3 Distributions Power Up Linux(eWeek)
Why dont Windows based companies not get the point? Maybe Linux should be declared a role model in usability?
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Wednesday, May 29, 2002
England's Air Controllers not Listening to Usability?
This article from the Observer, says that airports in England could have been improved 10 years ago. But isn't that true for just about anything nowadays?
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This article from the Observer, says that airports in England could have been improved 10 years ago. But isn't that true for just about anything nowadays?
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Usability Testing Forecasts
Depending on exactly how this works, the idea sounds like it might be very handy...
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Depending on exactly how this works, the idea sounds like it might be very handy...
Your Comments
Tuesday, May 28, 2002
The Project Cycle (in Reality)
Yeah I like those project cycle analyses given by top notch experts. But here's a few drawings that sum it all up! :o)) I really like this, I think I'll put it up on my cubicle wall..
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Yeah I like those project cycle analyses given by top notch experts. But here's a few drawings that sum it all up! :o)) I really like this, I think I'll put it up on my cubicle wall..
Your Comments
Right on with Documentation
This article, from the Washington Post, really outlines what I deal with every day as a usability specialist in the documentation department.. Definitely a MUST read!
This article, from the Washington Post, really outlines what I deal with every day as a usability specialist in the documentation department.. Definitely a MUST read!
Friday, May 24, 2002
Corporate Politics for UI/UX/IA Professionals
It is difficult to understand what political guidelines we need to follow as UI/UX/IA Professionals, especially in big corporations. When do we offer our opinion? We don't we? What are the limits? Is it different for everybody? I would suppose it is.. I would think (and hope) that in a company like Google or amazon the UI Designers or Usability Professionals can speak their minds and word their opinion and offer their expertise freely. But in big corporations it just doesnt work that way. I can't begin to tell you how many times I've gotten into trouble for offering my opinion on something. Saying that it's not how somebody in the upper levels of the ladder wants it! It's not how I want it either, it's how the users want it, it's how they need it! It's what's been proven through experience, trial and error methods and experiments! Of course, I understand that things cant always follow guidelines. You'd have exceptions. Would there be some sort of guidelines or rules for exceptions? Or would exceptions just be about what your boss wants? Some ego show or something?
Do you have any sort of suggestions or words of wisdom about this topic? I really really really want to hear from you!
Your Comments
It is difficult to understand what political guidelines we need to follow as UI/UX/IA Professionals, especially in big corporations. When do we offer our opinion? We don't we? What are the limits? Is it different for everybody? I would suppose it is.. I would think (and hope) that in a company like Google or amazon the UI Designers or Usability Professionals can speak their minds and word their opinion and offer their expertise freely. But in big corporations it just doesnt work that way. I can't begin to tell you how many times I've gotten into trouble for offering my opinion on something. Saying that it's not how somebody in the upper levels of the ladder wants it! It's not how I want it either, it's how the users want it, it's how they need it! It's what's been proven through experience, trial and error methods and experiments! Of course, I understand that things cant always follow guidelines. You'd have exceptions. Would there be some sort of guidelines or rules for exceptions? Or would exceptions just be about what your boss wants? Some ego show or something?
Do you have any sort of suggestions or words of wisdom about this topic? I really really really want to hear from you!
Your Comments
Print it out and post it on your office door
Here's a very good, to the point and late article about how website usability influences business, from Newsbytes. We always knew this, but couldnt really support it.. now we can..
"First, he said, it is important to meet customers' expectations for their Internet experience. "The Web is one way people meet you, so take it very seriously," he said."
Here's one thing about that article though. It clearly states that the website should be under the control of Sales and Marketing. I think that's very problematic. I've seen alot of sites who are under the control of sales and marketing, or under the control of a department who's under their control.
Sites designed and maintained by sales and marketing usually lack an understanding of usability and even mainstream design guidelines. Rarely do sales and marketing people have an eye for or care about usability or design. To them, it appears that as long as some information IS on the site, it doesnt matter how it looks or how you get to it. They say it's there, they say customers would find it if they need it.
I think this is a huge paradox. All these comments and site characteristics come from the department who really worry about how they present themselves, or how their actual sales presentation sounds to the customer. This is from the people who really know most about the customers.
Unfortunately, when the Usability department tries to point out to them that they need to change something on the site to improve it's usability and/or appearance marketing usually finds their way out of it. "It's not that important" they say. "We've had this site like this for the last 5 years, nobody complained" they say. I've always been curious to know if they've actually asked any customer.
My question is, what do we do? How do we convince sales and marketing without harming their delicate egos? How do you tell the sales and marketing department that their design basically sucks, without so many words, and they need to change it in order to meet customer needs? If you have any ideas, let me know.
Your Comments
Here's a very good, to the point and late article about how website usability influences business, from Newsbytes. We always knew this, but couldnt really support it.. now we can..
"First, he said, it is important to meet customers' expectations for their Internet experience. "The Web is one way people meet you, so take it very seriously," he said."
Here's one thing about that article though. It clearly states that the website should be under the control of Sales and Marketing. I think that's very problematic. I've seen alot of sites who are under the control of sales and marketing, or under the control of a department who's under their control.
