Re: [IxDA Discuss] Deciding whether to use a Show n items per page control
Honestly, have you ever had a need to go back to images after you've google/binged them? Can you imagine a use case scenario? I often go back to a specific page in Google image results. Here's my most common use (anecdotally): I'm usually looking for an example to use as a reference to help visualise an object while creating an icon or other art. I see a pretty good photo on page 5, but the perspective is a bit off. I keep looking, and see another photo on page 12 with a better perspective, but the lighting is horrible, making some important lines difficult to make out. I keep looking for a while, but not finding anything better after n pages, I decide that the photo on page 5 was a good enough reference. Without pagination, finding that photo again would be a real pain. Other use cases I've had: - Looking for a company logo; can't find a perfect version, but back on page 9 there was one that was good enough. - Looking for a certain image, and there it is. Browser crashed, and I didn't have time to copy it. Restart browser, I remember it was on results page 21 of my search. Cheers, Sylvania User Experience Designer Welcome to the Interaction Design Association (IxDA)! To post to this list ... disc...@ixda.org Unsubscribe http://www.ixda.org/unsubscribe List Guidelines http://www.ixda.org/guidelines List Help .. http://www.ixda.org/help
Re: [IxDA Discuss] Click Dummy
Hi Christine, A click dummy is basically an interactive prototype that allows people to click through your design as though they were actually using it, but without any actual functionality. Cheers, Sylvania -Original Message- From: discuss-boun...@lists.interactiondesigners.com [mailto:discuss-boun...@lists.interactiondesigners.com] On Behalf Of Christine Milot Sent: Monday, June 08, 2009 5:05 AM To: disc...@ixda.org Subject: [IxDA Discuss] Click Dummy I have a client that is asking for a Click Dummy as part of a proposal but I have not heard of the term used before. Can anyone help me out? Thanks much, Christine Welcome to the Interaction Design Association (IxDA)! To post to this list ... disc...@ixda.org Unsubscribe http://www.ixda.org/unsubscribe List Guidelines http://www.ixda.org/guidelines List Help .. http://www.ixda.org/help Welcome to the Interaction Design Association (IxDA)! To post to this list ... disc...@ixda.org Unsubscribe http://www.ixda.org/unsubscribe List Guidelines http://www.ixda.org/guidelines List Help .. http://www.ixda.org/help
Re: [IxDA Discuss] using a blog to drive ecommerce (and/or customer engagement)
Our Customer Evangelist, Betsy Weber, maintains a blog for our products and company: http://visuallounge.techsmith.com/ I don't have data on how much it drives sales, but it definitely increases customer engagement. I do have some anecdotal reports via customer feedback that at least some users have purchased upgrades based on new features, fixes, or tips posted in the blog. We also hear from some users that the tips and tricks on the blog have shown them new ways to use our products, and they've told other people about it, potentially increasing word-of-mouth sales... I have no idea how to quantify that, though. As an aside, I find our blog valuable as another place to gather feedback from users. Some users who don't call or email us sometimes post their feelings and experiences on our blog. Cheers, Sylvania User Experience Designer TechSmith Corp. Welcome to the Interaction Design Association (IxDA)! To post to this list ... disc...@ixda.org Unsubscribe http://www.ixda.org/unsubscribe List Guidelines http://www.ixda.org/guidelines List Help .. http://www.ixda.org/help
Re: [IxDA Discuss] People are Used to it
I agree that it's lazy business practise. It's the same thing we see all the time in our industry, in all industries. It's the good enough for now phenomenon, and it piggy-backs on the don't know what I'm missing mentality. Since most people are passive consumers, if what they have is working well enough, they don't tend to spend any time envisioning how it *might* be better. For businesses, the highest ROI comes from innovating in new areas, rather than improving existing ones that have been working well enough. How often do we see this in our own work? How much time do you spend improving established areas of your software or web sites that are working for users, versus implementing new functionality? Most of us have a backlog full of things we would love to improve, and plan to get around to... eventually... during that magical release cycle when we don't have anything new to design or implement. I look around my home and see so many things that I would have expected to be so much better by now, so