In an effort to post more frequently, I’m going to attempt an ongoing feature of sorts.

I lifted the idea from 37signals‘ semi-frequent “Screens Around Town” posts. I think they serve as a great vehicle to discuss what’s happening on the web – be it fresh, old, exceptional, horrible or anything in-between – and hopefully drum up some conversations along the way. I spend a good chunk of my day developing, designing and concepting websites and when I’m not doing that I’m probably surfing. So what better blog fodder than my ramblings (er… insightful commentary) on what I encounter on a daily basis?

For lack of any better ideas, I shall dub this feature “State of the Net”. Close runner-up was “Finger Clickin’ Good”.

First up, let’s take a look at online newspapers – how do they handle the challenge of visually managing so much information?

Ottawa Citizen – overall, it comes across as rather flat with very little division between the major elements on the page. The hierarchy of information isn’t communicated in this design – pretty much all the text on the page is the same size. Essentially the viewer’s eye wanders with nothing to guide it. Only a few stories contain a precis, which means that viewers have to leave the page if they want any information on a story beyond the headline.

International Herald Tribune – IHT does a better job of dividing the page into sections so that it’s easy to see which information is more important. A visible hierarchy is evident as you drill down from the lead story to the features, making good use photography and typography to keep the viewer engaged while maintaining a sense of organization and balance. My only criticism of this design is the somewhat dull palette that reduces the overall contrast. However, it quite effectively communicates the information to the visitor.

New York Times – this design does an excellent job of guiding the visitor through the content. The use of typography and keylines clearly distinguishes the various blocks on the page. There are enough photographs to engage the viewer, but not so much that they create clutter. The serif typeface used at various weights is extremely readable and nearly every story has a short precis – which means less need to leave the page to get the information you want.