One of the oldest principles of human-computer interaction is that things that are close together on the screen are seen as related . (Similarly, users view as related those things that are the same color or shape , that move or change together, or that reside within an enclosure , such as a box.)
I wrote about how to apply the proximity gestalt principle to GUI design in my 1993 book Usability Engineering, but it was well documented long before that.
Even though it’s an ancient insight and is covered in countless books and courses, we frequently see users overlook features because layouts violate the proximity rule. When buttons, drop-downs,...
The software radio button was modeled after these physical radio buttons. Skeuomorphism naysayers may baulk, but using metaphors that simulate the physical world can be helpful and engaging. However, in this particular case these antiquated radios are foreign to most of the web-user population
In some cases, users will have only few date choices. For example, Google Express, an online shopping service, makes it possible for customers to order groceries online and schedule a delivery time. Rather than offering blank date fields or a calendar picker of limitless options, Google Express
Large footers at the bottom of pages became popular a few years ago and remain common today. Employees often know that the information they’re seeking is on the intranet, but they can’t always find it. When using a public-facing website, people may have the option to leave the site, and will
The Blockchain Talent Shortage May Be Nearing Its End
There are hundreds of highly-skilled, experienced blockchain developers out there. The problem is, they’re ridiculously expensive. They’re either making a ton of money working on one of the major cryptocurrencies in circulation, or they’re earning lucrative salaries working for major tech
Freewheeling Freelancers will Dominate the Future Jobs Market
Freelancers are at particular risk of exploitation from employers. In some cases, the scope of their work can be increased with no new pricing negotiations, they could be left waiting for weeks to be paid, and they typically don’t enjoy the same health or retirement benefits that in-house
10 Years After Bitcoin Began, are We Underestimating Crypto?
Many write off cryptocurrency adoption as part of a self-fulfilling ecosystem that doesn’t impact people outside of enthusiasts and speculators. In earlier years, that could have been argued. Today, I think you would have difficulty making that case. Why? Because technology titans across multiple
Beyond Usability: 3 User Experiences Reshaping Their Industries
It used to be that you would buy two or three nice outfits to have in your wardrobe and would rotate them for special events. But in today’s era, with social media like Instagram, Facebook, and Snapchat, all your friends will see what you wear, whether they go to the same event or not. And even
closeness of actions and objects in gui design
Typography Terms Cheat Sheet
Font widths may be specified within the font’s name, but not always. For example, Helvetica Neue Thin is more condensed by nature than Helvetica Neue Regular, however, the word “condensed” is not in the name. On the other hand, type foundries may purposefully condense a font for stylistic
Brand Is Experience in the Digital Age
Brand is a tool for influencing choice. Brand is not made of visuals or words alone — it’s not a logo or a slogan. Nor is it a figurehead, such as Steve Jobs. Those things are simply ways to communicate the brand. Although a figurehead such as Elon Musk or a logo such as McDonald’s golden
The State of Transactional Email
In preparation for the fourth edition of our report on transactional email and confirmation messages (part of our Ecommerce User Experience report series), we conducted two user research studies: in-person usability testing, and a longitudinal diary study. The main types of transactional email
Status Trackers and Progress Updates: 16 Design Guidelines
Ensure all your users have the information needed to use the status tracker from the start. Often, users will need to enter information such as an order or a reference number in order to get access to the tracker. Make sure that (1) people know that information will later be needed when you first
Helping Users Find Physical Locations
To assess the usability of location finders on the Web, we conducted usability studies of website locators for 10 major companies: Andersen, the American Automobile Association (AAA), Bank of America, BMW, Caterpillar, Charles Schwab & Co., The Dow Chemical Company, Toys R Us, Verizon, and
WordPress for Good: The Price of Water .
Earlier this year, we honored Webby for Good nominees using WordPress to bring positive changes to the world. On November 15th, 2018 industry experts and technology innovators from across the EU will meet for the Webby’s European sister show, The Lovie Awards. Winners are selected for creating a
closeness of actions and objects in gui design
WordPress for Good: The Price of Water .
