Web Pages That Suck - learn good web design by looking at bad web design

Submitter’s comments: So you want to contact the Village of Lake Zurich (IL). There’s an “Email Page” link up in the top right of every page. That’s good. Then you click on it.

You are required to know the Email address of your recipient or the form doesn’t work. I have six different Email clients on this box. I could have just used ANY of them if I knew the address I wanted to send to.

Someone’s tax dollars were spent on a buttload of Javascript and zero common sense.

Vincent Flanders’ comments: This story reminds me of a conversation I had with my phone provider yesterday. My credit card had expired and a new one was issued. The only difference was the expiration date. Since I pay my phone bill (and Dish Network and my internet connection) with the credit card, the amount due was approaching a ridiculous figure. The big print on the bill had the monthly total, which was in the usual range. The small print, which I hadn’t noticed until yesterday had the huge total and a notice that my credit card expired.

I called up the billing department and said I wanted to pay. I asked Scott, the guy in the billing department, “You guys knew my credit card expired and you know my phone number because you provide me telephone service. Why didn’t you call me up and tell me about the problem? Or couldn’t you send me an e-mail since you provide my internet service?” His response. “I don’t know. It kinda makes sense that we have ways to contact you.”

If I know the email address of the person I wish to contact, I don’t need your stupid email form. This is really stupid.

The navigation, starting with the home page, is problematic. Under “Quick Links” on the left, are black text links on a darkish blue background. That’s a definite contrast problem. Oh, their home page has lots of contrast problems. According to AccessColor:

Both color difference and color brightness do not meet the recommended standard for 92.44% of the total text.

Here’s a screen capture of the report. Hope the citizens of Lake Zurich don’t have vision issues.

City of Lake Zurich – Email Page