Hi Eric, I would assert that basic link functionality can now be assumed for *most* users who have at least rudimentary experience with web pages. I'm talking specifically about "click the link" knowledge. Yes, even 60+ users.
That said, of course there are plenty of things that can and do get in the way of that knowledge - mixed affordance, misdirection, and a host of other usability problems - but the solution still shouldn't be an instructional line about how links work. What kind of trouble are your 60+ friends having on the web? Trouble with many sites on the web is perfectly normal, even for 0-59 users, because lots of web sites have bad design in many, many ways (still!). I personally have to doubt that their trouble is coming from not knowing what a link is for. Relearning how to use the bank website is a common frustration for all of us because banks are notorious for horrendous usability. These are symptoms of usability problems in design, though, and the design itself should be *fixed;* "obvious" instructional text is just a big, bright pink band-aid soaked in salt. Most problems we see with links nowadays come not from a lack of basic understanding, but from the site not following basic link protocol and sending mixed signals. Links of various colours, using the link colour for non-link headers, "links" that aren't actually links but that do something unexpected, etc. Honestly, I don't like making assumptions either, but we have to make a few to facilitate cohesive design for the majority of users. Of course, if your design is aimed at people whom you *know* really don't understand how links work (and good luck getting them to your web site, by the way), I'd *still* not go with instructional text, but really gear the whole design a different way. Large, easy to understand buttons with lots of "click me" affordance, less text - not more, consistent use of good iconography, etc. Happy Holidays, Sylvania User Experience Designer Techsmith Corp. ________________________________________________________________ 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
