November 2007
Viewing 8 Posts
Nov 27, 2007

Spaces

Define spaces in your application. Too many websites and desktop applications jumble everything else. Again, like a house floorplan, divide everything into spaces and figure out the 'transition functions' between them.

Nov 14, 2007

Search vs. Browse

For sites that display products or items that people might be looking for, it's important to allow for both searching and browsing. Think of when you go to a store. Depending on your current rush, you may need to find something quickly or you might have more time to browse around. The search bar is your "quick ask" tool (without the hassle of trying to find someone in the store to ask!). Meanwhile, browsing allows you to saunter through the aisles until you find the product you're looking for.

Nov 23, 2007

The 'Novelty' of User Experience

In the movie industry, people don't want to see something new. No, they want to see the same stories over and over again told in different ways. We all know that the main character will live and the hero will get the girl. What we want to see is HOW.

Nov 24, 2007

Strike 1, You're Out : Increasing Learnability

When it comes to technology, I think the main difference between the young and older generations is the amount of patience. Older people, who have lead most of their lives in the absence of technology, are much quicker to denounce the advantages of the computer when something doesn't work. Conversely, those of us who have grown up amidst the silicon chips are much more lenient when problems arise.

Nov 26, 2007

Designing in Steps

If you're creating an application that DOES something (as opposed to say, a website where users just search for something) it's essential to design in steps. What does that mean? You need to figure out how to user interacts with the program at each critical point. For example, what does the user see when he/she starts off? How intuitive is it to find where to go next? And if the user is able to get to step two, are the guidelines clear? Often times, a user will have a series of steps in mind before even using a program. In Microsoft Word, the user may go in with the following: 1. Start a blank document 2. Type a letter 3. Format 4. Print

Nov 19, 2007

Case Study: EyePuzzles JPEG Puzzle

At first glance, EyePuzzles JPEG Puzzle is a program with a lot of advanced funtionality but not a very user-friendly interface. This is a common problem in several applications and it's unforunate especially when the lack of a thoughtful interface prevents users from using the application to its fullest extent. Download from eyepuzzles.net.

Nov 19, 2007

Case Study: Google Earth for Mac

GoogleEarth is actually a very usable application. It can perform a variety of "tricks" and it's been very successful among users. Some things, however, don't match up with other Mac applications. Additionally, all the advanced functionality can be confusing.

Nov 19, 2007

Case Study: An iPhone App for Target

Target is the fifth largest retailer by sales revenue in the US. As such, its website generates a lot of traffic focused around buying products. It's clear from just looking at the website that they're big on advertising special deals, hot items and product searching. There is a lot going on and our goal is to figure out what's most important for the iPhone version.