Good Enough is Better

History is repeating itself on the web. HTML 5 and advanced Javascript frameworks have made almost anything possible. This lack of constraint leads to sites breaking the tools of the web browser. We're following a similar pattern to when Macromedia Flash became a pervasive and trendy techology a few years ago.

In this talk we will outline both of these trends, and look to old designers like Saul Bass and Dieter Rams for principals in navigating a world without constraints. We will end by going through a workshop to apply some of these principals.

Transcript

1. Good enough is better.
2. Agenda 11:35 11:55 ! ! presentation / conversation rapid prototyping workshop ! !
3. Steve Berry Thought Merchants ! thoughtmerchants.com codeclimate.com @thoughtmerchant
4. I work with start-ups & emerging companies.
5. Let’s get started!
6. Good enough is better for the internet.
7. Internet of Things!!
10. “Innovate as a last resort. More horrors are done in the name of innovation than any other.” - Charles Eames
12. Deliberately did not use any of the tools available.
14. Expected Door Paradigm Dog / Cannon Doorbell
15. Back to the internets
16. What does every single web experience share? The browser itself…
20. Browser Paradigm
21. Ubiquitous
22. Timeless Netscape 2.02
25. Deliberately impairing my ability to scroll.
27. Scroll bar… Y you no scroll?
28. Don’t be too clever… ! Breaking the interaction paradigm with the user.
29. The web is an agreement. ! - Phil Hawksworth https://speakerdeck.com/philhawksworth/excessive-enhancement-toster2012
30. Browser Paradigm Mac Pro Site
31. Consistency and standards Users should not have to wonder whether different words, situations, or actions mean the same thing. Follow platform conventions. http:/ /www.nngroup.com/articles/ten-usability-heuristics/ Top 10 Usability Heuristics
32. “Use the tools the browser gives you.” - Ryan Findley http:/ /neomindlabs.com
34. Scroll-jacking!
35. “Surprise is best left to delight.” - Matthew Smith https:/ /medium.com/design-idea/7764db6a9987
36. “On the one hand, we compromised the native UX of the browser. On the other, we built an interaction paradigm that we felt was missing and so had to develop ourselves. We like to try new things out and then improve them. Will “scroll-jacking” be a permanent part of our site? Probably not, because we’re always adapting.” - Wes Hatch, Huge Inc. http:/ /www.hugeinc.com/ideas/perspective/scroll-jacking-on-hugeinc
37. “People are not on your site most of the time.” - NNGroup http:/ /www.nngroup.com/
38. Mac Pro Huge Inc Browser Scorecard
39. Both sites are very well designed.
40. Current browser paradigm Mac Pro Site Current browser paradigm Huge Inc Yet both break current interaction patterns.
41. We have broken the browser before
42. “History repeats itself, first as tragedy, second as farce.” - Karl Marx
43. What was the tragedy?
45. Mac Pro Huge Inc Browser Scorecard EC Flash Site
46. RIP
47. We need to be careful with innovation.
48. “Good design is innovative. But innovative design always develops in tandem with innovative technology, and can never be an end in itself.” — Dieter Rams
49. Let me give you some food for thought.
50. Good enough is better because it exists inside our current browser paradigm.
52. Mac Pro Huge Inc Browser Scorecard EC Flash Site Space Site
53. Current browser paradigm ← Space Site
54. http:/ /mentallandscape.com/ was built in 2003!
56. Good enough lasts because improvements in usability are slow.
57. Usability improves 6% per year http://www.nngroup.com/articles/progress-in-usability-fast-or-slow/
58. It will take 70 years to reach 70% task completion. http://www.nngroup.com/articles/progress-in-usability-fast-or-slow/
59. Good enough is better because it lasts.
60. Questions?
61. So let’s work with something you are familiar with:
64. Good enough is better for rapid prototyping.
65. Break into 5-6 groups.
66. The Challenge Make a remote prototype that completes a randomly selected task out of a hat. ! Tests will be timed.
67. Required Functions Power (on/off) Source Input Enter Guide Exit Mute Volume Up Volume Down Channel Up Channel Down
68. Thanks @thoughtmerchant www.thoughtmerchants.com www.codeclimate.com