Week 8 Reading

Summary:


In the final chapter of Steve Krug's book on usability, "Don't Make Me Think", Krug concedes to the inevitable: That in the business of web design, you will likely be made to alter a website by decree of a superior who has no business making web design decisions (and it will show). The two main complaints Krug says he receives from web developers are that their boss is either asking them to collect unnecessary data from users, or to add needless "flash" and "pizazz" to otherwise informational websites. Krug attempts to explain to the hypothetical boss in these scenarios why these suggestions are, frankly, bad ideas. Not one to "beat around the bush," Krug says of collecting unnecessary personal data: "Usability professionals have a technical term for this practice. It's what we call 'a very bad idea.'" He explains that not only will users feel offended, but it could also actually lead to less data being collected, as users will feel compelled to either leave the site altogether or lie their way through the forms. As for the ubiquitous boss charge to "add sizzle", Krug explains the types of site that do well with flashy media: entertainment, full-branding, and portfolio sites. If the site being developed isn't on this list, Krug explains, then its main purpose is most likely informational, and needless pizazz will simply get in the way of information and offend the user, possibly leading to them no longer choosing to use the site. He then closes his book by stating that, though the book has focused on the rules and standards of strong usability design, it does not mean that the rules can't (or shouldn't) be bent when beneficial. He ultimately states that, as long as a wild decision has a purpose, and is thoroughly tested and results are positive, then the sky is the limit.

Links:

http://www.webdesignerdepot.com/2009/06/10-web-design-rules-that-you-can-break/
A site listing 10 common web design rules, and how to effectively break them.

http://www.noupe.com/design/breaking-the-rules-how-to-effectively-break-the-rules-of-good-web-design.html
A gallery of more websites breaking the rules in a successful manner.

http://www.moiremarketing.com/blog/want-your-website-get-noticed-break-rules
Blog post that hails effective rule breaking as the best way to get your website noticed.