Usability Tidbits for Monday 25-September-2006
Ambient Signifiers — “We can draw parallels between transport networks and their passengers, and websites and their users: both can be complex structures; both have navigable routes and destinations; and both can involve large groups of people using routes with the aid of wayfinding tools.”
UserVue Remote User Experience Research — “UserVue™ (formerly the Astoria Project) is a Web-based service that allows you to remotely connect to, interact with, observe and record users as they navigate an application or Web site.”
The Importance of User Experience - the Poster! — “The point of the poster is to provide a learning piece (currently used by over a dozen universities throughout the world) and inspiration to design and development teams. Having this type of collateral on your wall might cause someone to actually pay closer attention to your efforts ;-)”
Whole lotta IA survey results now available — “For the new edition of the polar bear book (almost done!), Peter Morville and I conducted five surveys of the information architecture community. All of the results are now available via the IA Institute web site…”
6 Ways to Fix a Confused Information Architecture — “When your website’s users consistently go to the wrong sections, you have many options for getting users back on track, from better labels to clearer structure.” (Interesting URL.)
Meredith Farkas’ Wiki Presentation at ALA — “wikis are not a one-size fits all solution” (Slapped together but still a useful reference.)
True Web Usability - Principles Over Laws — “If a Web site is usable from your perspective, it doesn’t mean that it’s usable by others. It is common for designers of Web sites or interfaces to think that if they themselves find it easy to understand then so will everyone else. Herein lays the danger. Assuming good usability leads to complacency in the design process.”
Logic Versus Usage: The Case for Activity-Centered Design — “Activity-centered design organizes according to usage: traditional human-centered design organizes according to topic, in isolation, outside the context of real, everyday use. Both are needed.”