Archive for the 'usability' Category

Top 10 Application-Design Mistakes

Tuesday, February 19th, 2008

“Usually, applications fail because they (a) solve the wrong problem, (b) have the wrong features for the right problem, or (c) make the right features too complicated for users to understand”. Read Jakob Neilsen’s Top 10 Application-Design Mistakes.

Context and designing applications

Saturday, February 16th, 2008

While we work on complex web applications, such as for CBD/TPdb or Faculty of 1000, we have to consider the balance of ease-0f-use and creating context for users so that they can understand what they are looking at. Cathy Shive discusses ‘Computer Administrative Debris’ in applications (found via John Gruber).

Content Management Systems still suck

Friday, November 16th, 2007

We regularly research Content Management Systems, and in a recent spate of Googling I came across an article by Jeffrey Veen called “Making A Better Open Source CMS” from 2004. Sadly, most of its points are still completely relevant. Three years later and it is still hard to find a system that feels it is put together with the average user in mind (i.e. not techies). While Wordpress is not in any way perfect (what is?) or powerful enough (what is, unless custom built?) for all situations, it is relatively easy to comprehend for the user, which is why we so often recommend it.

UK government site accessibility

Tuesday, November 13th, 2007

Not the most exciting of titles, but the The Web Standards Project discusses the UK’s drive for accessibility in government websites. It is bizarre and also shocking that so many content management systems in use by government agencies, ministries and quangos seem unable to generate good clean accessible and semantic code. 

What people want

Monday, November 5th, 2007

Using Apple’s recent release of Leopard as an example, Scott Stevenson discusses how user interface design isn’t always a logical process backed up with user research and rigourous thinking. Sometimes it’s just because people need to feel new stuff is ‘new’.

Click here

Monday, October 8th, 2007

Giving a user a clear instruction on ‘how’ to move on in their task, rather than just ‘what’ they’re moving on to, is a good thing. Copyblogger and GrokDotCom discuss.

How to write introductory text

Friday, October 5th, 2007

Jakob Neilsen talks about getting introductory text right. It sounds simple, but, as is typical when writing for the web, it is not.

7 lies about Information Architecture

Sunday, September 2nd, 2007

The Functioning Form blog summarises a talk by Liz Danzico about web design ‘rules’ that don’t stand up and should be seen as ‘considerations’.

How not to display artwork on the web

Wednesday, June 20th, 2007

A post from Lines & Colors, a blog about artists and illustrators, on the frustration of many artist’s websites, but there are many points that ring true for anyone.

New Apple

Monday, June 11th, 2007

Along with a whole host of new tidbits about upcoming software at their WWDC, Apple also relaunched their website. Not only have they updated their rather tired looking global navigation, there is a huge range of effective Ajax-style elements that (mostly) add to the usability of their site. Their (possibly Google-powered - if you check their code) search is a particularly nice example which offers popular shortcuts even before you’ve pressed return. The amount of work and attention-to-detail that has gone into this is very impressive.

Microsoft’s Surface is revealed

Wednesday, May 30th, 2007

Microsoft has just launched an ‘interactive table’ called Microsoft Surface. The web will be abuzz with this all day, discussing the ins and outs of how this will work in application. Time will tell whether it will only be found in hotel lobbies and shops, or whether it will be genuinely useful at home. Whatever - it opens up interesting new ways of interacting with information and even objects, and it will be worth watching how it impacts on the industry (especially Apple). Found via Techcrunch and Crunchgear.

Uncanny valley of web design

Saturday, May 26th, 2007

A discussion as to why web appilcations should not try too hard to look like a desktop application by Bill Higgins (via Signal vs. Noise).

Creating for the Web

Wednesday, May 16th, 2007

Jakob Nielsen, Matt Mullenweg (Wordpress), Lynda Weinman and others discuss what is required to ‘create for the web’.

Jakob Nielsen on Web 2.0

Monday, May 14th, 2007

Nothing Earth-shatteringly new, but it always says something about an idea when the BBC deigns it is interesting enough to cover. Jakob Nielsen talks about the dangers of “Web 2.0” sites ignoring good practice, in the rush to ‘innovate’.

Usability 2.0

Saturday, May 12th, 2007

Apologies for using the term “2.0”, but as the web becomes ever more interactive and application-like, people are thinking about how to keep the web usable and accessible to all. Websites such as Facebook, Flickr and the whole Web 2.0 crowd are coming up with interesting ways for users to interact with information, which is great, but the danger is that each site will create it’s own method to similar actions. Luke Wroblewski discusses this: “This surge of new Web experiences that give users more control is probably the biggest change impacting usability online.”