Sites designed and maintained by sales and marketing usually lack an understanding of usability and even mainstream design guidelines. Rarely do sales and marketing people have an eye for or care about usability or design. To them, it appears that as long as some information IS on the site, it doesnt matter how it looks or how you get to it. They say it's there, they say customers would find it if they need it.
I think this is a huge paradox. All these comments and site characteristics come from the department who really worry about how they present themselves, or how their actual sales presentation sounds to the customer. This is from the people who really know most about the customers.
Unfortunately, when the Usability department tries to point out to them that they need to change something on the site to improve it's usability and/or appearance marketing usually finds their way out of it. "It's not that important" they say. "We've had this site like this for the last 5 years, nobody complained" they say. I've always been curious to know if they've actually asked any customer.
My question is, what do we do? How do we convince sales and marketing without harming their delicate egos? How do you tell the sales and marketing department that their design basically sucks, without so many words, and they need to change it in order to meet customer needs? If you have any ideas, let me know.
Your Comments
Posting Problems Again!
Ok.. I really like Blogger, the service is invaluable and everything! But half of the time when I try to post something I just cant! Or I just can't update it! That's why there are no links on my previous entry!
I hope this works, and I'll make sure to post new stuff... IT'S FRIDAY!!!!!!!!
Ok.. I really like Blogger, the service is invaluable and everything! But half of the time when I try to post something I just cant! Or I just can't update it! That's why there are no links on my previous entry!
I hope this works, and I'll make sure to post new stuff... IT'S FRIDAY!!!!!!!!
Tuesday, May 21, 2002
Google's New Voice Search
John posted a link this morning, on his blog WebWord, about the new Voice Search labs at Google. It is a very new thing, but somebody commented on John's site about what the worth of this is... You still have to have the browser he says. That's true. You do have to have the browser. But today you do. In the future, imagine yourself driving home from work, in deep thought, realizing that your friend had mentioned about a trip to Barbados. You're wondering how warm it is over there right now, how much it would cost for a trip for two etc. So you say "Trip to Barbados" and your car responds: "According to Travelocity you can get a deal to Barbados starting from $150 per person... and Expedia says you can get a deal for $139 per person." You like the idea and you get more specific. How many people, dates, how many days, where you're leaving from etc. By the time you get home you might have tickets to print, or better yet printed! Suprise your significant other with a trip! You can do so much in the car while you're driving back and forth to work every day.. open mind. But this could of course lead to more subtle things too. I dont know.. anything. I'm not sure what Google has in mind, but I'm sure that we'll find out soon!
I took a peak, and I have a few comments about it though. I'm sure that they already know about the phonelines being busy all the time and that the phone number is a local number to them. This probably have to be changed to an 800 number. Another thing is that when I go and look at the results page, I see my results page for about 20 seconds or so and then the browser refreshes. I am not sure if I was doing something wrong or not. But I hit the STOP button and it refreshed it a few seconds later anyway. So if we were trying to scroll down through the links we don't have time. But I definitely could see this being connected to a line from your computer, and you just giving away voice commands... "Search: Accounting Software"... the page comes up.. "Go to:(second link) Software index"... and so on... This could lead to movie theaters and ordering the tickets from a machine, as if it was a live teller. No touching, no clicking no selecting. "Two adults to About a Boy."
I need to find out more about the backend of this technology. What are they using? What kind of limitations are they facing? Why? etc.
John posted a link this morning, on his blog WebWord, about the new Voice Search labs at Google. It is a very new thing, but somebody commented on John's site about what the worth of this is... You still have to have the browser he says. That's true. You do have to have the browser. But today you do. In the future, imagine yourself driving home from work, in deep thought, realizing that your friend had mentioned about a trip to Barbados. You're wondering how warm it is over there right now, how much it would cost for a trip for two etc. So you say "Trip to Barbados" and your car responds: "According to Travelocity you can get a deal to Barbados starting from $150 per person... and Expedia says you can get a deal for $139 per person." You like the idea and you get more specific. How many people, dates, how many days, where you're leaving from etc. By the time you get home you might have tickets to print, or better yet printed! Suprise your significant other with a trip! You can do so much in the car while you're driving back and forth to work every day.. open mind. But this could of course lead to more subtle things too. I dont know.. anything. I'm not sure what Google has in mind, but I'm sure that we'll find out soon!
I took a peak, and I have a few comments about it though. I'm sure that they already know about the phonelines being busy all the time and that the phone number is a local number to them. This probably have to be changed to an 800 number. Another thing is that when I go and look at the results page, I see my results page for about 20 seconds or so and then the browser refreshes. I am not sure if I was doing something wrong or not. But I hit the STOP button and it refreshed it a few seconds later anyway. So if we were trying to scroll down through the links we don't have time. But I definitely could see this being connected to a line from your computer, and you just giving away voice commands... "Search: Accounting Software"... the page comes up.. "Go to:(second link) Software index"... and so on... This could lead to movie theaters and ordering the tickets from a machine, as if it was a live teller. No touching, no clicking no selecting. "Two adults to About a Boy."
I need to find out more about the backend of this technology. What are they using? What kind of limitations are they facing? Why? etc.
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