I read this more as "things my grandpa would tell me if he were a UX designer..." In that context these all work for me. It seems I can't work the reply/reply all buttons either as I sent the following direct to Dan:
*Meaning through context*: the context of information supplies and changes its meaning, relevance, and usefulness. Steve 2008/10/23 Will Evans <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > I think of tips and tricks as in, "when confronted with X situation, do Y," > and that those are very different than heuristics, guiding principals, > mantras, best practices - which some of these really sound like. > > Tips and Tricks: > > *1. Paradox of choice: It is more difficult for users to choose from many > options.* > > This doesn't feel like a tip or a trick - it seems like an aphorism - > "measure twice, cut once" is a tip, "haste makes waste" is an aphorism - > no? > * > 2. Context through content: Exemplars can clarify categories.* > Again - this doesn't quite feel like a tip or trick - be honest, am I just > not getting you? > > > *3. Plain language: Jargon-free language tends to have the longest reach.* > Good tip, and also good guiding principle > * > 4. Multiple front doors: Any page on the site may be a "home" page.* > Good tip and principle > * > 5. Scale and growth: Expect content to grow and create navigation systems > that > accommodate growth.* > "Build to scale" would be a better tip. Maybe its just phrasing which, like > semantics, I suppose - is either critically important or as ephemeral and > useful as a fart in the wind (which Jared says actually can be very useful > - > if it is well placed). > > > *6.Multiple wayfinding systems: Give users more than one way of finding > information.* > Good tip and guiding principle > > *7. Abstraction, templating, modularization: Sites are composed of > templates > and > components.* > To what end? To make the site more efficiently built? Is this for the user > or the developer? Who benefits from this? Is it a design principle or tip? > Not sure. > > *8. Progressive disclosure: Reveal bits of information at a time to create > a > strong scent.* > Yeah - I don't know if I feel the love here - sometimes people don't want > the UI to be coquettish - give me the whole enchilada so I can see if it's > worth it - and I think the wayfinding systems accounts for scent - not > progressive disclosure, no? > > just some thoughts - I think you done good here, and no doubt people will > agree with you and eviscerate me - but all for a good cause. > > Peace. > > > > On Wed, Oct 22, 2008 at 10:20 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 > > > > > > -- > ~ will > > "Where you innovate, how you innovate, > and what you innovate are design problems" > > > --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- > Will Evans | User Experience Architect > tel: +1.617.281.1281 | [EMAIL PROTECTED] > aim: semanticwill | gtalk: wkevans4 > twitter: semanticwill | skype: semanticwill > > --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- > ________________________________________________________________ > 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 > -- ---------------------------------------------- Steve 'Doc' Baty B.Sc (Maths), M.EC, MBA Principal Consultant Meld Consulting M: +61 417 061 292 E: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Blog: http://docholdsfourth.blogspot.com Member, UPA - www.upassoc.org Member, IA Institute - www.iainstitute.org Member, IxDA - www.ixda.org Contributor - UXMatters - www.uxmatters.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
