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,...
Last but not least, if one of your priorities is providing a user experience that is consistent with the operating system and with the majority of the other apps available on that platform, then native apps are the way to go. That doesn’t mean that you cannot provide a good mobile user experience
Learn more is the new Click here. Some of its popularity is likely due to a misunderstanding about how people read online. Mailchimp might justify using a vague link (Learn more) because it follows a very specific and well-written tagline (Make your life easier with automation). However
Whether you're designing web pages, web-based applications (e.g., SaaS), or native mobile apps, one of the basic building blocks is the humble text-input field: a box where the user can enter some text. Uses of this widget are plenty and not the topic of this article. We should point out that there
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
9 Blockchains Transforming the Way We Pay, Play, and Work
Look past digital currencies’ nosebleed pricing volatility, and you’ll discover a robust, decentralized, secure database. Brands and technologists are quickly figuring out how to put this powerful ledger to good use. Here are several real-world examples that demonstrate cryptos’
Past Bitcoin to Making Money from the Blockchain
As the cryptocurrency bubble has gone up and down, there have been other developments in blockchain technology that warrant our attention. According to the Brookings Institution, blockchain based voting can reduce fraud significantly while increasing voter turnout thanks to the ability to vote from
Design Thinking 101
We live in an era of experiences, be they services or products, and we’ve come to have high expectations for these experiences. They are becoming more complex in nature as information and technology continues to evolve. With each evolution comes a new set of unmet needs. While design thinking is
closeness of actions and objects in gui design
'About Us' Information on Corporate Websites - User Research Findings
When asked to describe the last time she looked up company information on a website, one user seeking a new job said, “I was being recruited and was just looking into the company as a potential one to work for. On their website, I looked at their mission, their client base, how they describe
User Need Statements
As their name suggests, user need statements articulate the end user’s problem we are going to solve, and why it is worth solving. They are a tool to help us stop thinking about users’ needs as nouns and start thinking about them as verbs. When done collaboratively and correctly, they can serve
Store Finders: Why People Still Need Locator Links
There’s a tension between individual websites and web-dominant titans like Google. On the one hand, you definitely can’t assume that people will remain locked into your site to get information about your services. But, on the other hand, external sites will often offer substandard information
The User Experience of Public Bathrooms
Toilets that flush after sensing movement save the user the trouble of coming in contact with a bacteria-laden handle or button. (Many years later, I can still hear my mother’s voice in public washrooms chastising, “For the love of God, don’t touch anything!”). Another benefit of these
The State of Ecommerce Search
We no longer recommend supporting complex-search operators, because few users know or use them these days. And they shouldn’t have to know them — the search engine should be smart enough to return good results without forcing people to use unnatural language. Perhaps the one exception here is
StudioPress Theme Spotlight: Altitude Pro .
What is a child theme? A child theme works in combination with the parent theme. With regards to Genesis, child themes serve as a sort of skin that can change the way a theme looks, while relying on the functionality of its parent theme (in this case, Genesis). Child themes offer users the added
closeness of actions and objects in gui design
StudioPress Theme Spotlight: Generate Pro
In an effort to help the WordPress community grow and prosper as well as expand and add value to the WP Engine Digital Experience platform, WP Engine recently acquired StudioPress. For our customers, this means, in addition to the Genesis framework, they’ll have access to 35 premium themes. All
StudioPress Theme Spotlight: New Breakthrough Pro
As we continue to showcase a sample of the amazing StudioPress themes now available to WP Engine customers, we’re extra excited to bring you this new StudioPress Theme: Breakthrough Pro, which is the first new theme to be launched since our acquisition of StudioPress in June. Breakthrough Pro
Design Thinking 101
Each phase is meant to be iterative and cyclical as opposed to a strictly linear process, as depicted below. It is common to return to the two understanding phases, empathize and define, after an initial prototype is built and tested. This is because it is not until wireframes are prototyped and
Fight Against “Right-Rail Blindness”
Users are extremely goal oriented. They look for information they care about and ignore anything others want to push on them. In fact, users have evolved an active system of self-defense against ads. That’s because on the web they are constantly barraged with attempts to capture their attention
Design Thinking Builds Strong Teams
Later on in the process, “Sam” becomes a shortcut for a new user that needs assistance during signup. Note that at this stage “Sam” is not yet a persona, but a specific user in a specific scenario. Personas are user descriptions that can be applied to a variety of scenarios. However, as
2 Billion Downloads Later, Apple’s App Store is Still Going Strong
It would be nice if Apple gave us a better breakdown of the kinds of apps it actually delivers (free vs. paid, games vs. utilities, etc.). This kind of transparency is obviously not in Apple’s DNA, so we depend on data from third-party services like AdMob for this information. According to
Data Legislation Is Coming. Can You Get Compliant?
The aforementioned Senate hearing was just the most recent time that companies like Google and Microsoft have had to appear before Congress. Thus far legislators have taken a hands-off approach to data protection, but that position is quickly changing. As more of life has shifted online, the issues
8 Things Every Business Should Know About Data Recovery
The frequency of backup must be based on data criticality and affordability. And there’s no debate on whether you should create and maintain a regular backup. The point is when and how. You should backup business database nightly. But in case some data is lost in between the backup cycle, use
Start-ups and International Talent
Dan also said that “we’ll see an increasing number of important startups based outside of the Valley over the coming few years.” Again, I think this is a trend to watch out for. Not only in big countries like China, but in very small countries like my own. I’m certainly keen
closeness of actions and objects in gui design
RW Q&A: Monisha Perkash, founder of Lumo Bodytech
Lumo’s wearable products are characteristically small with intelligent sensors. Perkash described the Lumo Lift, a small lapel pin that attaches to your shirt with magnets, and the Lumo Run, a tiny clip that could be attached to the waistband of your shorts. “When you slouch, the Lumo Lift
The Modern Shape and Trends of Employee Culture
Sweetgreen, a fast-casual restaurant chain, ensures its culture is a strong one through such initiatives as its family fund, under which voluntary paycheck donations are used to help out employees in times of need. The fund came into play when someone needed temporary housing following a fire, and
Closeness of Actions and Objects in GUI Design | Ad Placement for Mobile
Ad Placement for Mobile
Keep in mind that this treatment merely makes the ad placement bearable, and should be considered a last resort if multiple ads must be placed on the page amidst content. In general when it comes to ads, be sure to practice restraint. Having a high number of ads diminishes site credibility: as
Flat Design: Its Origins, Its Problems, and Why Flat 2.0 Is Better for Users
The homepage of Trader Joe’s displays a variety of clickability signifiers. (1) The blue, underlined text of View All is a traditional signifier. (2) The flat, red background on the Find link is reminiscent of a button, even without 3D or realistic visual effects. (3) The black links in the main
Top 10 Mistakes in Web Design
A good grasp of past navigation helps you understand your current location, since it's the culmination of your journey. Knowing your past and present locations in turn makes it easier to decide where to go next. Links are a key factor in this navigation process. Users can exclude links that proved
