I was just going to blog about this same article, but Blogger's down at the moment - &!@#!. Here's my take: Decent standard article on usability: why do it, overview of methods, blah, blah, blah. Not much new to read here (experienced) folks, move along...

The interesting part of the article? There are 2040 words in the second paragraph. No, that's not a typo -- 2040 brain-busting words in ONE paragraph -- I copied it into MS-Word and checked. Line length is very long as well -- roughly 25 words per line.

Can you say "line break?"

Can you spell <P>?

I thought you could. But evidently Revolution magazine has a hard time with implementing those things.

=:-)

Don't even get me started on their font size issue...

Posted by: Lyle, Lyle, Croc O' Lyle on September 5, 2003 10:49 PM

---

 

I hate font nazis. I hate living life as a second class citizen, employing homebrew javascript to make a site accessible for reading without aspirin. I don't visit, I don't shop such sites anymore.

Posted by: Jim Tule on September 5, 2003 10:58 PM

---

 

This was on hard article on the eyes, thats for sure.

Posted by: Daniel Szuc on September 5, 2003 11:53 PM

---

 

This was *one* hard article on the eyes, thats for sure.

Posted by: Daniel Szuc on September 5, 2003 11:53 PM

---

 

Plus:

• Horizontal scrollbar at 800x600 (I wouldn't be able to read it at higher res because of the small font).
  
• No left margin on the menu.
  
• No sub-headings.
  
• Whatever else you can find.
  

Posted by: Philip Chalmers on September 6, 2003 02:26 AM

---

 

On the actual content, I work for one of the companies quoted and can tell you that it's just a puff piece that contains little valid information.

Posted by: Mac on September 6, 2003 05:05 AM

---

 

From - THE REVOLUTION USABILITY REPORT sponsored by fhios: Work to rule

So, can usability experts and creatives live in peace? "We did hire a usability expert once, but found they added very little to our process. Unless our creative people understand usability, how can they design sites?" asks Margaret Manning, chief executive at agency Reading Room.

This is what happens when the Marketeers get their hands on usability.

The usability people are playing into their hands by putting the brand before the users.

"There's no point in having something people can use if it doesn't inspire to be interested in the product or engage them with the brand," argues Julie Howell, campaigns officer (accessible internet), at the RNIB.

How can anyone who calls themself "Head of User Experience" get away with saying something like this!

"One of most unusable sites, yet one of the most successful, is eBay," says Paul Dawson, head of user experience at Conchango.

If usability people think they have problems working with us programmers, then wait until you get one of these fellow 'professionals' on your team.

Posted by: Mac on September 6, 2003 05:36 AM

---

 

Mac,

I wouldn't say "usability people are playing into their hands," but rather that we're talking their language - seeking common ground. We have to consider *our* users, and in many situations they are business or marketing executives who care about creating good "brand experiences."

Online user experience = one type of brand experience.
Web = "channel."

The eBay quote IS a horrible one. You'd hope that someone wouldn't say this exactly, but it could be a quote out of context as well. Don't forget the author and editor in all this.

"Unusable" is a dangerous word for a usability professional to wield - as is "usable." They are all about context and specifics. Just try to define them and you'll see what I mean.

I would welcome someone asking the question "Unless creative people understand usability, how can they design sites?" -- The answer is no one role should design a site. Not just "creatives," not just "usablity folks," not just developers, not just executives. Design should be multi-disciplinary.

A better question is why didn't the usability expert they hired add more value to their process? Consistently delivering value is the best way to promote usability or UCD. "We have met the enemy and he is us."

Give me someone who cares about the brand or "user experience" anyday over someone who cares more about technical excellence. Even if they are wrong about some things, at least I have something to work with.

Selling UCD is about finding the common ground and using it to build a fortress on. Then you need a moat with a drawbridge and catapults on the ramparts to assault their defenses with livestock and boiling oil. That's how you win people over.

Posted by: Lyle, Lyle, Croc O' Lyle on September 8, 2003 04:05 PM

---

 

I was going to add something here, but then it got so long that I decided to post it to my own blog. Basically addressing two issues: first, the 'intuitive' question (gosh how I dislike that word), and second, the point about not needing usability people.

Posted by: Louise Ferguson on September 9, 2003 04:39 AM

---

 

From Lyle, Lyle, Croc O' Lyle - "Design should be multi-disciplinary" - Well said!

Posted by: Daniel Szuc on September 9, 2003 07:35 AM

---

 

Thanks Daniel. That's an original thought you can attribute to me from now on. :)

I also claim: "Ease of use is not easy(tm)"

and
"It's not easy being unusable(tm)"

and the all-time favorite:
"Save a brain cell - use blue underlined links!(tm)"

PS. You can call me Lyle...

Posted by: Lyle, Lyle, Croc O' Lyle on September 10, 2003 01:04 AM

---

 

Just read Louise's post about this.

It's excellent. Go read it.

Posted by: Lyle, Lyle, Croc O' Lyle on September 10, 2003 01:24 PM

---