If you don't read UX Matters frequently, you should. Otherwise, you are missing little gems like this answer to a questions in Janet Six's Ask UXMatters column:

... my initial usability testing has found that the concept of views is escaping most people, and I think it often boils down to the term itself. Even if I show users what the software does—and they pretty much always like it when they see it—they still often cannot get over the initial hurdle of the naming convention. When we say Click here to view your views, we see eyes glazing over and drool forming at the corners of the mouths of even the most competent users.

Our own Whitney Quesenbery says:

“Is it the label Views that is confusing people or the actual implementation? I can easily see how eyes might glaze over on being told to View your views, but when users see what’s behind that door, does it make sense to them? Before you can get anywhere with this problem, you need to figure out if it’s the terminology, the learning curve for the software, or if the entire approach is wrong for the types of tasks and information people will be working with.”

Labels: interface, words

I think I am in love with a technology. Now, if I could just figure out how to use it for online support or documentation. Start by checking out this augmented reality demo at GE, called the Smart Grid.

Augmented reality is a means of super-imposing computer generated data onto a video image in real time. A user must print a "platform" image and then display it on-screen by holding it up to their Web cam. The software then superimposes the CGI image onto the platform and, as the user moves the platform around, moves the image as well. Wikipedia article

I stumbled on a discussion on IxDA's mailing list and that sent me off exploring. The first site was a testing site put up by interaction designers at Mini (the really cute little cars). It's in German, but just click Hier Making Of-Video anzeigen to start the video.

I then went to the Smart Grid, a site (in English) mentioned by another poster in the discussion. You can print a platform and play with the technology at this GE site.

Lastly (I do have to get some work done this morning), I went to the site of the company that makes Magic Symbol, an augmented reality software. They have more examples.

Labels: inspiring, interface, tools

Whether you are assessing usability of a site or designing a site, there are always times you get stuck wondering if there is a better way to design a menu, a search form, or almost anything else.

Pattern libraries are often used by development teams to reuse code and to provide consistency across multiple sites or products. Yahoo! even publishes their pattern library so people creating Yahoo! stores and such can make use of their code and designs.

In the pattern library at Welie.com, Interaction Design Pattern Library - Welie.com, you get patterns from a variety of different sources that Martijn van Welie at Phillips Design has collected.

Each pattern is shown as a solution to a problem and there are sections on when, how, and why to use the pattern. There are also additional examples.

Unless a particular pattern is clearly marked as free for you to use, consider all of these simply inspiration.

Labels: interface, tools

A new year always brings a combination of excitement and dread, and all the prognosticators in the world telling us what to expect. At The Content Wrangler, they asked Dave Kellogg to predict the technology changes that would affect content management. At Usability News, Katie Greene predicts what might happen to the user interface.

I am going to take the bold step of predicting what will happen in UUX in 2009.

1. UUX will begin holding regular Web seminars.
2. The UUX Web site will add podcasts and videos to its resources.
3. Summit 2009 in Atlanta will feature a progression of all of the UUX managers in the history of UUX.
4. The UUX Manager's Thoughts will be integrated into the UUX Web site.
5. The UUX newsletter editor will become a mother.


6. Five members who do not currently volunteer with UUX will volunteer to coordinate new projects for UUX.
7. The UUX Twitter page will surpass 100 followers.
   

Don't miss out on all the fun!

Labels: conference, interface, Twitter, UUX business

UXMatters has launched a new column in which readers can ask questions and UXMatters find experts to answer the question. Note: One of those experts is our very own Whitney Quesenberry.

This first question is about Choosing the Language for a User Interface

And the correct answer? Get the right writer to create the right text.

Describing the role of this writer, Colleen Jones, Partner and Interactive Experience and Communication Consultant at threebrick, says, “The writer needs to be involved throughout your entire development process. First, to write appropriate interface language, the writer needs to understand user needs, business goals, the experience flow, and more. Then, the writer needs time to craft words, in collaboration with the UI designer. The writer needs to be willing to write in a conversational tone. Next, the writer needs time to receive and incorporate feedback from the project team and testing with users. Finally, the writer needs to help ensure the wording gets implemented correctly.

Read the full article for process suggestions, good reads on the subject, and more.

Labels: interface, words

User edits are a tried and true method of getting feedback on documentation, but the same concept seems to have been adopted by an anonymous parking meter user.

I suspect the person who reworked the UI text on this parking payment machine had used it previously and was prepared with new labels. Or they carry labels in their pocket, just looking for interfaces to rewrite!

Users Fix Parking Ticket Machine Interface Themselves

Labels: interface

What color should the links be? If something is red, what does it mean? Is white good and black bad? Color Matters is all about color (and colour) Color Matters Newsletter [25] - Fall 2008

Color Matter does not focus on color usability, but on the broader color issues, particularly using color in any and all aspects of design.

The newsletter comes out quarterly and is worth signing up for. They have also added a blog to keep you up on color news.

Labels: color, interface

This arrived in my email recently and today I finally opened it to see what Jakob had to say. If you, like me, spend most of your time working with application interfaces, there is some great stuff in this article. Year's 10 Best Application UIs

Labels: interface