Thursday, March 9, 2006

Simple: in the eye of the beholder Don "The Curmudgeon" Norman isn't impressed: The truth about Google's so-called 'simplicity'. "The truth about Google? It isn[base ']t simple. (...) I am sick and tired of hearing people praise its clean, elegant look." (Donald A. Norman - uiGarden.net) [InfoDesign: Understanding by Design] Marissa Mayer says the Google home page started out with a box and a button because Larry (or was it Sergei?) didn't know enough HTML to do any more. But here's a question: how many people search from the Google home page? I pretty much use the search box in my browser's tool bar, and never see the Google home page. Which makes its famous design irrelevant. 9:40:58 PM    Questions? Comments? Flames? []

I voted I voted for my favorite Fast Company cover: Brand You-- Vote for Your Favorite Fast Company Cover. Go ahead: Judge our books by their covers. [Fast Company] Which put it at the front of the pack. Woo hoo! 9:33:52 PM    Questions? Comments? Flames? []

Not news This one's really not news. We've been hearing for years that the vast majority of car seats are not installed correctly. But I'm not convinced that it's the documentation's fault. If no one can install them properly, there must be something wrong with the design. Car Seat Documentation Needs Improved Toronto Police Say. According to CBC News Toronto, "Nearly 80 per cent of children's car seats are improperly installed...but Toronto police say manufacturers should share some of the blame. Instruction manuals are often unclear and confusing, and too technically written. Well-intended parents are often unable to follow the directions to properly install the car seats." The Content Wrangler] Considering that car seats must be installed, in most cases, in vehicles that are not designed to accommodate them, the problem is a combination of child car seat design and car design. If the design was fixed, the documentation could be the equivalent of a quick-start card or LEGO instructions: all pictures, no words. The solution to installation problems is not always more words. 9:28:42 PM    Questions? Comments? Flames? []

© Copyright 2002-2006 Fred Sampson. Last update: 4/8/06; 12:59:46 PM.