Robotperson

Maybe it’s a bit late for the new year, but here it is: Turn off all notifications that you’ve received an email. No de-duh noise, no envelope in the system tray, nothing. Get email back on your terms.
I’m not quite brave enough yet to turn off Outlook completely, and only check for mail at predetermined […]

To reach the essence of things, all non-essential elements must be eliminated
- Dr. Koichi Kawana.
This is a lesson that most web content publishers would benefit from. Interestingly, it had never occurred to me before that the word ‘essential’ is rooted in the idea of ‘essence’.

Interesting (and short) podcast on usability and ROI. It’s common for clients to ask for figures that quantify the improvements they will see if they spend their budget on a user-centred solution. But usability simply doesn’t work that way. This podcast offers some great defensive arguments for me to keep up my sleeve. My notes […]

Today I watched an excellent Google lecture on the paradox of choice - why more is less, by Barry Schwarz (who’s book I’ve just bought). I’m in the middle of designing an interface where this issue is particularly relevant, so finding this vid (via governomics) was perfectly timed. It’s fascinating.
In a nutshell, the more choice […]

Some interesting and intertwined stories relating the issues around the shut-down menu have surfaced recently:

Joel on the new Windows Vista shut-down menu
Every time you want to leave your computer, you have to choose between nine, count them, nine options … The more choices you give people, the harder it is for them to choose, and […]

Note to self: memorise Stanford Guidelines for Web Credibility

Make it easy to verify the accuracy of the information on your site.
Show that there’s a real organization behind your site.
Highlight the expertise in your organization and in the content and services you provide.
Show that honest and trustworthy people stand behind your site.
Make it easy to contact […]

An interesting video on how the user interface (UI) is going to work on the new Microsoft Office gave me a brief reminder of the pain we all go through whilst learning a new application.
For instance, I’ve been trying to persuade my Father to switch from Internet Explorer to Firefox, and even though he understands […]