Boagworld http://boagworld.com A blog, podcast and community for all those who design, develop and run websites. Wed, 22 Feb 2012 10:15:21 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 A blog, podcast and community for all those who design, develop and run websites. Boagworld no A blog, podcast and community for all those who design, develop and run websites. Boagworld http://boagworld.com/wp-content/plugins/powerpress/rss_default.jpg http://boagworld.com Are you annoying your repeat users? http://boagworld.com/usability/are-you-annoying-your-repeat-users/ http://boagworld.com/usability/are-you-annoying-your-repeat-users/#comments Tue, 21 Feb 2012 10:42:55 +0000 Paul Boag http://boagworld.com/?p=7468 What are you doing to make existing users feel special? For that matter what are you doing just to make their lives a little bit easier?

There seems to be an interesting divide when it comes to repeat users. Those of us building web apps are obsessed with making tasks a little bit easier for returning users. We understand that when a user is continually completing the same task on our apps, the slightest bump in the journey can be annoying. This is because the user is repeatedly encountering the same pain point.

However, for those of us primarily working on content websites our attention is often overly focused on new users. We don’t believe that people are repeating tasks on our sites in the same way they are with a web app. Unfortunately that is not necessarily true.

In fact there are loads of instances where the experience for returning users can become very annoying, very quickly.

Login headaches

Take for example logging in. Too many sites seem to have a ‘remember me’ option that doesn’t actually work! Having to enter your password every time can get frustrating. This is particularly true when you do not have an option to view the password you’re typing.

Example remember me option

CAPTCHA is evil

Also, when you dare to get your password wrong, it demands you complete a CAPTCHA field. Not that CAPTCHA is limited to passwords. As web designers we love to make our problems those of our repeat users. We have a problem with spam so we frustrate our return users by making them fill in a field that is near impossible to read!

Example of an impossible to read CAPTCHA

Broken bookmarking

Things don’t always get better once return users have logged in. For example if they have bookmarked a page that lies behind a login screen, are they redirected to that page once login has been completed? On many websites I use, this is not the case. Whenever I login I find myself unceremoniously dumped at a default post login page.

This of course presumes I can bookmark the page I want to in the first place. With AJAX and Javascript being increasingly prevalent on websites it is often impossible to bookmark the state of a page you want. As a return user you can often be forced to make several clicks before getting to the state of a page you interact with regularly.

Twitter new post dialogue box

Annoying repeat purchasers

One of the worst offenders when it comes to annoying returning users are ecommerce sites. These task orientated sites often seem to go out of their way to annoy repeat purchasers.

They fail to remember key details about the user (such as delivery address), automatically assign passwords that are impossible to remember and make it really hard to reorder a previously placed order.

Email showing an automatically generated password

What about your experiences?

To be frank I could continue this rant forever. Instead I want to open it up to you. What bad experiences have you had as a returning user? Share them in the comments below.

More importantly, take the time to think about your own site and ask yourself, how could you make things easier for returning users.

Thanks for subscribing to Boagworld; a web design blog, forum and podcast run by Paul Boag and friends.

If you are new to my feed may I recommend also:

]]> http://boagworld.com/usability/are-you-annoying-your-repeat-users/feed/ 1 What are you doing to make existing users feel special? For that matter what are you doing just to make their lives a little bit easier? What are you doing to make existing users feel special? For that matter what are you doing just to make their lives a little bit easier? Boagworld no 4:05 Sites are like billboards not books http://boagworld.com/tumblog/sites-are-like-billboards-not-books/ http://boagworld.com/tumblog/sites-are-like-billboards-not-books/#comments Mon, 20 Feb 2012 14:03:59 +0000 Paul Boag http://boagworld.com/?p=7461 Imagine for a moment that you are launching a national wide billboard campaign to promote your product or service.

Normally you would go to an advertising agency to do this. One that has experience in bring design and copywriting together, to slam home a powerful marketing message.

However, imagine instead you decided to engage a local graphic designer. You ask him to put together a concept and later you will provide some copy for it. This just wouldn’t work would it? Without the copy and design being produced together and closely linked, the billboard campaign would fail.

