January 9, 2007 by Greg Schuessler.

According to apple.com, iPhone combines three products — a revolutionary mobile phone, a widescreen iPod with touch controls, and a breakthrough Internet communications device with desktop-class email, web browsing, maps, and searching into one small and lightweight handheld device. 

iPhone features a rich HTML email client and Safari — the most advanced web browser ever on a portable device — which automatically syncs bookmarks from your PC or Mac.

After reading about the iPhone on their website  I have to say I can hardly wait to see the device in person.  Unfortunately the product will not be available until June 2007 in the United States, but until then I’m sure there will be a lot of hype around the product.

Are you interested in purchasing one?  View the iPhone at Apple’s official iPhone site.

Posted in Products | 4 Comments »

January 9, 2007 by Greg Schuessler.

Are there any MySpace.com websites that have been well designed and are usable? Yes, somewhere out there - but where??

So many of the MySpace websites are poorly designed and have multiple usability issues, however the fact is that many people use it, regardless! Most of those people are in the younger market with no real sense of usability nor design. If it looks cool, then add it! Found another neat gizmo, add that too!

Well I’m very happy to report that I did happen to find a website by a Mr. Mike D (no not the Mike D. from the Beastie Boys, ha-ha). His website has been well designed - clean and simple. Check it out at http://www.myspace.com/mikeindustries

So, what do you think? Do you have a MySpace.com account? Let’s review it!

Posted in Websites | 2 Comments »

January 5, 2007 by Greg Schuessler.

It’s Friday and you’re looking forward to the weekend. Phone rings and you answer to hear ”Wanna play some cards?” by the person on the other end of the line. That’s right, wanna do some Card Sorting!? 

Card sorting is a way to involve users in grouping information for a Web site, as defined by Usability.gov.

The key here is really allowing the user to define how they organize content for a particular Website, while a Usability Specialist watches and takes note of the feedback.

Receiving information from a participant of a Card Sort can help you better define the architecture of your Website.

There are two types of Card Sorts:

• Open Card Sort = Participants organize cards into groups that make sense to them and then name each group.
• Closed Card Sort = Participants organize cards into pre-defined categories.

While both are valuable I believe it to be benefitial to implement both per Website design. Unless of course you absolutely sure what the categories should be named!

Learn more about Card Sorting by visiting the how card sort works section on usability.gov.

Posted in Methods | 1 Comment »

January 4, 2007 by Greg Schuessler.

An article written by Rachel Coleman on practicalecommerce.com talks about ways in which Ecommerce ventures can address design and usability problems for their website.

“In a brick-and-mortar enterprise, the problem would be so obvious, no one could ignore it. A tangle of abandoned shopping carts full of unpurchased goods means trouble.”

Some of her tips include:

• Ditch cumbersome graphics
• Make shopping carts functional, not informational
• Bite-size chunks are better

Read the full 10 Tips to Improve Usability article.

Posted in Articles | 1 Comment »