much more elegant or automated; the technology to make all of these improvements has been around for many years, and in most cases the changes would be cheap to design and implement. This is a topic that has always riled me up - which is probably why I'm a designer. ;) But in all honesty, would *I* buy that new smart refrigerator or (finally!) usable remote control? Probably... eventually... but what I have is working well enough for now. It took me several years to hop on the Roomba bandwagon, and next to my iPhone, that's one of my favourite gadgets I've ever owned. I'd love to get some of your thoughts on how - and if - we, as designers, can combat this mentality. Cheers, Sylvania User Experience Designer TechSmith Corp. Welcome to the Interaction Design Association (IxDA)! To post to this list ... disc...@ixda.org Unsubscribe http://www.ixda.org/unsubscribe List Guidelines http://www.ixda.org/guidelines List Help .. http://www.ixda.org/help
Re: [IxDA Discuss] best practice for security questions
Secret questions invariably thwart me, maybe because they always ask for something that I can't remember, that changes, or that doesn't apply to me. Which phone number - my cell or land line? Address - did I set this up before or after I moved? I went to 11 different schools, my favourite colour and food change often, and my husband took my last name, so he's the one with the maiden name, not me... (Maybe I'm odd, but all of this is true.) The only secret question that has ever done me any good is Type your own secret question and answer. Bruce Schneier's article makes a very good point, too, that this is just a less secure, backup password. I'm not versed in internet security, but it seems odd to me that my bank account protects my atm access with a single 4-digit code, while Yahoo Groups went to incredible lengths to punish me and lock me out for having the audacity to forget my password. *I'm sure this is a naive question,* but some major sites will simply send a reset link to the email on file when i forget my password (after making me verify that I'm a real human by copying text from a janky image)... what's wrong with that? Cheers, Sylvania User Experience Designer Welcome to the Interaction Design Association (IxDA)! To post to this list ... disc...@ixda.org Unsubscribe http://www.ixda.org/unsubscribe List Guidelines http://www.ixda.org/guidelines List Help .. http://www.ixda.org/help
Re: [IxDA Discuss] Localization of keyboard shortcuts
Hi Rob, The best practise regarding shortcut keys is to follow the standard of the OS on which your application operates, because that set of shortcuts will be what the user learns, whether or not it is localised. Incidentally, while it may be convenient in English that certain of the major shortcuts have the same initial letter as their function names (Save, Print), this is neither necessary nor consistent: X for Cut, V for Paste, Z for Undo, etc. Having designed shortcut and mnemonic schemes for software many times, I can tell you that it is completely impossible to come up with a full set of shortcuts where even a majority of them use the first letter of their function name. Using the first letter certainly helps the user remember the key, but there are far too few available keys. The guidelines, in order of desirability, are: first letter of the function name, any letter in the first word (except i, f, l, or t for mnemonics), the first letter of the second word (if there is one), any letter in the second word (except i, f, l, or t for mnemonics), and finally, for shortcuts, any letter at all. There are more guidelines here: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms971323.aspx For localisation purposes, using the English scheme may seem similar to forcing people to speak English, but the more important thing for the user is that the shortcuts are consistent between apps on the OS. The worst experience is when the user hits Ctrl+C in your app, then Ctrl+V in mine, but mine wants Ctrl+P for paste, and I've decided Ctrl+V will rearrange the workspace instead (Yuck! And I've seen it happen!). Our apps are localised into several languages, and our shortcuts do not change. I have never heard of this causing an issue for users. And who knows - maybe we'll luck out and Cut will start with an X in Swahili*. Cheers, Sylvania User Experience Designer Techsmith Corp. (* Apparently, Cut in Swahili is actually Kata, so no X there...) Welcome to the Interaction Design Association (IxDA)! To post to this list ... [EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe http://www.ixda.org/unsubscribe List Guidelines http://www.ixda.org/guidelines List Help .. http://www.ixda.org/help
Re: [IxDA Discuss] Retain obvious instructions?
