To make a great product, you need to pay attention to the little things. You should stay away from "things" that get in the way, but at the same time, embrace those that help you progress.
One of the most important lessons I have learned from making web experiences, is that the little things are much more important than the big stuff. It is the little things that kill you.
My new MacBook Pro arrived a few days ago, and while I have always had a Mac, my work is centered on Microsoft technologies. So my main computer, for the last 8 years, has been a Dell computer (at home), and an IBM/Lenovo ThinkPad at work... But now I can do everything on the Mac thanks to virtualization, and it is so cool!
One of the main reasons why I don't like open-source is that it tries to compete in an already saturated market. It is like trying to make "an alternative to wine" in the wine districts of southern France. It is not going to work.
One of the big "issues" for a lot of people on the internet is how do I become a success? How do I become the best? How do I beat the competition? But, you know, it is not that hard, unless your definition of success is to be "bigger than Google".
Unless you have been living under a rock (or don't care about Apple), you probably already know about the new MacBook lineup.
After releasing baekdal.mobi I promised I would write an article about how I made it... but I ran into a problem. Every time I tried to write it, I always ended up with an extremely technical and complex article. And I don't want that on Baekdal.com.
Today I received a letter from my insurance company. They asked me if they could get my approval for sharing my insurance data between the companies in the insurance group. This is a quite common request, as it is illegal to share financial data without approval (in this country).
If you give me two glasses of good red wine, I will probably be able to tell them apart - and I will certainly be able to tell which one I like the most. But that doesn't make me a wine connoisseur. While I can tell which one I personally like, I cannot tell you which one is actually the best one. To do that, I need experience.
Back in 2006 I wrote the article "The Battle between Usability and User-Experience", where I illustrated that usability and user experience are two different things. Since then, I think, the problem has grown in proportion.
Online backup has, so far, been a joke. Most online backup solutions either limit your space to a couple of gigabytes, and if you need more (like everyone does) it costs a gazillion dollars. But, now HP has released Upline.
I often write about efficiency because it is the most important element in creating a great user experience. But efficiency is not just about getting things done, or doing something as fast as possible. Efficiency is really about optimizing the user experience.
There has always been a lot of talk about simplicity. "Make it simple" is a very common approach to creating better products. But, unfortunately a lot of people think that you can achieve simplicity by removing features and creating less. This is rarely the case.
Creating a usable product is one of the most important things you can do. Where would Apple's iPhone be if it wasn't because it was so damn usable? But many products have a kind of hit-and-miss approach. There is no overall plan; usability is done in areas that seem right at any given moment.
The question of online privacy is a very hot topic. Many people have an opinion, many companies talk about it - but few really protect your privacy.
I was recently pointed towards NSyndrome - a viral campaign for the new Nokia N95.
Bloomberg is undoubtedly one of the biggest players in the financial industry offering a wide range of products for people in and around Wall Street. One of their products is the Bloomberg Terminal. It is a 17" dual screen setup that displays the financial information from Bloomberg Profession Services - all in one tightly packed system.
Security companies and IT people constantly tells us that we should use complex and difficult passwords. This is bad advice, because you can actually make usable, easy to remember and highly secure passwords. In fact, usable passwords are often far better than complex ones.
Gerry McGovern recently wrote that the best websites are the ugly ones - he is wrong. Only cheap companies can have ugly websites.
Making usable graphs is not as simple as it sounds because usable graphs are highly rich on detail, while showing a general trend. But, adding too much detail will make it hard to read, and you see the wrong trends if you don't.
Imagine if we lived in a world where Blue was the only color. All our houses would be painted Blue, we would have Blue cars, Blue shoes, (Blue-ray), Blue refrigerators, and Blue sidewalks. Many people even have Blue hair and makeup. Blue is how the world works.
We often discuss design. Should it be simple or complex? Should it be colorful or grayish? Do you make it low-tech or media rich? The answer can be found by looking at how design breathe.
One of the worst things you can do is to not design for real people and real content. It is obvious in the same way that you will freeze if you sit in a freezer. That, however, doesn't seem to stop people from making a mess of everything.
Comment spam is undoubtedly one of the most annoying aspects of running a website. It literally sucks the joy out of it. The spam is everywhere, and everyone has problems with it. But, there is actually a way to solve the problem.
