Comments on: the value of UI consistency http://billhiggins.us/blog/2007/04/20/the-value-of-ui-consistency/ Mon, 01 Mar 2010 15:49:22 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 By: The lost art of user experience | 创意纪 http://billhiggins.us/blog/2007/04/20/the-value-of-ui-consistency/comment-page-1/#comment-41 The lost art of user experience | 创意纪 Sun, 27 Jul 2008 11:31:35 +0000 http://billhiggins.us/weblog/2007/04/20/the-value-of-ui-consistency/#comment-41 [...] The tools available to us developers have evolved much in recent years, allowing us to create richer interfaces and interactions. With power comes responsibility - we need to apply discretion when using advanced techniques and tools, as to not confuse users. Breaking interface conventions by using new technologies where they are not needed is a mistake. [...] [...] The tools available to us developers have evolved much in recent years, allowing us to create richer interfaces and interactions. With power comes responsibility – we need to apply discretion when using advanced techniques and tools, as to not confuse users. Breaking interface conventions by using new technologies where they are not needed is a mistake. [...]

]]> By: techfounder » The lost art of user experience http://billhiggins.us/blog/2007/04/20/the-value-of-ui-consistency/comment-page-1/#comment-40 techfounder » The lost art of user experience Sat, 26 Jul 2008 05:16:15 +0000 http://billhiggins.us/weblog/2007/04/20/the-value-of-ui-consistency/#comment-40 [...] The tools available to us developers have evolved much in recent years, allowing us to create richer interfaces and interactions. With power comes responsibility - we need to apply discretion when using advanced techniques and tools, as to not confuse users. Breaking interface conventions by using new technologies where they are not needed is a mistake. [...] [...] The tools available to us developers have evolved much in recent years, allowing us to create richer interfaces and interactions. With power comes responsibility – we need to apply discretion when using advanced techniques and tools, as to not confuse users. Breaking interface conventions by using new technologies where they are not needed is a mistake. [...]

]]> By: Joshua Zúñiga http://billhiggins.us/blog/2007/04/20/the-value-of-ui-consistency/comment-page-1/#comment-42 Joshua Zúñiga Tue, 24 Jul 2007 20:33:46 +0000 http://billhiggins.us/weblog/2007/04/20/the-value-of-ui-consistency/#comment-42 This is a good synopsis of what is a prevalent issue in web and console application development. I find that the value UI consistency if often lost in what is the least difficult solution to implement. Much like patching holes in a leaky ship rather than bringing her to dock. I have found that what is good to consider, from planning and execution stages, is to run those solutions through an architectural and UI checklist. It is equally important to ensure that the UI decisions do not violate design structure. It is all about balance. It seems the loudest point I read from this is to consider this as a part of the delivery to the customer. A co-worker of mine, named Steve, claims, "The UI IS the application!". He is right . . . who ultimately uses the software we design? This is a good synopsis of what is a prevalent issue in web and console application development. I find that the value UI consistency if often lost in what is the least difficult solution to implement. Much like patching holes in a leaky ship rather than bringing her to dock.

I have found that what is good to consider, from planning and execution stages, is to run those solutions through an architectural and UI checklist. It is equally important to ensure that the UI decisions do not violate design structure. It is all about balance.

It seems the loudest point I read from this is to consider this as a part of the delivery to the customer. A co-worker of mine, named Steve, claims, “The UI IS the application!”. He is right . . . who ultimately uses the software we design?

]]> By: Steve Pepple http://billhiggins.us/blog/2007/04/20/the-value-of-ui-consistency/comment-page-1/#comment-43 Steve Pepple Thu, 31 May 2007 02:09:30 +0000 http://billhiggins.us/weblog/2007/04/20/the-value-of-ui-consistency/#comment-43 I enjoyed your thoughts, and refinement of Shebanow's post. I find linguistics apply to the problem, after considering you point. The structure and conventions of application design are perhaps arbitrary, out-dated, and insufficient, but they are the closest thing we have to a useful, basic user language. This said, I look forward to the grammar of application and web design evolving. As users use their desktop and the web for novel tasks, corresponding design solutions are important. I enjoyed your thoughts, and refinement of Shebanow’s post. I find linguistics apply to the problem, after considering you point.

The structure and conventions of application design are perhaps arbitrary, out-dated, and insufficient, but they are the closest thing we have to a useful, basic user language.

This said, I look forward to the grammar of application and web design evolving. As users use their desktop and the web for novel tasks, corresponding design solutions are important.

]]> By: Bill Higgins :: the uncanny valley of user interface design http://billhiggins.us/blog/2007/04/20/the-value-of-ui-consistency/comment-page-1/#comment-49 Bill Higgins :: the uncanny valley of user interface design Thu, 17 May 2007 06:23:43 +0000 http://billhiggins.us/weblog/2007/04/20/the-value-of-ui-consistency/#comment-49 [...] a lesson here for software designers, and one that I’ve talked about recently - we must ensure that we design our applications to remain consistent with the environment in which [...] [...] a lesson here for software designers, and one that I’ve talked about recently – we must ensure that we design our applications to remain consistent with the environment in which [...]

]]> By: tecosystems » links for 2007-04-26 http://billhiggins.us/blog/2007/04/20/the-value-of-ui-consistency/comment-page-1/#comment-45 tecosystems » links for 2007-04-26 Thu, 26 Apr 2007 05:30:10 +0000 http://billhiggins.us/weblog/2007/04/20/the-value-of-ui-consistency/#comment-45 [...] Bill Higgins :: the value of UI consistency i concur (tags: BillHiggins UI consistency) [...] [...] Bill Higgins :: the value of UI consistency i concur (tags: BillHiggins UI consistency) [...]

