“The problem with this design approach is that the resulting site may be very “plain vanilla,” since the oldest browsers don’t allow for much interactivity beyond simple links. Designing exclusively for older browsers can severely limit the appeal of your Web site for audiences with later browsers, who can make up a significant majority of any given target audience. The latest browsers — Netscape and Internet Explorer 4.0 and up — are used by 70 to 98 percent of Internet users, according to various studies. Is it worth limiting that many people to a lowest-common-denominator Web site?”
…and then…
“An alternative approach is to design to the highest common denominator, and to accommodate down. Design a Web site to be used by the latest browser that the target audiences are likely to have, and that degrades to accommodate older browsers. This approach preserves the appeal of the site for audiences with the latest browser, while not denying site access to those with older browsers.”
These two paragraphs let you play Mr. Plain Vanilla or Ultra Developer Superstar. Work from simplicity from the get go and stick with it, or instead, go all g-whiz but build in fall back code for “lame” users. Sweet.
Learn more about rolling with a design approach that makes you feel comfortable…
I don’t like snakes. When I see them in the wild, I avoid them or try to scare them away. Or, I run away and cry like a little girl. (Or boy. You get the point.)
While I don’t like snakes when I see them au naturel, I really don’t like them in my house. This weekend we did battle with a snake: In. The. House. Bah!!
A snake outside is a nuisance. However, inside my home, under the bathroom sliding door, that same snake is a monster. A devil, a demon, a monster.
That’s context. That’s environment.
p.s. Cats will find and attack snakes!
p.p.s. I scared the bejeezus out of the snake with a coat hanger and wasp killing spray, then I placed a dry rag on top of wet rags to draw the snake out. It was a little snake hut to tempt him. Carrot and stick. It worked. He came out, he was grabbed, and he was thrown into the snow. Not sure about his present location or state of mind.
Minnesota Daily — “Installing Really Simple Syndication readers and subscribing to services are active processes, and adoption by the masses has been slow in coming.”
Talks about the usual stuff: newspapers are dying, young people get news online, people like choice, RSS is really easy, RSS is really hard, etc. If this is news to you, check out the article.
My take is this: newspapers aren’t dying but they are being challenged and they have to adapt, and they need to capitalize on their existing meatspace subscribers. Further, RSS is a pretty good technology but it still isn’t easy enough for grandma yet. The technology needs to get easier or we just have to wait for folks to get a clue over a longer period of time. RSS, or something like RSS, will happen. It isn’t if, it is when.
Read more about the “future of news” …
“Classic System Solutions, a provider of usability products and training services for corporate software developers, today announced the release of its newest Usability and Advanced User Interface Design workshops. These instructor-led workshops will transform design theory into practical usage during a series of 2 day interactive seminars where students will learn how to define user goals and business needs and then apply proven design techniques using the latest AJAX and Web2.0 technologies.”
Buzzword bingo, for sure. Nevertheless, I think this is a good marketing move for Classic Systems. Also, it shows a willingness to blend usability with technical implementation. Too often usability professionals throw their findings over the wall to designers, developers, and project managers.
Read more about Usability and Advanced User Interface Design workshops…
By the way, I challenge you to find the workshops on the Classic Systems web site.
ClickZ — “Many usability professionals discount the querying process because once people arrive on a Web site, they’re more likely to browse than perform a search. Additionally, usability professionals don’t consider the search engine persona.”
Does Search Engine Optimization (SEO) come before usability?
“Effective in-site search, good navigation, and clear, well-constructed content are the most important usability issues for disabled internet users, according to new research which also found many visually impaired users rejecting the importance of ALT tags.”
Learn how disabled users ranked the factors which aid their ease of use when online…
Information Week — “About 90 percent of online users have problems completing Internet business transactions, according to a survey released Monday by TeaLeaf Technology. TeaLeaf commissioned a study of online shopping, banking, travel and insurance Web site transactions. The study, by Harris Interactive, found that one in three consumers would go to a competitor if they experienced a problem. Eighty-two percent said they were unwilling to accept lower levels of customer service online than they would offline.”
Not sure I’d classify these as usability issues but I would certainly put all of this into the user experience bucket.
Around 90% of online users have problems completing Internet transactions…
Apogee (Szuc and Quesenbery) — “Technology continues to change the customer service equation. Making the right decisions about which channels to use for marketing, communications and customer service requires an understanding of tasks, users and optimizing the use of each channel. Comparing user needs and channel strengths will help you make the right decision for your business and your customers.”
Nice article. Good recommendations. Even includes a reference section, which is something you don’t see too much these days.
Learn how to choose the right customer communication channel…
Simple Bits — “There are a few browsers (Firefox, Opera) that treat image alt text as if it were normal text on the page, when the image isn’t present. If the reader turns images off to save bandwidth, we can still visually treat the images by styling the alt text, and this could be especially handy in regards to site logos.”
Nice. This is how usability and design intersect.
Read more about handling images (logos) …
p.s. Don’t miss the comments. More gems can be found there.
A List Apart (Nick Usborne) — “Testing like that is a beautiful thing. There is no space for fancy arguments. An expert’s credentials and opinions mean squat. When you serve alternative versions, one after the other, and measure reader actions, you get the real deal.”
Why usability testing is a Good Thing TM
“By invalidating my entire site with this one line of code, I ensure that I am made aware the instant it matters. The instant this stuff starts to break anything in the real world, I will know. If I only had a few small errors on a few random pages around my site, I could easily miss the day when “the big switchover” happens and wind up with broken pages I don’t know about. And since this code is in the form of a server-side include, I can freely remove it with a few clicks.”
Read more about standards, compliance, validation, and more…
“Based on the results of this study, Orbitz was best able to achieve that goal. Sixty-three percent of study participants ranked Orbitz as the easiest to use — that figure was consistent across both novice and experienced users. Sixty-seven percent of participants, regardless of their Internet skill level, ranked Southwest as the hardest to use.”
Read more about the usability of travel web sites…
