2008
July Tabbed menus, from creation to degustation
It was not so long ago that Human Computer Interaction took place mostly with the world of software, and mostly within a PC environment. There was word processing, database management, spreadsheets, all within a somewhat fixed environment of either a PC or a Mac operating system. As operating systems grew more sophisticated, Macs were somewhat special since some of the ways you interact with it were proscribed and followed by all the programs it ran. This was the famous Apple Human Interface Guidelines that showed how menuing, keyboard shortcuts, and other ways to make using a computer more standardized. Microsoft also had methods such as the alt keyboard shortucts for menu items which I worked on a proect that used those extensively.
With the adoption of the internet, the browser created its own set of conventions, some of which are still puzzling. Bookmarking, homepage, back-button, URL's. Each of these ideas for how to operate in a new space were adopted not because they were ideal, but they cemented a conception of how things can be manipulated in this new space. I think folders and desktops in retrospective seem a bit weird in the operating system world. Files themselves, while necesary are normally generic looking rectangles, hard to discern what they are and why you created them. Thumbnails and previews, or the 'dog ear' icon of files that are opened by another program are just conventions to assist in manipulation. They do require a fair amount of understanding of the metaphors they wish to convey. In web terms I always felt as though URL's were quite difficult to pin down, the '.com' or the 'http://' nonsense shouldn't be on the person's mind at all. I also refer to the 'back' button as the 'undo of the web'. It normally means- "whatever I just did, it didn't work, take it back". Thus, navigating a space on the web should never require use of the back button, since it mentally puts the user in a 'undo' state of mind.
The convention of 'tabs' was created for just this reason - a way to navigate globally through a site and not have to 'go back' if you entered into the wrong topic area. I'll give credit to Amazon, because I believe they were the first to use this, as well as create the rounded on/off tab style. I'm working on a project now for Northwestern that adds tab navigation to a site that is hard to navigate. Why is it easier? Using only local, or in this case topical navigation (menus on the left opening and closing) created the effect of moving navigation topics around on the page, and without a fixed place, they had to be re-parsed as every page changed. A fixed top menu is also part of another redesign project, so I'm looking for inspiration on how to style and arrange these tabs. This led me to take a critical look at Amazon, which innovated, and flailed so much in this area. Their 'sea of tabs' approach of the early 2000's with the 'my tab' and so many other ideas. I can say, unfortunately, their most recent approach is quite lacking.
What you can see is that essentially Amazon has abandoned tabs. They are going for contextual menus, search, and those 'utility' items that begin a process on the right such as cart and checkout. They have moved the tab areas to the local navigation area to the left and given them pullout menus. I can say I'm somewhat dissapointed not only by the design, which appears to cram way too much unrelated information, but the 4 or 5 different fonts and styles create over-emphasis and make it hard to parse. Also, calling me by name doesn't seem as special anymore, since they do it twice. Add to this the blue background, which should orient me towards clicking, but seems to instead create a 'blob' of stuff that makes it even less distinct.
As big a fan of Knol Vinh as I am, I must say, this is tabs done right. They seem to pack even more information into the same amount of space, this has both personalized tabs, utilities, branding (below the top nav which is rare) then secondary and even tertiary navigation. Perhaps its because of the black and white, with judicious use of blue and as a gradient, which doesn't read as harshly as the Amazon blue. I think this is a successful, and copyable paradigm. I hope Amazon gets their groove back, since I think they are extremely talented at this, but need perhaps a bit of design spark? I find design can be most successful when most pared down to this extent. However, that is the challenge
blog comments powered by DisqusJuly Wounded in America on CNN
The website I created for the Wounded in America project was featured, not entirely positively, in this CNN video. It is interesting how shots of websites and analysis of websites make its way into news video, there is something strangely self-reverential about using the web as a source for fact about a subject. I suppose it is the webs mercurial nature that makes it seem more like a coversation and thus hearsay than actual concrete fact. Still, kudos to Bob Drea and Stephanie Arena, who continue to mix art and activism.