Why then do we take this approach with our websites? I think the problem is that we see websites more like books than we do billboards. We see a website as a repository of information rather than as a targeted message.

The design is therefore simply a receptacle for the content and nothing more. Content management systems encourage this thinking because the design templates exist only to drop content into.

However, I believe websites have more in common with billboards than books. Billboards have to be:

  • Visually attractive to grab attention.
  • Easy to take in at a glance.
  • Provide more information and next steps for those interested.

In other words they need to be:

  • Engaging.
  • Usable.
  • Scannable.
  • Have a clear information hierarchy.

Sound familiar? These are the same characteristics found in successful websites.

Perhaps it is time for us to change our attitude towards websites and stop treating them as a container for copy. Design and copy need to work together in order to produce an effective site.

Thanks for subscribing to Boagworld; a web design blog, forum and podcast run by Paul Boag and friends.

If you are new to my feed may I recommend also:

]]> http://boagworld.com/tumblog/sites-are-like-billboards-not-books/feed/ 4 Imagine for a moment that you are launching a national wide billboard campaign to promote your product or service. Normally you would go to an advertising agency to do this. One that has experience in bring design and copywriting together, Imagine for a moment that you are launching a national wide billboard campaign to promote your product or service. Normally you would go to an advertising agency to do this. One that has experience in bring design and copywriting together, to slam home a powerful marketing message. Websites have more in common with billboards than books However, imagine instead you decided to engage a local graphic designer. You ask him to put together a concept and later you will provide some copy for it. This just wouldn’t work would it? Without the copy and design being produced together and closely linked, the billboard campaign would fail. Why then do we take this approach with our websites? I think the problem is that we see websites more like books than we do billboards. We see a website as a repository of information rather than as a targeted message. The design is therefore simply a receptacle for the content and nothing more. Content management systems encourage this thinking because the design templates exist only to drop content into. However, I believe websites have more in common with billboards than books. Billboards have to be: Visually attractive to grab attention. Easy to take in at a glance. Provide more information and next steps for those interested. In other words they need to be: Engaging. Usable. Scannable. Have a clear information hierarchy. Sound familiar? These are the same characteristics found in successful websites. Perhaps it is time for us to change our attitude towards websites and stop treating them as a container for copy. Design and copy need to work together in order to produce an effective site. Boagworld no 3:46 The New UX Skill http://boagworld.com/tumblog/the-new-ux-skill/ http://boagworld.com/tumblog/the-new-ux-skill/#comments Mon, 20 Feb 2012 12:30:00 +0000 Paul Boag http://boagworld.com/?p=7457 With “Client Centric Web Design” soon to be released the subject matter is at the fore of my mind. As a result I am seeing the themes covered in the book popping up everywhere.

The latest example of this is a .net opinion piece I have just read on the new UX skills. In it the author Lee Allen writes:

The role of the user experience designer is changing. It’s becoming less about ‘owning’ experience and actual design and more about facilitation and collaboration.

The main theme of Client Centric Web Design is collaboration. However where Lee focuses on collaboration between specialists, I look at collaborating with clients. Nevertheless the message is the same, as Lee perfectly sums up:

So what is the role of the UX designer going forward? I believe it will be one of a communicator, an educator and, above all, a facilitator. It will be about possessing the right skills and the passion required to collaborate and solve design problems effectively. Together.

Thanks for subscribing to Boagworld; a web design blog, forum and podcast run by Paul Boag and friends.

If you are new to my feed may I recommend also:

]]> http://boagworld.com/tumblog/the-new-ux-skill/feed/ 0 Emotional about mobile http://boagworld.com/mobile-web/emotional-about-mobile/ http://boagworld.com/mobile-web/emotional-about-mobile/#comments Fri, 17 Feb 2012 11:11:49 +0000 Rob Borley http://boagworld.com/?p=7435 My mobile phone is an extension of me. Everything I do in my day to day life is through my phone in some form. It holds my photos, my music, my videos, my calendar, my email. I interact with my social networks through it, I answer life’s little questions with it. I kill time with it and I catch up with distant friends with it. I even make the occasional call. It’s always on my person, never out of reach. And I’m sorry to have to admit that it’s the last thing I see at night and the first thing I see in morning. But I’m guessing I’m not alone.

