Adventures with Alan

First Impressions

The first thing I noticed about his site was the simplicity. His choice of a neutral colour palette and easy to read font, enticed me to stay on the pages longer and explore more content. Moreover, the pages are minimalist, and not overly crowded with unnecessary pieces.

Another aspect that I appreciated about Alan’s website was the menu bar at the top, outlining each subsection of content that he produces. This feature makes for quick and easy navigation of the site, and allows readers to tailor the content shown to their specific interest.

One thing that I would have loved to see on Alan’s site, is the development of a stronger online self.

Navigating the Site

By navigating to his “About” section, I was able to learn that Alan is a fourth year Communications and Social Justice student, who enjoys bowling, weightlifting, and most importantly: trying new things! Alan’s website will be centred around sharing his adventures in trying out new food and activities in the area.

Through Alan’s self-introduction, I was able to better understand him and the purpose of his site. However, I wish this information was featured more prominently on his site. As a reader, I am unsure what sort of content to expect when first entering.

The “Adventures” tab is where Alan’s public posts reside. Here, I read his first two posts, discussing and evaluating the climbing wall at the Richmond Olympic Oval, and the Dining Commons at SFU.

At the top of the posts, he includes an overall rating, location, good points, bad points, and price range of the adventure. Additionally, photographs are included throughout the post. All of these aspects, paired with his written review, provides the reader with a comprehensive idea of what the “adventure” entails.

Additionally, I appreciate Alan’s enthusiasm and detail in his reviews. However he is also not afraid to provide criticisms to the locations. This helps paint a realistic picture for the reader of what to expect if they decide to take on the adventure for themselves.

Looking Forward

However, throughout the website, there are several typos and grammatical errors. While I do not feel as though these errors distract me from the content completely, additional revisions would help make for a smoother reading experience.

Finally, I enjoy that Alan has his comment section open on his posts. This allows for the potential of back and forth communication to occur on his platform. Readers have the option to ask Alan specific questions they may have about the adventure, or to share their own experiences with the location.

Although not developed yet, there is potential for Alan’s site to become a “public of [its] own” (Boyd, n.d.); with readers returning every week to engage with his posts, and trade their own testimonials on adventures in Vancouver.

Networked publics allows like minded individuals to find a place in the online sphere where they feel a sense of belonging and connection that they may not be able to find elsewhere.

Overall, Alan’s website is off to a strong start, and I cannot wait to see what adventures he takes on next