Carmine Coyote has written an excellent article on multitasking and how ineffective it makes us.
Second life is undoubtedly a big phenomenon, and it is an interesting example of social interaction mixed with massive capitalism - which is by no account a bad thing. But it is not the next web. It is not going to change how we interact in general. It is simply a brilliant example of wasting time on a massive scale.
Having the right tools for a job is just as important having a great idea - especially on the web. We see something new all the time and in many cases it is made with technology we know nothing about.
A while ago I looked into what browser sizes people use to... well... browse the internet. I have received a good amount of feedback both as comments on the website, but more so in form of emails. With this article I will try to make sense of it all, and explain why the whole discussion about fluid vs. fixed layout is irrelevant.
How do you create great products? Those kinds of products people really like to use, that they want other people to use and that has long-term potential?
Update: Cranberry Style is out - it only lasted a week before I started to hate it. Now it is this orange/purple Power Style (lets see how that goes...).
Within the usability community we constantly hear the mantra "make it easy", but lately more and more products are made too easy for their own good. Take something like Apple's Remote. It is incredible easy to use, but at the cost of essential functionality. Just a few more buttons, and a few tweaks to the interaction would make it much better.
This page is a part of "Actual Browser Sizes"
This page is a part of "Actual Browser Sizes"
This page is a part of "Actual Browser Sizes"
This page is a part of "Actual Browser Sizes"
This page is a part of "Actual Browser Sizes"
For years we have seen statistics telling us the size of people's screens. We know that 1024x768 is the dominant screen size, and that large resolution screens are coming strong.
Digg.com is a fantastic site, it has an amazing influence on making stuff popular. But, it is also a constant burden on website owners. If you get "dugged" you got to have a very good hosting plan in order to stay online.
As you might have noticed this site has gone pink, and it is not because I have suddenly developed feministic tendencies - it is about something much more serious. Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
Security are ruining our life. It is terrorizing user experience making "computing" less and less desirable. I think that instead of waging a "war on terror", we should wage a "war on security".
Many write and publish on a daily basis - like the journalists at newspapers. But, whereas the journalists have an editorial staff, we have to do it all by ourselves.
There has been a lot of buzz lately about "Google Apps for your domain". It is said this will move Google into the enterprise world, and Microsoft will soon lose its dominance.
I am pleased to offer a special discount to everyone who have tried WEB2DNA.
Should you publish at regular intervals, or does it really matter? In my opinion it doesn't. But, you shouldn't make your publication plan too irregular either.
I have been speaking out against the use of synchronous interaction principles on this site, and other places. It is has mostly been trough to use of words, but I really wanted to illustrate it instead.
Updated: Added fun comic...
The main reasons why it is so hard to create usable products is that there is a conflict between a high-usability level and great user-experience. You might think this as strange, but there is a important difference between the two.
Windows Vista has been released for public testing (last week). But, none of the major anti-virus companies support the new operating system - yet.
Five years ago I learned about 4 basic concepts that dramatically changed my approach to usability. These were that it must be fast, efficient, simple, and focused.
I have now had the chance to use Office 2007, and I have created a number of documents with it and analyzed how much more efficient the new interface is. The verdict? It is a revolution in terms of efficient usability.
Handling Change Management Projects is very different from other types of projects. Change Management Projects are mostly about changing people, whereas other projects are about making stuff.
The light model is targeted small changes. It is projects that take a relative short time, projects that are simple and where the people involved know most of the issues.
The quick change management model is special. Here time is the most important factor. The light, medium-sized and complex models are built upon quality over quantity. This model focuses on finishing a project quickly, thus ensuring short-term wins.
The medium-sized model is the most popular model for change management projects. It covers changes in projects with a limited group of people and processes. The project duration is usually between 1-12 months. The project might be complex but only for a specific topic. There will also be a significant amount of unknowns that needs to be scrutinized.
Modern companies are in a state of cultural change. From working more or less alone to solving specific tasks, we are now required to work in an interdependent way. Teamwork is vital. The work way we do is also changing. Most tasks, even everyday task, needs to be solved as if it where a project. Our daily lives are becoming project oriented.
The complex model can be used for very large and complicated change management projects. It usually involved a large group of people from many different departments. It also covers change of more than one thing. The project duration is usually between 6-36 months. The project is very complex and covers the majority of the company. The project contains a significant amount of unknown factors and tasks.
