Entries from October 2008 ↓

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I will start with what Matt Mullenweg, the founder of Wordpress says:

"You have to remember that a person’s goal in life is probably not to use a web application. People have a million things in their lives"

Understand your clients first and then user

Some designers boast about their feeling towards users and claim to make web sites for the users. Please do yourself a favour and understand the business requirements first. Most of the times the client will say "Hey ! that’s cool, I want something like that". It’s very hard to convince such person of your ideas and talk online sense. But be wise in asking questions, getting the sense of the client’s business, competition and product/services. Never base your demo on how cool it is, base your demo on how useful it is; for your clients and their users.

Develop design thinking

Do you think on paper or screen or directly in photoshop ? Don’t become the slave of one particular tool or have fetish with following certain types of processes. Be a design person and start appreciating things around you. Observe, observe and observe some more. Hear, touch and feel things. Talk to people, why they like something and what they do not like. Try to see and appreciate works of artists using various other mediums. Become an art consumer. Notice icons, typography, colour palettes, etc not just on web, but also in print, advertising, television, movies, etc.

Understand the new web - from consumption to participation.

Still many web designers have not realized that they need to think beyond brochures / flash gimmicks. We need to understand the difference between visitors and users. It’s useless to come up with with some grand idea which is very artistic but not going to be used. Designing the site for user participation is very different from designing static web sites. Facebook, Myspace, Delicious, Digg, Slashdot are example of user’s web. They are not grand on design but still very high on usage and usability cos they let you do what you want to do.

Become an online person

Business owner can take you through his requirements, you can design a usable and colourful web site based on your experience. But what if someone tells you to build your own facebook/twitter or asks you to integrate with such web sites. How people behave on web these days, what colours they like, how do they interact and so on are all part of the web culture and you need to be in that culture and not a silent spectator. For example, I can still see that people still fail to make a decent sign in / sign up process.

Popularity: 2% [?]

We all talk about Usability, usability and usability, we also have a definition for it and repeat the words like mantra - but to tell you the truth, still with so much of understanding, experience and usage of the web more than half of the working and experienced professional do not know what the usability is.

Usability in most simplistic terms is let the user do, what you want him to do. And what you do is what you get. Therefore, the biggest problem in usability is always a) not knowing what you want users to do on your site b) defining this and keeping it in mind while designing your site c) loosing track and forcing your users to do what they should not do.

The problem is that people relate usability with the patch work of search, navigation, content, communication and design and other massive collection of various page elements.

How should we design a successful web interface 

- is it the showcasing talent of web designer or technology of a web programmer. The successful web interface are to be made with an understanding of a) user needs b) assisting user to satisfy those needs c) and validating through feedback/study if this is really met.

The call to action is… I have learned to ask this question, whenever I am not able to make a decision on the design and asking this question almost gives you a clarity on what you want. Any page design, communication and html elements should be woven around driving this experience. Example:-

• Can users easily do, whatever that you want them to do ?
• Can users easily do, whatever that they came here to do ?

OR the coversion goal is…

a) users should buy my product b) users should read the content on my site c) users must download this stuff d) users need to subscribe my feed e) users should return to my site for new updates and so on. This thinking also helps in understanding what you need to do. And what you do helps your users to perform the task which align with your site goals and purpose.

A page is not the site, the site is not the page

There needs to be a macro and micro level thinking approach. The home page is different than a section page which is different than a inside page. The story needs to be told and there should be a common thread but the conversion goal or the call to action will differ from one place to another. Think like museum guide, build up the story, construct the atmosphere and then uncover the gems.

Let me make decision, or at least help me a little

Are you allowing your users to make the right decision at any given point. The decision cannot be made randomly. The most easiest and rational decision for any users on any web site it to exist the site. Are you assisting him in making a exit decision or a decision which aligns with the site’s goal.

Content & Activity Need to stand up and say something

On any page, the user has some content to consume or some activity to perform. Are you allowing him to do that or he is just lost in the interface jungle. Are you providing for or hand-holding to the right place or just making it difficult for your users. The design has to assist the content or activity or take the centre stage ?. Who is the actor, your content / activity or the design. On any page design cannot speak or stand out more than the content/activity itself. That is what causes imbalance and becomes the point of failure.

Connect, Communicate, Ask & Deliver- The art of easy and successful web user interface

• Who is your user ?
• Why did she come here for ?
• Why should she come her for ?
• Should she come here again ? or why should she ?
• Did she get what she wanted ?
• Did she do what she wanted to do ?
• Did she get what you wanted to offer ?
• Did she do what you wanted her to do ?
• Did you help her in getting what she wanted ?
• Was she treated well ? Did you go an extra mile to help her ?
• Should she do the basic expected out of her ? or she can do much more
• Would she recommend your site ? and why ?
• She should be your customer or fan ?
• What special experience did you offer to her ?
• And there are many more such questions to be asked… and keep them coming in comments

Popularity: 4% [?]