We all have issues

This week’s reading was very interesting. It was interesting to see the usability issues that users face and how they have improved over time. Although it was clear why most of the issues discussed are considered problems, there were a few that I disagree with. One that I disagree with is “Opening new browser windows.” Although one can see how this can cause problems by going against a user’s expectations, I think it has more advantages than disadvantages. What if you do not want to lose your place at the homepage after you click a link? This is usually the case when you are not sure if that link is the one you want. Many would say that is what the back button is for, but it takes more time to back track than to simply click the tab of a previous browser. Also, what if you want several windows open at the same time. This is the case when you want to refer to several pages at once. It would be rather annoying if you had to back track and click links every time you needed a certain page. Some web sites are successfully dealing with this by giving the user the option to open a new browser or not.

The other usability finding that I disagree with is “design elements that look like advertisements.” Although I understand that studies have shown these to be ineffective, I still believe they can sometimes be useful. This comes from personal experience. “In fact, anything that’s overly large or colorful risks being ignored, particularly if it includes animation” (p. 76). As I mentioned in a previous blog, my favorite web sites are ones with dramatic and colorful design elements. I guess “overly” is the key word here. There can definitely be too much color and too much movement. However, dramatic design elements mixed with simple and straightforward ones can create a nice balance.

It was fascinating, however, to see the changes that designers had to undergo in order to preserve users. Most of these usability issues are ones that affect the time in which users spend or want to spend on each site. It all comes down to convenience and giving the user what he wants when he wants it.