usability
If you've ever wrangled a user interface, you've probably heard of Fitts' Law. It's pretty simple – the larger an item is, and the closer it is to your cursor, the easier it is to click on. Kevin Hale put together a great visual
ui design
I saw a screenshot a few days ago that made me think Windows 7 Beta might actually be worth checking out. That's right, Microsoft finally improved the calculator app! We've been complaining for years that Microsoft ships new operating systems with the same boring old default
ui design
Although I rather like Windows Vista -- I think the amount of Vista nerd rage out there is completely unwarranted -- there are areas of Vista I find hugely disappointing. And for my money, nothing is more disapponting than the overall fit and finish of Vista, which is truly abysmal.
technology trends
The Garmin Nuvi GPS first got my attention when it came not just recommended, but insanely recommended by Jason Fried in late 2005. So, back to the 350… Oh wow. The Nuvi 350 is insanely good. Next to the iPod it's the the
ui design
Google's user interface minimalism is admirable. But there's one part of their homepage UI, downloaded millions of times per day, that leaves me scratching my head: Does anyone actually use the "I'm Feeling Lucky" button? I've been an avid Google
ui design
I bought my copy of Alan Cooper's classic About Face in 1995. I remember poring over it, studying its excellent advice, reveling in its focus on the hot new UI paradigms standardized in Windows 95-- toolbars, menus with icons, tabbed dialogs, and so forth. Seems quaint now, if
user experience
I've witnessed the death of the main menu. And toolbars are on their last legs, too. This screenshot* clinches it for me: Granted, very few people would install this many Firefox extensions. But between this and the Office 2003 debacle, it's patently obvious that the whole
ui design
The Top 8 reasons user interface design is in the stone age is more of a rant than a reasoned argument, but it's still worth reading. If UI design is in the stone age, why are there at least two sites which document known UI patterns? 1. UI
user experience
You may be familiar with Bruce Tognazzini, who is widely considered the father of the Macintosh UI. He’s no longer at Apple, but he is part of the Neilsen Norman dream team. He also maintains a website with the 10 most wanted UI design bugs: 1. Power failure crash
ui design
Occasionally I run into UI elements so boneheaded, I have to wonder what the programmers were thinking. It’s a standard convention for installers to show (estimate, really) how long the install will take. That way users have some idea how long they’ll be waiting, and whether they can
user experience
As a student of UI design, I was always intrigued by the user interface used in You Don’t Know Jack. If you’re not familiar with the game, it’s a demented in-your-face quiz show game. The first version was released circa 1995, and at the time, I don’