Don't 1. 'Paradox of choice' and 6. 'Multiple wayfinding systems' contradict each other?
-- Oleh Kovalchuke Interaction Design is design of time http://www.tangospring.com/IxDtopicWhatIsInteractionDesign.htm On Wed, Oct 22, 2008 at 9:20 AM, Dan Brown <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > [Originally appeared on IAI's mailing list. A couple people suggested I > post > this here, to IxDA's discussion list, and provide a little more context.] > <context type="more"> > If you didn't see Jared Spool's keynote at the IA Summit earlier this year, > you missed an interesting perspective on "user-centered design". One of my > main take-aways was that the key ingredient to a successful design team is > not a solid, formal methodology. Instead, it's that the design team shares > a > common vision and the designers have a set of good tips and tricks to draw > from. > </context> > > Ever since Jared's keynote in Miami, I've been thinking about the tips, > tricks, and techniques for information architects. > For me, the exercise is about excluding (a) rules of thumb (which generally > don't account for context) and (b) techniques pertaining to interface > design > rather than internal structures (because there are already a lot of UI tips > & tricks). > I've compiled eight (a good number!) of them. I'm using these as the first > "chapter" in my revised Intro to IA class, so if you've got good (or bad or > contrary) examples of these techniques, I'd love to see them! > > Paradox of choice: It is more difficult for users to choose from many > options. > Context through content: Exemplars can clarify categories. > Plain language: Jargon-free language tends to have the longest reach. > Multiple front doors: Any page on the site may be a "home" page. > Scale and growth: Expect content to grow and create navigation systems that > accommodate growth. > Multiple wayfinding systems: Give users more than one way of finding > information. > Abstraction, templating, modularization: Sites are composed of templates > and > components. > Progressive disclosure: Reveal bits of information at a time to create a > strong scent. > > I'm less interested in discussing the merits of Jared's findings. Whether > or > not you're a strong proponent of formal methodology or not, having a set of > design principles (to borrow a term from Leah Buley's talk) seems important > in any situation. While these can vary from project to project (accounting > for specific contexts), I do have a core "platform" that drives most of my > thinking. > > Looking forward to your thoughts! > -- Dan > > > -- > > Dan Brown, Principal • (301) 801-4850 > EightShapes, LLC • eightshapes.com > Also at: communicatingdesign.com • greenonions.com > > > > -- > > Dan Brown, Principal • (301) 801-4850 > EightShapes, LLC • eightshapes.com > Also at: communicatingdesign.com • greenonions.com > ________________________________________________________________ > Welcome to the Interaction Design Association (IxDA)! > To post to this list ....... [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Unsubscribe ................ http://www.ixda.org/unsubscribe > List Guidelines ............ http://www.ixda.org/guidelines > List Help .................. http://www.ixda.org/help > ________________________________________________________________ Welcome to the Interaction Design Association (IxDA)! To post to this list ....... [EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe ................ http://www.ixda.org/unsubscribe List Guidelines ............ http://www.ixda.org/guidelines List Help .................. http://www.ixda.org/help