Habits are a normal part of every person's lives, but it is often counterproductive when dealing with change. As humans we are not very good at changing. We see changes as a negative thing, something that creates instability and insecurity. A normal change management process often evolves trough number of mental phases:
"The day by day model" does not as such cover change management projects. Instead it focuses on daily tasks in a project oriented corporate culture. It covers situations where more than one person needs to solve a task - teamwork.
In January I reviewed Google Video. In short I beat it with a virtual stick until I was satisfied that it was no good at all. Google Video is a hyped up piece of wasted efforts.
Manipulating your computer is, in general, not a very efficient way to work. Using the keyboard to - say "print the first page, in 4 copies, of a document", involves around 6 to 21 keystrokes. Using the mouse is not much better.
In January I wrote about the coming ActiveX update that will change how embedded content will be handled in Internet Explorer. In short, things like Flash movies will have to be activated (clicked) before they can be used.
Update: Apple did release an iPhone - see below
I have always been more or less addicted to the internet - and having to live without it for about a month is not something that I like. But, being offline has made me realize how much time I waste on the internet.
Notice: No new articles or email handling for about a month
We have all been in a situation where we have bought something so far away that we need help getting it. This is where the great people of UPS, FedEx or DHL come in and take care of all the transporting. They even offer you a way to track your shipment as it travels - like this:
I am an explorer - a virtual Earth explorer that is. It used to be with Google Earth and their nice coverage of satellite images from all over the world. Then came Microsoft with Live Local and their even more impressive "Bird's Eye View"
We have all seen many articles about effectiveness, just yesterday; To-Done published yet another one. Each of these articles points out very interesting things... but, there are 4 basic elements that are far more important - feeling rested, not being hungry, having physical energy and keeping a positive state of mind.
A few weeks back I wrote a rather favorable review about parts of iLife 06. I said something like "amazingly", "most impressive" and other really nice phrases you would use for very good products. I even went to the extent of defending the product against fellow developers who did not think so highly of it.
I have been using IE7 for a while and I really like it. It just seems simpler, safer and better than IE 6 - and it feels like a user-focused version of Firefox.
You would think that with all that money, Google should be able to launch a killer video store. But, in reality the only thing it kills are its users. Google Video is one huge lump of wasted efforts.
Notice: Updated April 30, 2006 usable workaround, read below
Some of you might have wondered why I rarely refer to the term AJAX. The answer is quite simple. I rarely use it, but I often use XMLHTTPRequest. Let me explain that.
The good people of Microsoft User Experience and Microsoft Typography have found that the minimum font size used on computer screen is too tiny for modern computer displays. The absolute minimum size used to be Tahoma 8pt (comparable to 11px on Mac OS X or on the web).
A few days ago Google announced yet another offering from their seemly endless stream of products. This time it was Google Analytics - a free website statistics package.
I have finally been able to solve the problems with the newsfeeds on this site - and thanks to those kind people told me that it was broken! I really appreciate the feedback.
You know, we can do many things with our lives. We can deceive ourselves with misleading statistics - or we can try to look past these false numbers and start to make real sense of things.
A few days ago, I talked about the end of the usability revolution. Today, everyone knows that good products are easy to use, good looking and often highly advanced.
Over 7 years ago I started advocating usability. Back then this "thing" was considered some kind of a lower life form. No developer or web-designer with respect for himself would touch the concept. Instead it had to be technical advanced and uniquely designed.
This week 37Signals released their latest product - Writeboard. It is a tool for writing - or rather to write and edit text collaborative.
I need a break - so I have decided to take a two month pause from my personal-work activities. This includes this site, and all activities concerning Baekdal.com.
Updated see below
Globalization is for me a reality. 95% of what all my activities are used by people outside the country I live in. But writing for an international audience is far from easy. There are so many conflicting ways to write e.g. number, dates, addresses etc. that you have to be lucky to get it all right.
Finally, some would say - Internet Explorer 7 is out as a closed beta to MSDN Subscribers.
The usability of audio books is currently in a somewhat immature condition. Most audio books are simply books read out loud. This may seem right, but it is not a very usable way.
Update: Now includes Internet Explorer 7 (beta 1) performance test. Overall it does not change much. It does load pages faster, but varies greatly in how it handles changes to the DOM. This is good for normal websites, but worse for web applications.
