In application design, there’s a tension between power and simplicity : Users want the ability to get a lot done, but they don’t want to take the time to learn lots of complicated features.
One way to address this dilemma is to use progressive disclosure — that is, to show users only the most important options until they ask for the advanced features.
Another good approach is to use generic commands , which remain the same across many different contexts and thus reduce complexity.
Cut, Copy, Paste
The cut-copy-paste triad offers the most famous example of generic commands. These 3 basic commands suffice to let users do everything from move...
That mainstream corporate websites make blatant usability mistakes is understandable because most members of their teams aren't grounded in graduate degrees in human-computer interaction. (That's why I have recently added foundational courses, such as The Human Mind, to my usability conference
Tab-design problems are a common finding when using analytics for a UX health check. Assuming that you’re tracking within-page actions, you may find that users rarely use the tabs on certain pages. Check if you’re violating any of the guidelines in this article. If yes, you probably have the
If you must make your own scrollbars, stay as close to user expectations as possible. Unless your scrollbars look like scrollbars, users might not notice them. Unless your scrollbars behave like scrollbars, users might not be able to bring the desired content into view. In either case, your
A 60-Second Trailer of the 60-Day Report on Cybersecurity
She explained that the original design of the Internet was driven more by considerations of interoperability rather than security, and as a result we are now faced with almost insurmountable issues. Some examples include online criminals who steal our information, mass bandits who have the ability
Crypto Micropayments: An Exciting Future of Blockchain Transactions
The perceived potential of vending machines possessing the power to bring an air of commonality to cryptocurrencies is so great that there are plenty of companies that are preparing to bring blockchain-infused microtransactions into everyday life. One such company is GoByte – a cryptocurrency
5 Ways Blockchain Startups Can Appeal to Enterprises
The core value of blockchain is the ability to identify high-value problems and solve them by bringing together the right parties. In that same vein, blockchain-based startups shouldn’t hesitate to consider what areas of their operations can be handled by new types of service providers who can
Browser and GUI Chrome
What do we mean when talking about the "chrome" in a user interface design? An attendee asked this question during a recent course on Visual Design for Mobile and Tablet. Whenever someone asks us a basic question, I assume that many more people want the answer as well — and thus, this article on
generic commands
Brand Is Experience in the Digital Age
Though interaction has always been important for forming customer impressions in service industries — customers would quit going to McDonalds if they were consistently treated rudely by staff no matter how highly they rate the fries — what’s new is that interaction and user experience have
Brand Vocabulary in the Context of UX: Key Terms Defined
Typically, brands have a set of 3–7 brand attributes, which are well-defined within the context of the organization. In both the Walmart example above and the Spotify example below, the organization has taken time to provide specific definitions for what these potentially vague terms mean for
3 Design Considerations for Effective Mobile-App Permission Requests
This notification from WeChat uses a dark pattern to disguise a permission request as an informational dialogue. The OK button is labeled Recommended, and there’s no option to directly decline the request. If users want to deny access to contacts, they have to pay a greater interaction cost
UX Mapping Methods Compared: A Cheat Sheet
Low-fidelity maps are unpolished and often created with sticky notes in a flexible, unrefined manner. These maps are best in an early part of the process. Low fidelity means little commitment or creation effort and empowers people to collaborate, revise, and update as needed. Use sticky notes
Visual Design Terms Cheat Sheet
Brightness of an interface can also influence the overall tone and brand identity. Take these two websites of two different investment banking companies, which have similar layouts above the fold, but with different hero image choices. Betterment opts for a darker (low brightness) hero image (with
Which UX Deliverables Are Most Commonly Created and Shared?
Only 25% of our respondents found pixel-perfect visual mockups to be a useful tool to communicate ideas to their managerial audiences. Considering how frequently we hear from UX professionals that they feel pressure to present high-fidelity visual designs to their stakeholder audiences, it’s
generic commands
Storyboards Help Visualize UX Ideas
Storyboards can be a form of ideation. You can sketch out an idea of how a user may use a feature if it helps to visualize a potential experience or you want to have a better understanding of the user’s environment before starting development. Ideation storyboards should be used as a means of
Contextual Menus: Delivering Relevant Tools for Tasks
Swipe gestures are not deployed consistently in all lists, so people don’t always think to use them and as a result, the gestures become less discoverable. Swipe actions are accelerators intended to speed up interactions for power users, but the actions available through the gesture should also
International Study by WP Engine Reveals Enterprise Investment Lags Today's Mobile-First Consumer
WP Engine is the WordPress Digital Experience Platform that gives companies of all sizes the agility, performance, intelligence, and integrations they need to drive their business forward faster. WP Engine’s combination of tech innovation and an award-winning team of WordPress experts are trusted
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
A Look at WordCamp Los Angeles 2018 .
Surprisingly, my favorite session of the weekend came from Joe A Simpson Jr who brought a refreshing perspective to why accessibility is important. Imagine a colorblind person watching a football game in which team uniforms were all solid colors. Through a color simulator, we couldn’t tell the
A 60-Second Trailer of the 60-Day Report on Cybersecurity
She explained that the original design of the Internet was driven more by considerations of interoperability rather than security, and as a result we are now faced with almost insurmountable issues. Some examples include online criminals who steal our information, mass bandits who have the ability
8 predictions for the future of IoT in 2017
Similarly, insurance companies will start to invest more in a move to adapt to the IoT. The IoT is going to generate data that will fundamentally redefine the way they can calculate and mitigate risk. This year will be critical for them as they work to embrace the IoT with early consumer
29% of Internet Users Have Bought Things From Spam Email?? Say It Aint So!
The announcement of the study concludes with these funny lines, from Anstis again: “The other way to look at this situation is from a spammer’s perspective. There are approximately 250 million people out there who are interested in these kinds of products and have made purchases from
The Modern Shape and Trends of Employee Culture
Veronique James, CEO of the James Agency, an advertising, public relations, and digital marketing firm based in Scottsdale, Ariz., writes that there are things every executive can do on a granular level to ensure an upbeat environment. For example, her agency begins each week with a 15-minute
generic commands
A 60-Second Trailer of the 60-Day Report on Cybersecurity
She explained that the original design of the Internet was driven more by considerations of interoperability rather than security, and as a result we are now faced with almost insurmountable issues. Some examples include online criminals who steal our information, mass bandits who have the ability
Digital Marketing Trends to Drop and Trends to Follow
These “blasting” messages aren’t viewed as being in good taste, and if anything, is a great way to get yourself/your brand blocked. Subtlety is key, and it’s important to put effort into nurturing relationships instead of just making sure as many eyeballs see the message as
Generic Commands | TV Meets the Web
TV Meets the Web
Online TV program listings are one example of content that would seem optimal for WebTV users. It would also be quite useful to have hyperlinks to detailed information about each show: which actor is playing this role? what are the statistics for this baseball player? The point being that the
Can Hated Design Elements Be Made to Work?
That said, PDF has its uses — they're just not in the realm of interactive information access. When people want to download a report for later reference, PDF shines. Indeed, I use it myself for this purpose. (As an example, see our report on social media usability, which is available for free
Changes in Web Usability Since 1994
The change from 1994 is that scrolling is no longer a usability disaster for navigation pages. Scrolling still reduces usability, but all design involves trade-offs, and the argument against scrolling is no longer as strong as it used to be. Thus, pages that can be markedly improved with a
