I was considering adding a corkboard texture to event information on dmvboardgames.com to look more like a physical bulletin board for usability purposes. At first, I saw it as a good way to emphasize the site’s focus on in-person events. The next day, I thought about the idea some more and decided that it wasn’t a good idea.

I came to the conclusion that adding a corkboard texture was not a good use of time for the following reasons.

• User feedback I received in the past does not give a clear indication that a corkboard texture would improve usability. On the other hand, a corkboard texture could negatively affect usability by adding additional content.
• The main goal of the site is to show information about in person board game events in the DC area, and a bulletin board doesn’t clearly help. Other elements besides text have a clear purpose. The hex background is supposed to be a reference to hexes in board games, and I use colors that resemble hexes in the board game Catan. The figures at the top are meeples, which are commonly used in newer board games. The different colors are to promote inclusivity in board games.
• Additional styling will have an ongoing cost in maintenance.
• The boundaries between in person events and websites would be blurred. I want the site to exist as an entity distinct from the events themselves.

I then thought about my earlier views towards adding a corkboard texture as a way of trying to improve the usability of the site. Then I decided to think more about user feedback I had received to make some smaller UI improvements.