Hi Eric, I would assert that basic link functionality can now be assumed for *most* users who have at least rudimentary experience with web pages. I'm talking specifically about click the link knowledge. Yes, even 60+ users. That said, of course there are plenty of things that can and do get in the way of that knowledge - mixed affordance, misdirection, and a host of other usability problems - but the solution still shouldn't be an instructional line about how links work. What kind of trouble are your 60+ friends having on the web? Trouble with many sites on the web is perfectly normal, even for 0-59 users, because lots of web sites have bad design in many, many ways (still!). I personally have to doubt that their trouble is coming from not knowing what a link is for. Relearning how to use the bank website is a common frustration for all of us because banks are notorious for horrendous usability. These are symptoms of usability problems in design, though, and the design itself should be *fixed;* obvious instructional text is just a big, bright pink band-aid soaked in salt. Most problems we see with links nowadays come not from a lack of basic understanding, but from the site not following basic link protocol and sending mixed signals. Links of various colours, using the link colour for non-link headers, links that aren't actually links but that do something unexpected, etc. Honestly, I don't like making assumptions either, but we have to make a few to facilitate cohesive design for the majority of users. Of course, if your design is aimed at people whom you *know* really don't understand how links work (and good luck getting them to your web site, by the way), I'd *still* not go with instructional text, but really gear the whole design a different way. Large, easy to understand buttons with lots of click me affordance, less text - not more, consistent use of good iconography, etc. Happy Holidays, Sylvania User Experience Designer Techsmith Corp. Welcome to the Interaction Design Association (IxDA)! To post to this list ... [EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe http://www.ixda.org/unsubscribe List Guidelines http://www.ixda.org/guidelines List Help .. http://www.ixda.org/help
Re: [IxDA Discuss] Retain obvious instructions?
Hi Jon, In this case, I'd say it doesn't depend. It used to be that we couldn't assume users had this basic understanding of how to use Web sites, but these days, this sort of helpful text really does nothing but increase visual noise, page complexity, and cognitive load by adding elements that the user has to ignore to complete their tasks. Links are for clicking, and users know this. Beyond that, I tend to treat in-place instruction as a last resort, even when usability testing shows that users are having problems. The problem with in-place instruction is that users read it once (maybe), after which it's just persistent visual noise, muddying up the interface. A better solution is to make the interface itself communicate it's function so that the instructional text isn't needed. Cheers! Sylvania User Experience Designer TechSmith Corp. -Original Message- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Jonathan Abbett Sent: Monday, November 24, 2008 4:38 PM To: IxDA Subject: [IxDA Discuss] Retain obvious instructions? I've been working on a redesign of the web-based user interface for a personal health record platform, and I began to wonder -- do I need to retain the one-line instruction that seems to be on the top of every major data listing (medications, lab tests, immunizations, etc.): Click any item in the list to see more detail (or something similar to that effect) The title of each list item is hyperlinked with underlined, blue text. I guess the bigger questions are: Do I assume my users' basic browsing abilities at my own peril? Does even a basic task of web usage need to be field-tested? I'm already prepared for the it depends answers! ;) Thanks, Jon Welcome to the Interaction Design Association (IxDA)! To post to this list ... [EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe http://www.ixda.org/unsubscribe List Guidelines http://www.ixda.org/guidelines List Help .. http://www.ixda.org/help Welcome to the Interaction Design Association (IxDA)! To post to this list ... [EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe http://www.ixda.org/unsubscribe List Guidelines http://www.ixda.org/guidelines List Help .. http://www.ixda.org/help
Re: [IxDA Discuss] Can an interaction designer creat (great) interaction without (great) visual design skills?
Visual design and interaction should not be considered separate issues, and as long as they are, the final design will not be truly great. The very fact that exceptional visual design can compensate for poor interaction should be a big clue that, for the user, the whole design is one thing - that the visual aspects *are* the design in many ways, and to draw some imaginary line between visual and interaction design is artificial and often likely to erode the synergy of the final design. When these skills are found in one person - which does happen - so much the better. It's easier and faster to get holistic design when the designer has solid skills in both areas because there's a lot less back-and-forth involved; having a great interaction and a great visual designer is fine too, but they should become conjoined twins for the design process to enable great design. Having visual skills absolutely helps to design interaction. One of the first interactions the user has with a product is eye movement. Where the user's eye travels, how it tracks the product, what it is drawn to, all are a direct result of the visual design. If a workflow consists of click this, go there, click that, the workflow is really notice this, ignore those, click this, go there, ignore all of that, click that. If the visual flow isn't supporting that workflow, even subtly, you have a usability problem. The visuals - not just icons and prettiness, but how the design principles are employed, such as visual flow, continuity, hierarchy, feedback, proximity, visibility, mapping, visual distribution, etc. - are part of the overall experience and users will react to them. And this emotional response is absolutely a part of the interaction. ... no one interacts with our artwork, except to form an [...] emotional response... That is the interaction. Consider these two things: http://screencast.com/t/pXQ9ia7FG Their designs are pretty much identical with only visual differences, but will a user interact with them in the same way? Sylvania Dye User Experience Designer Techsmith Corp. Welcome to the Interaction Design Association (IxDA)! To post to this list ... [EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe http://www.ixda.org/unsubscribe List Guidelines http://www.ixda.org/guidelines List Help .. http://www.ixda.org/help
[IxDA Discuss] What to call The User?
