February 2012
1 post
1 tag
It's Always Been About People
Back in September 2010, Ryan Carson wrote an article entitled “UX Professional isn’t a real job” which irritated me to such a degree that it still irks me now. The opening paragraph:
A web site or web app should not be the result of a production line of people. A web site or app should be the product of a Web Designer and a Web Developer (who occasionally are the same person,...
November 2010
5 posts
It Is What It Is
Clearly, I’m indebted to Tim Berners-Lee. Without him, I may be doing something entirely different for a living.
However, although I agree with most of his latest article over at Scientific American (certainly the aspects regarding totalitarian governments) I’m a little surprised at some of the apparent contradictions. For example, he states:
The Web evolved into a powerful,...
1 tag
Eternally Internally Political
Internal politics make it virtually impossible to deliver a website which isn’t metaphorically riddled with personal agendas - right?
Not in my view. In fact, more and more I find myself agitated by the fact that an agency seemingly haven’t worked hard to find a common ground.
Having worked within a large Government department for several years myself, at one time I was the cause...
2 tags
Forms Need A Verbal Warning
Imagine walking into the most glorious store.
Approaching, a member of staff in appropriately smart attire smiles and holds a potentially very weighty door open for you.
Upon entering, the first thing you notice is the temperature, which is decidedly warmer than outside (in my mind it’s Winter). It’s probably got those huge units above the door that blow warm air from above – go with me on...
3 tags
Goldilocks Had Self-Esteem Issues
I’ve just been reading an interesting article regarding “The Goldilocks Effect” over at UX Booth. In essence, it refers to how Goldilocks tried three bowls of porridge; the first and second being off the mark, the third “just right”.
Goldilocks’ scenario has become a metaphor regarding how we all generally choose a middle option when confronted with three choices (or a seemingly middle option...
2 tags
We "Like" Social Validation
The desire to fit in is evident from an early age; from having the latest “must have” present at Christmas, to having the latest style of clothing. Can we honestly say that Nike Air Max trainers, with their inch of bubble and infinite stripes of laces, were really all they cracked up to be? You owned a pair didn’t you…
We all love to be loved. If we post something on...
September 2010
4 posts
2 tags
When Search May Be A Bad Idea
Search is the user’s lifeline for mastering complex websites. The best designs offer a simple search box on the home page and play down advanced search and scoping.
[Jakob Nielsen - Search: Visible and Simple - 2001]
I totally appreciate that to not offer users a search facility (particularly on a large content-driven website) is asking for trouble.
In an ideal world, of course one...
2 tags
Choice
You are presented with 100 blenders. You choose one to purchase. Two weeks later, you hear that the blender you’ve selected has been voted best blender of 2010! Nice feeling eh. Alternatively, if you’d selected one of the others and found out that the best blender of 2010 was actually cheaper that the one you bought, you feel a little daft. This is known as buyer’s regret. We all crave choice. We...
2 tags
Vocab
I’m frightened of bike shops.
I like cycling but I’m not obsessed with my bike. I know the basics of how it works – wheels, gears, brakes and that kind of thing, but I couldn’t tell you about every detail of its composition. Frankly, it doesn’t really interest me.
That’s why when I enter a bike shop and ask them to give my bike the once over, I feel a bit daunted. A bit stupid. When speaking...
4 tags
Cyborgs
Wiki: A cyborg, also known as a cybernetic organism, is a being with both biological and artificial (e.g. electronic, mechanical or robotic) parts.
I reckon they’ve arrived. In fact, I think I am one.
One thing that becomes startlingly obvious during usability tests with users of mixed abilities is the different approaches to technology in general.
A basic user will treat the computer as...