]]> By: Andrew Shebanow http://billhiggins.us/blog/2007/04/20/the-value-of-ui-consistency/comment-page-1/#comment-47 Andrew Shebanow Tue, 24 Apr 2007 21:33:23 +0000 http://billhiggins.us/weblog/2007/04/20/the-value-of-ui-consistency/#comment-47 Good post. FWIW, the point I was trying to make wasn't that UI consistency was not worth working towards. Rather, I was trying to say that the goal is to have "cognitive consistency" with the user's expectations rather than requiring everyone to work from the same design rulebook. Thus its ok to tweak the way your UI works if users still "get it", but on the other hand its bad to change your UI if it forces users to stop and think when performing an action. The web already gets this right. Good post. FWIW, the point I was trying to make wasn’t that UI consistency was not worth working towards. Rather, I was trying to say that the goal is to have “cognitive consistency” with the user’s expectations rather than requiring everyone to work from the same design rulebook. Thus its ok to tweak the way your UI works if users still “get it”, but on the other hand its bad to change your UI if it forces users to stop and think when performing an action. The web already gets this right.

]]> By: Glen http://billhiggins.us/blog/2007/04/20/the-value-of-ui-consistency/comment-page-1/#comment-44 Glen Mon, 23 Apr 2007 18:07:01 +0000 http://billhiggins.us/weblog/2007/04/20/the-value-of-ui-consistency/#comment-44 Good points, Bill. Perhaps you're planning on touching on this in a future post, but one of the most aggravating things I've had to deal with in UI work is getting an accurate model of the end user's capabilities and expectations. I have sat through way too many arguments between uber-geeks about what's the "easiest" way to do something in a UI, and of course neither of them are anywhere remotely close to what our end users wanted. Geeks frequently forget that what's easy for them can be very, very difficult to understand for the average user. Glen Good points, Bill. Perhaps you’re planning on touching on this in a future post, but one of the most aggravating things I’ve had to deal with in UI work is getting an accurate model of the end user’s capabilities and expectations. I have sat through way too many arguments between uber-geeks about what’s the “easiest” way to do something in a UI, and of course neither of them are anywhere remotely close to what our end users wanted. Geeks frequently forget that what’s easy for them can be very, very difficult to understand for the average user.

Glen

]]> By: James Governor http://billhiggins.us/blog/2007/04/20/the-value-of-ui-consistency/comment-page-1/#comment-48 James Governor Mon, 23 Apr 2007 13:29:09 +0000 http://billhiggins.us/weblog/2007/04/20/the-value-of-ui-consistency/#comment-48 I agree with you Bill. My thoughts on Shabanow's post here: http://redmonk.com/jgovernor/2007/04/12/ui-consistency-death-but-i-want-plain-text/ I agree with you Bill. My thoughts on Shabanow’s post here: http://redmonk.com/jgovernor/2007/04/12/ui-consistency-death-but-i-want-plain-text/

]]> By: Mike Champion http://billhiggins.us/blog/2007/04/20/the-value-of-ui-consistency/comment-page-1/#comment-46 Mike Champion Sun, 22 Apr 2007 16:46:30 +0000 http://billhiggins.us/weblog/2007/04/20/the-value-of-ui-consistency/#comment-46 Good post on an interesting topic. Couple thoughts: - There is often a tradeoff between shortening the learning curve and putting power in the hands of experts. I've been very impressed recently with the Adobe Lightroom UI, which breaks a lot of conventions (and it is cross-platform which can make convention following even more difficult). It is a complex app that has felt approachable for a novice like myself (but requires investment), and powerful enough for those who spend a lot of time working within it. - The web has had a minimum of conventions for quite a while, and has been hampered by the lack of basic UI building blocks (tree controls, etc. etc.) that in part lead to a lot of experimentation. But because of the lack of adopted conventions (like color palettes, and File / Edit / View menus), the web has a chance to redefine some metaphors that are outdated. For example, one of my favorite features of Gmail is its auto-save feature, which still is not a widely employed technique. (IMHO webapps that collect lengthy information should auto-save, even if only to present a "draft" version later, so as not to lose lots of work.) - As you mention, there are many newly forming web conventions like having a linked logo in the upper left that takes one "home" (even my parents expect this one). Or having links that are openable in a new tab/window, which some sites break by using JS where they should not. There is still an open frontier to make the web a far more usable and enjoyable place than it is today! Good post on an interesting topic.

Couple thoughts:

- There is often a tradeoff between shortening the learning curve and putting power in the hands of experts. I’ve been very impressed recently with the Adobe Lightroom UI, which breaks a lot of conventions (and it is cross-platform which can make convention following even more difficult). It is a complex app that has felt approachable for a novice like myself (but requires investment), and powerful enough for those who spend a lot of time working within it.

- The web has had a minimum of conventions for quite a while, and has been hampered by the lack of basic UI building blocks (tree controls, etc. etc.) that in part lead to a lot of experimentation. But because of the lack of adopted conventions (like color palettes, and File / Edit / View menus), the web has a chance to redefine some metaphors that are outdated. For example, one of my favorite features of Gmail is its auto-save feature, which still is not a widely employed technique. (IMHO webapps that collect lengthy information should auto-save, even if only to present a “draft” version later, so as not to lose lots of work.)

- As you mention, there are many newly forming web conventions like having a linked logo in the upper left that takes one “home” (even my parents expect this one). Or having links that are openable in a new tab/window, which some sites break by using JS where they should not. There is still an open frontier to make the web a far more usable and enjoyable place than it is today!

]]>