04.10.08

If you build it they will WTF

Posted in usability at 8:54 am by Mosey

I probably get two or three invites, notifications, etc a day to new sites or tools that manage to make it past SPAM. That’s cool, I like new toys but, I don’t have time for them all. Who does? Unless you spend your days obsessively going to go2web20 and clicking on every new toy for 45 minutes chances are you do the confused dog tilt a couple times a day when you get a new invite.

Yesterday I got invites to Evernote, Supercook and Linoit. All fine little apps once I learn them.

What occurred to me is that this was a perfect set for the three types of usability/understandability I come across every day. You see, I spend a fair amount of time just trying new things, “keeping up” as it is, and so on. And I certainly don’t have time to check out, log in, test drive and use every ajax-laden widget and website I see. I know I am certainly not paying for anything unless I get blown away.

As I see it there are three major issues with usability you see in web 2.0 Apps, specifically their home page. Face it every one of these is fighting for time, the web currency, and if you don’t get it right the user is confused and gone.

What does it do? Why do I care?

This was the Evernote site for me. I got an invite and the email sort of said keep things for life, but as I happen to get it in my gmail, I already have things for life. I still went to the site and still thought, “ok, rounded corners, spiffy logos… so what?” Their tag lines and explanation is too thin. I had no idea what I needed to do so I could use this thing, or why I would, or how hard it is.

Also, they are showing iPhones and macs everywhere and I am on a PC, so I am thinking this isn’t even for me. Luckily, they did but a great little narrated video to solve the “what does it do, why do I care?” After this little video, the application really is pretty bad ass, and I will probably start using it. It is kind of a “the parts of a site you want to remember” like a temp folder on the web or del.icio.us for parts of page. There is also some awesome image reading technology. It’s in beta, if you want to play shoot me an email or twitter and I’ll invite you.

Fault: Not saying in clear words what this tool does.

But this one goes to 11

When I hit Linoit, I instantly knew what it did, keep notes online for me. What I didn’t understand, and still don’t is why I care. I guess I can share with my friends that I need milk and razor blades. I guess I can keep a note of an address or a photo I took. The problem is, I can already do that. I commonly take a phone photo of something and then forward it to my gmail (now evernote) . I cal already text myself a grocceyr list, email it to myself and tag it, whatever…. what does this do I don’t already have?

Sure this go to 11, but why don’t I just make 10 louder? They never explain the advantage (and the soundless video where you watch someone use it doesn’t help). Plus, to really do anything you need to create a login. Yeah, I don’t have enough of those. Searching for confirmation emails brings up well over 100 in my gmail this year alone. I’m not signing up for something to find out I was right it isn’t really useful. Not without a recommendation from a key friend (but that is another post).

Fault: Not telling me why I care or why it is better than anything else.

blah blah Ginger blah blah blah

When I was sent supercook I was pretty happy. Came from a good recommendation, I didn’t have to login to use it, it was clear what I did and it was a good idea to boot. Since I like cooking, and need to go to the store (with text message grocery list) I decided to try this little tool out.

Under the ingredients you have I put in:

pickles (no recipes found?)
garlic (2000 recipes found)
chicken thighs (2000 recipes; can make one now)
mushrooms (2000 recipes; can make 2 now)

The site does a good job of recommending next ingredients, telling you what you can make 100% now, etc. It is really spiffy. What threw me off was the 2000 recipes. What if I am one ingredient away from something, do I need to scroll them? Which crockpot chicken should I make there are dozens? I don’t want to read them all.

Really, the results were too good, the database too populated and what I got was this:

What am I supposed to do with these results? Should I go to the store? How do I know someone didn’t put something that tastes like fried butt and I make it anyway.

There was no sense of authority or next steps or recommendation. They could be so awesome letting you view (mail yourself) a recipe, keep it in a (non logged in!) box and then come back to rate/review so things filter up. Also the whole “one ingredient away” would be tremendous. I’d probably use the site every day.

Fault: Confusing results make me want to give up and not come back.

Well, there are my top three usability issues in a nutshell. You can certainly get into lesser categories like fancy names for simple menu items or “ahhhh my eyes hurt turn off the flash” but those I consider secondary. If you have ideas on other majors, lemme know, always like to talk about it.

Bonus, I evernoted a recipe on supercook and it worked really well.

Technorati Tags: usability, navigation, web 2.0