Jason,
Not sure I like the zappos approach. Visually, i would prefer to have
the ratings even if they're "blank." For consistency's sake ;-) (If
consistency isn't desired for its own sake, then for what else?) Now
that's just a visual argument. In terms of what it indicates, the lack
of ratings to me indicates the same thing as an unrated rating. So I
dont see how they've solved that in any way: no ratings here, next to
all the other shoes that do have ratings, just says "no rating" ... Or
so it seems to me. To me absence of the ratings can be noise -- when
something seems to be missing, isnt that the same kind of noise as
something that's not yet filled out?
We're splitting hairs, but that's what we do well.
On a side note, this opens a back door to social interaction design
and social usability matters: A ratings system has two social
functions: to encourage the act of rating by user; to display average
ratings. Interestingly, my suggestion favors the former; yours I think
favors the latter. My suggestion is to leave ratings in there -- we
want user to rate -- and if needs be then have one user rate just to
seed the activity. Your suggestion is to remove it because it doesnt
show anything, which is totally valid and true.
How would we design a principle here? If the input element also
provides a social connotation, which function prevails? The call to
action or the display of data?
Personally this is why I think a lot of social design elements
introduce social bias and distortion : input mechanisms are the
display mechanisms also. But that's another topic....
thoughts?
adrian
With regards to hiding ratings:
Zappos, for instance, hides the ratings on the search results page,
until the shoe has been rated.
http://www.quicksnapper.com/files/1946/5248341084A5DFBFF1CD89_m.png
Being consistent for the sake of consistency isn't a good reason to
be consistent. Hiding the ratings in this case for unrated shoes
reduces the noise on the page. This is helpful, and well done, I
think.
Cheers,
Jason R.
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