Another Facebook Redesign...

Taking the market by storm, Facebook is still in it's youthful years from a company development perspective.  Despite it's relative infancy, it's been a driving force in shaping a new culture of on line communication tools.  Millions of users have come to enjoy and rely on Facebook as a means to sharing information with friends and family.  Though not without its flaws,  the lack of comparable tools available today,  renders 'Face-bookers' relatively forgiving of often complicated navigation and less than intuitive user interface.

With the launching of yet another Facebook redesign, how will users respond to the changes introduced?  I noticed several status updates today indicating some Facebookers were struggling with the new design.    Before I share my experiences, I'm going to create a thread on Facebook to ask people to post their comments about what they like or would like in the Facebook design.  It'll be a mini-usability study.

I'll be back with results during the next day or so.  Plus, I've invited folks to add their comments here.


Jill

Sadie Hawkins Dance Dress...

So there's a user experience associated every interaction we have whether it's with a web site, a person, situation or a product.

As I prepared my Singer sewing machine for the task of adding some finishing touches to my daughter's  pretty teal green satin Sadie Hawkins Dance dress, my brain quickly focused on usability as I attempted to thread the needle with my aging eyes.  These days not only is it impossible to thread the needle of my sewing machine without my glasses, it's even tough to thread it while I'm wearing them!  I realized something important this week:  Although necessity may be the mother of invention, usability plays a significant role in it as well.

Here's the breakdown of the scenario and the user experience.

I'm attempting to complete a task (threading the needle on my sewing machine) for which I now need an assistive device ie. my reading glasses.  As I attempt to complete the task, I am required to take several steps that render the process inefficient.  I turn the little light that is built into the sewing machine 'on' and realize it is of no value to assist me with task completion.

Then I get up and walk across the room to turn on the overhead light and sit back down at the sewing machine to again attempt to thread the needle,  still with no success.  What other ways can I reach task completion I wonder to myself.  Idea.... I walk over to the jelly cupboard to pull out the flashlight so I can add the hand held spotlight to assist with task completion.  Thankfully the beam of the flashlight provides the necessary light and the needle is threaded.  I can proceed with the real task at hand which is adding some straps to the beautiful teal satin dress.

Over all my user experience related to threading the needle is not positive.  In addition to the lighting being inappropriately placed on the sewing machine, I once again encounter the reality of the aging process.

The silver lining... The experience opened my eyes to a redesign opportunity for Singer or any other sewing machine manufacturer with regard to wattage and positioning of the light on a sewing machine.  I would estimate that the average age of folks interested in sewing spans most age demographics and probably weighs more on the 35+ female demographics.  Physiologically normal eye sight does begin to deteriorate in the 40+ demographics.  Threading the needle is a critical priority task and therefore ways to improve ease of use related to design should be of value to purchasers.

So remember as you continue to become more aware of your positive and negative user experiences, look for the opportunities in those experiences because they may just be the mother of the next great invention!

Now I've got to go so I can finish some hand-stitching on that pretty teal satin dress.

bicycling for more than health...

Below is a link to a valuable article on some very innovative bicycle designs. Thanks for sending them this way Steph!  

http://www.fuelyourcreativity.com/modern-bicycle-concepts-that-will-blow-your-mind/

What do you all think of them?  Could they be developed and implemented effectively?

Thanks in advance for your feedback and discussion.

Jill

Semi - Automatic Faucets...

So I duck into ladies room at JC Penny on Saturday afternoon to wash my hands.  Of course, I'm carrying my purse, a tote bag and sporting my bulky winter garb.  As I walk up to the sink that runs the length of the room, despair replaces optimism when I realize there are no faucet handles on this sink.  Instead, I find myself face to face with a 'semi-automatic' faucet.  Sigh.

There is something about me and 'semi-automatic' faucets.  I generally find myself doing deep knee bends and moving my hands in any variety of positions in order to trigger the water flow response from the faucet.  Once the water is flowing, I try to keep my hands steady so the faucet doesn't shut off before the soap is rinsed from my hands.  If not, I need to do some more aerobic moves to trigger to water to flow again.

As I leave the ladies room, carrying my purse in my almost non-soapy hands, I'm a little sweaty from my cardio-hand washing workout.  Of courses, I am thankful for running water, and for my hand washing success.   The user experience in this case isn't very positive, however for me, it is now expected.  When I walk into a bathroom with the semi- automatic faucet set up,  my visceral response is to sigh and wonder how long it will take for me to trigger the faucet to work.

I wonder how many people have had experiences similar to what I described when interacting with 'semi-automatic' faucets.  I'd like to hear some other stories on your experiences interacting with things that once required manual intervention like the faucet which is now automated.

~jill

Say a Command...

'Say a command' are the words that often startle me when I reach for my Blackberry and accidentally press the silver button on the left side.  The silver button to which I refer is strategically placed smack dab in the center sideline of the device, exactly where I tend to grasp it as I check for email or answer a phone call.  And every time it happens I think to myself,  'I wish I knew what voice commands would actually trigger action because I would like to give the voice command feature a try.'

Blackberry's have come such a long way in design and functionality during recent years.  For example, being able to be prompted by voice commands is a big leap in functionality.  However if I could redesign the voice command access  in any way, I would reposition the button from the middle of the sideline where it is today and move it to the lower corner on the sideline of the device.  Positioned there, it would still be easily accessed for those wanting to use voice commands, yet be out of the path of the most frequent grasping area.  I suspect the reposition of the silver button would result in fewer incidents of accidental activation of voice prompting and lower the frequency my Blackberry beckons to me to 'Say a Command'.

Has this ever happened to you?  How would you redesign the Blackberry?  What features would you like to see in a Blackberry or have easier access to?

Jill