Google UX: Some Interfaces Are Little Bafflers
March 13, 2018
I read “What Google Is Learning about User Experience.” I am delighted that a giant company is “learning.”
I noted this statement:
Josh Lewandowski, lead UX researcher at YouTube, said he asks himself two questions each day he comes into work:
- “What are the desires, needs, and problems our users have that we should be anticipating?”
- “Once we know what those are, what’s the best way to solve for them?
Interesting. From my vantage point in Harrod’s Creek, Google’s user interfaces have some pock marks. There are confusing functions; for example, upload a video to YouTube. There are boxes in which one can describe the video. None of the boxes provides a maximum word count. Careless or indifference? I don’t know.
On my Android phone Google Play insists that I turn on certain features. I don’t want these features. The controls for Android OS no longer allow me to turn off updates to apps I never use. I cannot disable the annoying and distracting message about Google Play having a problem. Careless, indifference, or a larger plan to remove user controls.
In Google’s Gmail, I find it fascinating that I have to click to see my email, not just the default listing. Even better is that there are no controls to make it easy to delete junk. Even the hapless BlackBerry I had years ago, make it easy to clean up an email in box. BlackBerry!
For more words and promises, be sure to read the complete article. Do it on your mobile phone for the full experience.
Stephen E Arnold, March 12, 2018
Comments
-
- Subscribe to Beyond Search
Feature archive
News archive
-
