bettiwettiwoo's Journal: Mind the Gap

A post on Wired's compiler contains the perfect illustration of the age-old why-your-website-sucks problem. It's impossible to see it and not laugh with recognition. Poignant.

The post actually discusses an article by Jakob Nielsen on the problem of the so-called designer gap. Writes compiler: 'Nielsen tackles problems that lead to exactly the sort of failures outlined in the cartoon, including recognizing not just the gap between the designer and the intended audience, but how big that gap is.'

Nielsen identifies the problem as a three-tier one, of which I find his Level 2 the most instructive (here Nielsen discusses on-line shopping at Banana Republic and Googling respectively; depressing fact: circa 25% of people trying to google can't even get to Google to begin with!!!). He writes:

Generally, if you're a member of a design team, you are not representative of the target audience. I don't care if you're the interaction designer, the graphics artist, the information architect, the writer, the programmer, or the marketer. All of these people:

• know too much about the product (be it a website, intranet, application, phone, whatever);
• are too skilled in using computers and the Web in general; and
• care too much about their own baby (so they can't imaging visitors bouncing after scanning the homepage for 30 seconds -- but that's what outside users do).

I am constantly amazed at how klutzy and completely un-user-friendly so many websites still are and this is the best explanation for it I have come across so far.

Hehe

[nizo]

But but.... a complicated interface means it is better, right??? With lots of blinking lights, and scrolling animations, and bouncing images....

I love the cartoon, it is perfect.

Re:

[bettiwettiwoo]

But but.... a complicated interface means it is better, right???

Oh, definitely: the more complicated the better and the more satisfied the customer. Like it says in the article à propos shopping at Banana Rep online: 'A few days later, you receive a package from Banana Republic. Surprise: You got only the jacket, not the complete suit. I mean, who doesn't like surprises?!

Are you familiar with story about the tailor (I believe) who is commissioned to deliver a suit or a jacket or something and makes a c

Uhm...no

[Red Warrior]

That's 24% of ABOVE AVERAGE users.
Yikes!!

Re:

[bettiwettiwoo]

Yes, I know, but that's too depressing to write.

How can you not find Google? I can't even begin to understand that problem.

I mean, what do you do? Do you not know the name or what (it can't really be called Google, can it? How would you spell that anyway: g-o-g-e-l?)? Do you mistake their website for an empty, dead page (oh, there's nothing flashing on this page, that can't be right!)? When, during a test, you're instructed to use the search engine 'Google' you become confused: what is a search engine anywa