After a day of distribution, only a handful of customers took the challenge despite the fact that they were only being asked to walk a fraction of the distance a Somali child walks every day. After quenching their thirst with the water, the salesman asked them to check the ingredients on the label
StudioPress Theme Spotlight: Daily Dish Pro
As we continue to showcase a sample of the amazing StudioPress themes now available to WP Engine customers, we’re shifting our focus to food with this new StudioPress Theme: Daily Dish Pro, which is designed to make your content just as appetizing as the best meal at your favorite four-star
Augmented Reality: What Does It Mean for UX?
As a type of noncommand UI, AR interfaces provide excellent opportunities for improving user experience. To see why, consider an airplane mechanic who crawls around inside the guts of an aircraft for an inspection and needs to check for how long a certain part has been in service. With a
Fight Against “Right-Rail Blindness”
The right-hand side of the page consumes maybe 20% of your available pixels: the most precious resource in computers. It can serve many significant and practical purposes. It’s a place to feature secondary content — to recommend or extend the user journey to other areas of your site. Not
Smart-TV Usability: Accessing Content is Key
While a smart TV set is still not a computer, it’s picking up computer-like elements such as navigation and generating a user experience that’s far from the old world of simply watching live broadcasts. The granularity of user decisions is getting finer, increasing the importance of the user
The Biggest Hacking Risk? Your Employees
Consider something as seemingly innocuous as your printers. These can be easily hijacked and sent print jobs, such as when a hacker named “Weev” was able to access public computers nationwide and print anti-Semitic literature. Kevin Pickhardt, CEO of enterprise print solutions provider Pharos
The future of tokenization and blockchain is not just ICOs
For this technology to be industry changing, more companies like FundersToken must come forward and include the nontechnical. As a technology evangelist, there is a duty to be patient with the ignorant and help encourage productive uses of new technology. The worst thing that could happen for the
A 60-Second Trailer of the 60-Day Report on Cybersecurity
Melissa Hathaway came across our radar recently when President Obama tasked the former Bush administration aide with leading a 60-day review of Bush’s Comprehensive National Cybersecurity Initiative; a largely classified, purported $30 billion, multi phase plan to address cybersecurity issues
A 60-Second Trailer of the 60-Day Report on Cybersecurity
Finally, Hathaway sees this as a unique opportunity for the United States to work with countries around the world, and with organizations on an extremely local level. “We cannot succeed if our government works in isolation,” she added. It requires “leading from the top” from
closeness of actions and objects in gui design
A 60-Second Trailer of the 60-Day Report on Cybersecurity
Melissa Hathaway came across our radar recently when President Obama tasked the former Bush administration aide with leading a 60-day review of Bush’s Comprehensive National Cybersecurity Initiative; a largely classified, purported $30 billion, multi phase plan to address cybersecurity issues
9 Steps to Assess Whether a Startup is Suitable for Investment
Also, keep in mind the presence of earning potential, sustainable competitive advantage and potential market share. Finally, the “what” is focusing on the questions regarding the list of top customers, strategic relationships. Suppliers need to be considered, as well as on the thorough analysis
Closeness of Actions and Objects in GUI Design | WeChat: China’s Integrated Internet User Experience
WeChat: China’s Integrated Internet User Experience
WeChat search results for Palace Museum (left) and for Xuxian, the fruit business (right). Checkmarks indicate that the account is verified by WeChat. But these verification checkmarks do not help identify the desired account, because many verified results may actually be returned. Some of these
Website Forms Usability: Top 10 Recommendations
As a taxpayer, it’s comforting to think that my government agency isn’t deliberately using bad design to avoid hearing my comments. But from a UX perspective it’s a painful reminder that despite the buzz and popularity of “UX” in recent years, basic understanding of usability is often
Flat Design: Its Origins, Its Problems, and Why Flat 2.0 Is Better for Users
For years, users had been exposed to traditional signifiers of clickability, such as blue, underlined links and 3D effects on buttons. As design trends shift and users are exposed to new patterns, the average user’s ability to intuitively identify linked elements has evolved. But just because