July Itunes- the perfect browser?
After commenting earlier how the Iphone gave a good shot in the arm to web standards and simplified websites that displayed nicely on the small screen, I am in some anticipation about the new iphone software downloads, or apps. I hope that the apps are successful to realize a couple of long standing but not popularized ideas - the 'widget' and micro-payments. The widget is that small one-function application that may run in the background but can always provide quick access to a particular set of information. My favorite is the stock ticker, which I have had running on my desktop for the past 5 years or so, although my portfolio value hardly reflects this.
The other is much older; micro-payments take advantage of the scalability of the internet to provide financial incentive for developers. This seemed to fail miserably on actual websites, although Paypal does make it possible, it is likely cumbersome to actually implement a dollar or smaller payment to a web developer or site, certainly trust plays a big role as well.
Which brings me to iTunes. I have long thought that it was this software, more than the iPod that was the real innovation of Apple. Everyone had a cd ripper, even some had downloadable music management, and of course portable players were not in short supply. What they didn't have was the software that managed the large user experience of managing music, with the personal experience of consuming it. Add to that syncing, the greatest improvement in user experience of all. Other innovations, over time, included smart playlists, syncing to databases for track info, adding cover art, and the 'flow' interface, etc.
These additions took place over time, but when the store was introduced, purchasing tracks and the ability to securely manage transactions made iTunes the browser that Netscape always wanted to be. Add podcasting, which opened the interface up to third party content, and now applications, the iTunes 'browser' seems able to take its place as it's own ecosystem, where you can find, try, get freebies, or purchase content of all shapes and sizes. It also manages to turn some kind of profit, which makes it distinct from all other browsers, although I'm still not so sure about Firefox.
May Sharing with google reader
Its a silly post, but I wish I was posting more content here, perhaps detailing some of my recent projects, including a system for deaf and hearing people to connect through a web interface to a sign language translator. But for now there are musings, usually about interface conventions and stuff I post to www.pathf.com/blogs/author/michael-dain/ which I could cross post to this blog. But that's something for another day. For the moment though I am a bit interested in Google reader and the sharing interface, so without further ado, some of the items I currently find notable.
blog comments powered by DisqusFebruary What's the problem?
Yipes, been more than a moment since I've been posting, hope you enjoyed last year's podcast and are ready for more goodness for the eight's. I've been television shopping, among other things so see some thoughts on Pathfinder's User Experience Design blog for some long-winded posts about blue and interaction and such.
Elizabeth had mentioned some research she heard on NPR about how schools are not adequately preparing students for the future by not letting them learn the art of defining problems. I think we are all aware of how problem solving works, but it is given short shrift that people can also define the problem, then solve it. I always found this to be the most natural way to handle things. Of course, some of that has to do with going to art school, where if you didn't define some problem you would be painting still lifes the whole time. In fact, this is where the school part is tricky, as teachers we are good at presenting students with problems and looking to solve and grade their successes and failures. In doing so are we removing the ability to recontextualize that is so vital to enjoying learning?
I think of those "inventor" movies where the dad is always thinking "What if it rains? Where do I put my newspaper?" and the kids all support and love that kind of thinking. I think it may be my own failing that I set up expectations of problems to my kids and get angry when they fail, or when they give up. Can I come up with ways to present open-ended situations and see how they solve it, or return to a problem they left behind? I can say that in my work it would not be half as enjoyable if I didn't get to figure out what the problem really is, and how the customer will identify and even help the process become solved. I think there are just as many people, also, that prefer having the problem presented and contribute the "solution". Considering this is the model they get the most practice in, I can see how it is a problem working with someone where the problem is "flexible".
blog comments powered by DisqusJanuary New Year's Resolution
For real: I will not say "the user" - I will say "the customer", kind of makes you think differently!
Also, I will spend too much time thinking about TV's