This time it’s personal

You must have had that sinking feeling when somebody, for whatever reason, asks to have a look at your phone. Or even worse, use it to “check something”. You know that you have to allow this. You have to pass your shiny device into the hands of another. There is no socially acceptable way to not. But as you do, you know that a little piece of you is now at the mercy of an outsider. They have access to your world!

Because of the amount of time we spend with our smart devices, and the things that we use them for, we form an emotional connection with them. We are protective of them and do not tolerate lightly anything that may interfere with the normal running of them.

This is why your organisation must consider mobile when developing an online strategy. We are using mobile devices to access services and interact online with increasing regularity. Very soon (some estimates place it at 2014) there will be more people interacting online via a mobile device than via a traditional desktop / laptop. Our online behaviour is changing and this time it’s personal.

If I attempt to use your services or access your content and it doesn’t play nicely with my smartphone it is quite possible that I will not only find it frustrating, but I will offended by it. How dare you break my shiny device? This may sound a little strong but the emotional connection that I have formed with my device, that is an extension of myself, could lead me to place a black mark against your organisation if you didn’t deem it worth your time to consider me when providing your services.

Blue screen of death

If you are developing apps then they need to not crash my phone, access or share my data without permission, or negatively impact my experience of using my device in any way. When software produced a “blue screen of death” on windows then, no matter what happen or why, it was the stupid computers fault. If your app “breaks” my phone, no matter how or why, it’s your fault!

If your website is unreadable or unusable on my touch screen device then it shows that you were not interested in me. Forcing me to use a traditional internet access method (if I still have access to one) means that I am not important to you. And fobbing me off with a poorly implemented mobile alternative site that leaves me thinking that I’m missing something and looking for the “show full site link” makes me feel like you just don’t care.

It’s been emotional

Mobile device use invokes an emotional reaction. This means that the damage that can be done to the image of your organisation is greatly increased. If you have not yet considered mobile in your online strategy then do so soon. Before you do any more damage.

Thanks for subscribing to Boagworld; a web design blog, forum and podcast run by Paul Boag and friends.

If you are new to my feed may I recommend also:

]]> http://boagworld.com/mobile-web/emotional-about-mobile/feed/ 0 Watch out for the what if! http://boagworld.com/tumblog/watch-out-for-the-what-if/ http://boagworld.com/tumblog/watch-out-for-the-what-if/#comments Thu, 16 Feb 2012 12:30:00 +0000 Paul Boag http://boagworld.com/tumblog/watch-out-for-the-what-if/ Its easy when working on a website to get bogged down by the “what ifs.”

Take for example the “estimated reading time” message at the start of this post. What if somebody doesn’t speak English as their first language? What if somebody has dyslexia? These people will read slower and so the estimate won’t be accurate for them.

Web design is full of “what ifs” like that. What if users are using IE6? What if we want to make our site multi-lingual in the future?

Although it is important to consider these edge cases we cannot allow them to stop us catering for the majority. I accept there are exceptions. We have a legal and moral obligation to accommodate the “what ifs” associated with disability. However, there is a balance to be found here.

If the “what if” stops somebody using the site, that is one thing. However, if it merely makes one feature less effective for a minority while benefiting the majority, that is something quite different.

My advice is simple, don’t get distracted by edge cases and “what if” scenarios. Only if a “what if” is going to create a real barrier to users should you allow it to hold you back.

My response to “what if” is simple: “lets try it and see.”

Thanks for subscribing to Boagworld; a web design blog, forum and podcast run by Paul Boag and friends.

