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Here is the specifics: I am designing a website where the client wants to feature different services they offer in rotating images on the front page. There will be categories on the side of the image display so the user can jump to ahead if they see what they are looking for before the images rotate. The complication is that some of the services are part of a main package but another service is a smaller special service. I want to know if there is a good way to differeniate between the special service and the main services within the context of the rotating image display.

Hopefully that makes sense. I'm here to clarify if necessary.

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Yeah, please clarify by giving an example (wireframe, screenshot, website URL) so we can check it out. –  Rahul Sep 15 '10 at 14:58
It might also be helpful if you think up a fictional business to stand in for your real client so you can describe it in more concrete terms (e.g. ACME Gardening has lawn care package and also a pest control service) –  Patrick McElhaney Sep 15 '10 at 15:18

3 Answers 3

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I don't think you need to differentiate between main packages and special services for two reasons:

  1. If the client thinks the service is important enough to be featured in this (I'm assuming) highly-visible display, then it can probably stand on its own without needing to be branded as a "main package" or "special service"

  2. When users visit the site and are looking at this image display, they won't care weather a service is part of a main package or a special service. Likely they'll see the picture for the service, say, "hey, that's exactly what I'm looking for!" and click on it. At that point the user can be taken to additional information about the service, including whether the service is a main package or a special service.

In other words, don't clutter the display with information about whether it's a main package or special service; it's better to focus on the service itself (what it does, why users would want it) and save the "main vs. special" differentiation for the service's detail page.

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I'm with mickeyf.

I too may be misunderstanding the intention of the brief you're trying to work to, but this would appear to be one of those classic client situations where asking "Why?" a few more times would do all concerned the world of good. I'm going to assume that the services offered lend themselves to visual representation (perhaps a hotel showing facilities or something along those lines?). That's all well and good if the only intention is to convey a generalised sense of the service - an air of luxury or style or comfort perhaps - but you really should be resisting the notion that more complex characteristics about the services can sensibly conveyed in this way.

You can use the fact that there are thematic differences between the different services as a good basis for having the discussion that starts with "Why do you want to use an image carousel to tell people about different levels of service?"

In your shoes, I would try to illustrate a representative use case to show that a user who wants to look at pictures of services will be using the intended website differently to a user who wants to inform themselves about specific differences between offered services.

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I hope I misunderstood your problem, but really - a "Rotating Image Display" that is supposed to convey content? If I found my way to a site like that I'd run screaming down the hall (figuratively) to a competitor. I'd explain to the client why this is a Bad Idea, and start over. Again, perhaps I misunderstood...?

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Maybe I'm using incorrect terminology. I'm referring to something such as Dell's website uses: dell.com –  greyongray Sep 15 '10 at 14:40

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