An example of poor interface design in the new Google+ https://plus.google.com/+LaurenWeinstein/posts/atzh3Mux3k8
I've been collecting together data on both the pluses and minuses (no puns intended) of the new Google+. In some key respects, like speed on many platforms, it is a vast improvement. In other respects, particularly relating to UI accessibility, it has fallen notably behind the legacy G+. For example, new G+ posting photos are bigger than ever, but associated headline texts are often truncated into uselessness compared with legacy G+. This might work for a porn site. But G+ isn't a porn site. An even more serious deficiency is the further degrading of basic user interface elements, making them even more difficult to find for many users. A particularly nasty example is what happens if you post something in error. You're staring at the problematic post -- how do you delete it? It's not all that easy on legacy G+. Over there if you hover your mouse over the posting, a tiny little obscure mark appears that you can click to bring up options including deleting a post. But on the new G+, you can apparently hover until the cows come home and nothing will happen. No clue at all how to delete. The secret? You have know to actually *click* your own post, at which time you'll see three little vertical dots that you're supposed to know represent options. If you click on *those*, you'll see the actual delete option become visible. These doubly-hidden interface elements aren't just an annoyance to "non-power" users, they can create significantly serious problems for them. Google can do much better. --Lauren-- Lauren Weinstein ([email protected]): http://www.vortex.com/lauren Founder: - Network Neutrality Squad: http://www.nnsquad.org - PRIVACY Forum: http://www.vortex.com/privacy-info Co-Founder: People For Internet Responsibility: http://www.pfir.org/pfir-info Member: ACM Committee on Computers and Public Policy Lauren's Blog: http://lauren.vortex.com Google+: http://google.com/+LaurenWeinstein Twitter: http://twitter.com/laurenweinstein Tel: +1 (818) 225-2800 / Skype: vortex.com I have consulted to Google, but I am not currently doing so. My opinions expressed here are mine alone. _______________________________________________ pfir mailing list http://lists.pfir.org/mailman/listinfo/pfir
