Interfaces Put in the Corral
March 13, 2010
In the last six months, I have been flooded with user experience inputs. Books, emails, and conversations purport to tell me that Web sites have to be an “experience.” Sorry. I like command lines. I like to run queries with syntax along the lines “SS ESOP AND CC=76?? AND UD=9999.” The notion that I am going to scan a bunch of 8 pt links is nuts. I prefer to run queries, iterate, modify result sets, and then peruse content. I like to review short items—what I call information wieners and then if the source item has intellectual nutrition, examine the source document, data table, or other information object. I do research my way, and I resent having to figure out what the heck “smart software” is trying to do. The assumption is that I want to buy something like HP Trim 7 or I want to know about Lady Gaga’s most recent fashion moment. Nope, I want specific information on point to a query. For me, machine generated facets, suggestions, and what other people are seeking are irrelevant and often dorky.
I liked “Overdoing the Interface Metaphor.” The article tackles some interface issues with which I resonated. For me, the most important passage in the write up was:
Improving the product, not faithfully reproducing the physical object, always gets priority. I passed on a long, complex page-turning animation because it didn’t make sense (you’re paging up/down, not left/right) and it would have been distracting. And I opted for an extremely brief cross-fade, rather than a slide, because slides take longer and are more visually jarring.
One voice. Not enough on this subject. I know how I think about UX. It SUX. Just my opinion.
Stephen E Arnold, March 13, 2010
No one paid me to write this item and misspell suck. Because of that error, I will report non payment and spelling freedom to the Bureau of Engraving, where and error can have big consequences quickly.
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