We prefer the terms person or customer when referring to people who use our software in general, but I'm wondering if anyone has suggestions for referring to them specifically? For example, let's say you're offering two sets of information to customers, one set each for new and existing users. They could be labeled: Info for new users and Info for existing users. The terms people and customers don't work here, because they're not new *people* and they could be existing customers, but new to this product. I've been tossing this around in my head for a while and can't seem to come up with anything that works. If anyone has suggestions, they'll be greatly appreciated! Thank you, Sylvania User Experience Designer Welcome to the Interaction Design Association (IxDA)! To post to this list ... [EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe http://www.ixda.org/unsubscribe List Guidelines http://www.ixda.org/guidelines List Help .. http://www.ixda.org/help
Re: [IxDA Discuss] What to call The User?
Abstracting the user, referring to the content instead, is a great suggestion - thanks, Susie! Taking a conversational approach is good in some cases, too - in one case our buttons read I'm new to X and I've used X before. We've encountered a scenario where we've felt a need to refer to the person directly, though - but maybe we can look at it differently and refer to the content there, too. For Web, guest, visitor, or member all work - it does seem harder to find something suitable for desktop apps. I'll step back and look at it from a content perspective. Thanks, again! Sylvania User Experience Designer Welcome to the Interaction Design Association (IxDA)! To post to this list ... [EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe http://www.ixda.org/unsubscribe List Guidelines http://www.ixda.org/guidelines List Help .. http://www.ixda.org/help
Re: [IxDA Discuss] Corners, edges and multiple monitors
Quote: However, this particular application replaces the windows metaphor with something else and the edges are used to flip between different virtual screens Ah, well that's entirely different, then. :) In that case, sticky (or slightly sluggish) edges does sound like the best option to me, also. Please forgive my confusion. Cheers, Sylvania User Experience Designer Welcome to the Interaction Design Association (IxDA)! To post to this list ... [EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe http://www.ixda.org/unsubscribe List Guidelines http://www.ixda.org/guidelines List Help .. http://www.ixda.org/help
Re: [IxDA Discuss] The death of web usability testing as we know it?
I agree that analytics, no matter how well collected and detailed, will never be a replacement for user observation. This system sounds like a great augmentation to usability testing, but the nature of people as fuzzy, mutable, and often unpredictable creatures makes direct observation the ideal (and often only) way to really understand what's going on in their heads. Analytics can tell a lot about what a person does, but not what he thinks. And people often think differently than their actions suggest - sometimes radically so. The problem with analytic data is it can lie about the user's intentions and perceptions and it's often impossible to tease apart intended and unintended behaviour. (I have similarly-grounded issues with eye-tracking technology.) I'm a designer; I don't conduct usability tests but I rely on them - as well as other types of data - to inform design, and I can't imagine abandoning user observation, even a little bit. Actually, I'd be somewhat skeptical of relying solely on this type of system for incremental design. (I'm also wondering if they used this on their own site.) Offematica does sound really interesting, though. Cheers, Sylvania *Come to IxDA Interaction08 | Savannah* February 8-10, 2008 in Savannah, GA, USA Register today: http://interaction08.ixda.org/ Welcome to the Interaction Design Association (IxDA)! To post to this list ... [EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe http://www.ixda.org/unsubscribe List Guidelines http://www.ixda.org/guidelines List Help .. http://www.ixda.org/help
