view. It may be informative, useful, funny, or technically mind-blowing, but overall it is memorable.
Integration
Unlike print or television, Interactive Advertising is unique because it creates a direct interactive experience with the consumer. The questions is: How well is the work implemented in the medium? The audience should be able to fully experience the work with no technical or media-specific issues getting in the way. Any animation, sound, or video should enhance, and not distract from, the message, and if the interactive work is part of a larger integrated campaign, it should play a defined, unique role in conveying the campaign’s message.
Overall Experience
Demonstrating that an entry may be more or less than the sum of its parts, the overall experience encompasses creativity, content, structure, visual design, functionality, and interactivity, but it also includes the intangibles that make one respond. One has probably had a good overall experience if (s)he is intrigued and moved to click through.
Online Film & Video
- Concept & Writing
- Quality of Craft
- Integration
- Overall Experience
Concept & Writing
Is the story or concept unique? Is the storytelling or narrative coherent, and does it hold your attention? Does the writing have resonance and stay with you long after viewing it? Determining the quality of concept & writing considers all the elements that go into the creative process and how successfully the original idea is communicated.
Quality of Craft
Determining the quality of craft focuses on the filmmaking process and technical execution. This includes the appearance and quality of the captured image, editing, sound design and audio integration, performances, lighting, and all the aspects that account for a memorable viewing experience. This is of course relevant to the category entered. For example, entries in the Best Editing and Viral categories will be held to different standards than those in other categories. Quality of Craft means more than just a pretty looking film or video, and it doesn’t necessitate that it be cutting edge or trendy.
Integration
How well the work is implemented in the medium? Can you fully experience the quality of the work, or are there technical or media-specific issues preventing you from experiencing it to its fullest?
Overall Experience
Demonstrating that a film or video can be more or less than the sum of its parts, the overall experience encompasses content, structure, visual design, functionality, and interactivity, as well as the intangibles that provoke viewer response. Repeat viewing or visiting generally indicates a generally positive overall experience.
Mobile Sites & Apps
- Content
- Structure and Navigation
- Visual Design
- Functionality
- Interactivity
- Overall Experience
Content
Content is the information provided on the site. It is not just text, but music, sound, animation, or video – anything that communicates a site’s body of knowledge. Good content should be engaging, relevant, and appropriate for the audience; you can tell it’s been developed for the Web because it’s clear and concise and it works in the medium. Good content takes a stand. It has a voice and a point of view. It may be informative, useful, or funny, but it always leaves you wanting more.
Structure and Navigation
Structure and navigation refers to the framework of a mobile site, the organization of content, the prioritization of information, and the method in which you move through the site. Sites with good structure and navigation are consistent, intuitive, and transparent. They allow you to form a mental model of the information provided, where to find things, and what to expect when you click. Good navigation gets you where you want to go quickly and offers easy access to the breadth and depth of the site’s content.
Visual Design
Visual design is the appearance of the mobile site. It’s more than just a pretty homepage, and it doesn’t have to be cutting edge or trendy. Good visual design is high quality, appropriate, and relevant for the audience and the message it is supporting. It communicates a visual experience and may even take your breath away.
Functionality
Functionality is the use of technology on the site. Good functionality means the site works well. It loads quickly, has live links, and any new technology used is functional and relevant for the intended audience. The site should work cross-platform and be browser independent. Highly functional sites anticipate the diversity of user requirements from file size and format to download speed. The most functional sites also take into consideration those with special access needs. Good functionality makes the experience center stage and the technology invisible.
Interactivity
Interactivity is the way that a site allows you to do perform an action. Good interactivity is more than a rollover or choosing what to click on next; it allows you, as a user, to give and receive. This includes searches, chat rooms, e-commerce, gaming or notification agents, peer-to-peer applications, and real-time feedback. Interactive elements are what separates the Web from other media. Their inclusion should make it clear that you aren’t reading a magazine or watching TV anymore. It insists that you participate, not spectate.
Overall Experience
Demonstrating that mobile sites are frequently more or less than the sum of their parts, the overall experience encompasses content, visual design, functionality, interactivity, and structure and navigation, but it also includes the intangibles that make one stay or leave. One has probably had a good overall experience if (s)he comes back regularly, places a bookmark, signs up for a newsletter, participates, emails the site to a friend, or is intrigued enough to stay for a while.
SOCIAL
- Content
- Creativity
- Engagement
- Overall Experience
Content
Content is any information expressed: text, music, sound, animation, video – anything that conveys meaning. Good content should be appropriate, relevant, and engaging. It has a voice and point of view.
Creativity
Creativity isn’t one thing – it takes many forms: concept, content, design, technological innovation, craft, overall user experience. It’s not something easily definable, but what applies to top-notch creative is the ability to stand out through the strength of such forms or a culmination of them.
Engagement
Success in social ultimately comes down to engagement. What strategy, tactics, and creative succeed at reaching through to an audience or community? Hard metrics are one measurement, but so is the work itself in the context of the audience.
Overall Experience
Social is new territory still evolving and being defined – both a challenge and opportunity. Successful overall experience demonstrates that the sum is greater than its individual parts, encompassing concept, creativity, content, structure, visual design, functionality, interactivity, as well as intangible elements.
