Ugly: Craigslist.com
The Web site that immediately jumps to my mind when I think of inefficiently designed sites is Craigslist. Though there are no lurid lime greens or hot pinks jumping off the page, the essentially monochromatic blue design is very minimal on contrast, making it hard to really read anything. Though it does make use of a grid pattern, the site is very texty and fails to really separate any of the elements with space, meaning that the viewer's eye is not really drawn anywhere. There is so much text, one essentially has to use the "find" function of one's Web browser to be able to locate the desired link.
Effective: Cnet.com
Cnet.com packs a lot of content in the first page scroll. When opening the site, you can immediately tell where your eyes are supposed to go: the main "iTunes-scrolling" box in the upper-left corner that features one of six different stories. It features site navigation across the top, an eye-catching and convienent location. It also features a horizontal design of "stories" organized by topic, meaning that once someone scrolls down, all the information is right there. Not only does this prvent "scroll fatigue," but it makes finding information very quick and easy.
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