CNET News.com has a very interesting article about how people waste time at work.
Every time I have finished a web application, and every time I start a new one, there is one thing that people want - speed. I continue to hear things like "it is slow, I am waiting all day, and it is not fast enough."
Voice and speech commands are getting more and more powerful, and I am quite excited about the future possibilities. But, many companies who build voice recognition software do not consider the effect this will have on how we work with computers.
One of my very good friends sent the following to me just moments ago. I rarely like email jokes, but this one is special in that it illustrate the importance of new-thinking and simplicity.
What is a milestone? What is the difference between milestones, tasks and phases? When is a milestone? How do you manage milestones? These are questions I get quite often and instead of replying to each one, I have summed up an answer here.
This is so much fun and the creator is right - it is very addictive. Guess-the-Google is a game very you will see a number of images, and you then have 20 seconds to guess what keyword that was used to find them - based on Google Image Search.
A friend of mine had to take the train from one place to another at 5:11am. I bought a ticket the night before because mornings are not a particular good time of day to be thinking - at least for some.
Statistics, and in particular website statistics, is a vital tool for any website. It can tell you where to focus, where not to, what you do well, and what you don't do well and it can provide you with much needed information about who your visitors are.
More and more web development companies state they will no longer support anything but the latest browsers on the market. Some go even further and state that they will only support 5% of the market, e.g. Firefox.
Having trouble getting out of bed? Are you constantly finding yourself pushing the snooze button on your alarm clock? MIT has the solution.
How do you measure errors in e.g. your web application?
After months of waiting, I finally received an insanely small, but hugely great piece of equipment - a Mac Mini.
Two weeks ago I highlighted the most important usability issues with XMLHttpRequest. This week we are going a step closer to see how you can mix the two - including a practical example, just for the fun of it.
Jef RaskinI just received the awful news that Jef Raskin has passed away, and I want to express my condolences to his family and friends.
Sometimes a sign, in a special situation, is enough to make you laugh :)
XMLHttpRequest is becoming more and more popular, and many people are currently exploring what we could do with it. Unfortunately this also causes people to reinvent old and forgotten usability problems.
When testing a product, it is important to rate the severity of the issues found. This will help focus your efforts, and keep an overall summary of the current status of your product. This is nothing new, severity ratings has been around for a long time and has proven useful too.
Last spring I made a screensaver, or rather a series of images that you can turn into one. The images contain quotes from very ingenious people. And all quotes have an inspirational message - to do better, to change the way you think or to make you smile.
Success is the single most important thing that you must ensure when designing a new application, starting a project or in general working with people. I am not talking about success for you, but success for them.
Many websites, not only Blogs, are increasingly using the blog format as their publishing platform. And, that is good business - it is easy, very quick to setup and cheap.
I hear a lot about failed information systems and it has made many people skeptical about the real value of information. But, information is still very important - it is what enables you to act before your competitors, makes you proactive, solve problems effectively and so fort. To make information work.
Getting the right visitors to your site is very important
Habit and expectations are two very important elements in good products. If you make a product, it will be perceived as good if it supports the habits of those using it. If it also works as people expect it too you are almost guaranteed that it will be successful.
Here is an exciting product - the strapless, backless bra. It is a great invention for women - and it is going to be a huge tease for all us men when we see them at the beach.
After writing "News Feeds, the Future of Newsletters", I realized that there was one thing missing - branding.
Most of us have statistics for our website, but what if I tell that you, me and every one else has inaccurate statistics? I am not talking about minor deviations; I am talking about that roughly 90%, if not more, are directly misleading.
Breadcrumbs are becoming a standard way of telling the visitor where they are when navigating a site. For me it is one of the key "must have" elements in order to make a website usable.
Last week Jakob Nielsen wrote "Change the Color of Visited Links", which caused quite a stir in the web-design community. Many tended to believe that Jakob was trying to destroy design and bring back blue links on white pages (it has happened before).
I recently purchased NewsGator, a great news reader that sits right in the middle of Outlook - where I manage my personal emails, calendar, tasks and projects. Yes, I do also use NetNewsWire on my G4, but my Dell Inspiron has long been my primary system.
The question is not "can everyone see the site, regardless of system/browser?" Instead it is "how do I make my site great for my expected audience?"
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