If you are new to my feed may I recommend also:

]]> http://boagworld.com/tumblog/watch-out-for-the-what-if/feed/ 0 Its easy when working on a website to get bogged down by the “what ifs.” - Take for example the “estimated reading time” message at the start of this post. What if somebody doesn’t speak English as their first language? What if somebody has dyslexia? Its easy when working on a website to get bogged down by the “what ifs.” Take for example the “estimated reading time” message at the start of this post. What if somebody doesn’t speak English as their first language? What if somebody has dyslexia? These people will read slower and so the estimate won’t be accurate for them. Don’t allow edge cases and “what ifs” hold you back from innovating for the majority. Web design is full of “what ifs” like that. What if users are using IE6? What if we want to make our site multi-lingual in the future? Although it is important to consider these edge cases we cannot allow them to stop us catering for the majority. I accept there are exceptions. We have a legal and moral obligation to accommodate the “what ifs” associated with disability. However, there is a balance to be found here. If the “what if” stops somebody using the site, that is one thing. However, if it merely makes one feature less effective for a minority while benefiting the majority, that is something quite different. My advice is simple, don’t get distracted by edge cases and “what if” scenarios. Only if a “what if” is going to create a real barrier to users should you allow it to hold you back. My response to “what if” is simple: “lets try it and see.” Boagworld no 3:44 When is the app bubble going to burst? http://boagworld.com/tumblog/when-is-the-app-bubble-going-to-burst/ http://boagworld.com/tumblog/when-is-the-app-bubble-going-to-burst/#comments Wed, 15 Feb 2012 13:31:00 +0000 Rob Borley http://boagworld.com/tumblog/when-is-the-app-bubble-going-to-burst/ There is consistently talk of a bubble in app development. A .com boom style gold rush to cash in on the rise of the app. The question is when will this burst and where will we be when the dust settles? 

In this short article for in-traction.com I look at it from the point of view of someone who runs an app development agency.

Thanks for subscribing to Boagworld; a web design blog, forum and podcast run by Paul Boag and friends.

If you are new to my feed may I recommend also:

]]> http://boagworld.com/tumblog/when-is-the-app-bubble-going-to-burst/feed/ 0 Where is all the video? http://boagworld.com/tumblog/where-is-all-the-video/ http://boagworld.com/tumblog/where-is-all-the-video/#comments Wed, 15 Feb 2012 12:30:00 +0000 Paul Boag http://boagworld.com/tumblog/where-is-all-the-video/ Why aren’t we seeing more video on content heavy websites?

A lot of the websites we work on at Headscape are content heavy. However, despite the ability of video to convey large amounts of information quickly and in an engaging manner, we still see slow uptake on its use.

I suspect this is because video is perceived as expensive to produce. There is a belief that video has to be high quality in order to be effective. That means spending a lot of money.

In this audio tip I argue that video doesn’t need to be expensive or have high production values to engage users. In fact I go as far as suggesting that slick TV quality video can actually appear less trustworthy than something with a raw feel.

In my opinion anybody with an iPhone and decent mic can produce website worthy video.

Thanks for subscribing to Boagworld; a web design blog, forum and podcast run by Paul Boag and friends.

If you are new to my feed may I recommend also:

]]> http://boagworld.com/tumblog/where-is-all-the-video/feed/ 4 Why aren’t we seeing more video on content heavy websites? A lot of the websites we work on at Headscape are content heavy. However, despite the ability of video to convey large amounts of information quickly and in an engaging manner, Why aren’t we seeing more video on content heavy websites? A lot of the websites we work on at Headscape are content heavy. However, despite the ability of video to convey large amounts of information quickly and in an engaging manner, we still see slow uptake on its use. Low quality video can appear more trustworthy than professional produced, expensive showreels. I suspect this is because video is perceived as expensive to produce. There is a belief that video has to be high quality in order to be effective. That means spending a lot of money. In this audio tip I argue that video doesn’t need to be expensive or have high production values to engage users. In fact I go as far as suggesting that slick TV quality video can actually appear less trustworthy than something with a raw feel. In my opinion anybody with an iPhone and decent mic can produce website worthy video. Boagworld no 5:32 I’m angry and frustrated http://boagworld.com/working-in-web-design/im-angry-and-frustrated/ http://boagworld.com/working-in-web-design/im-angry-and-frustrated/#comments Tue, 14 Feb 2012 16:47:54 +0000 Paul Boag http://boagworld.com/?p=7412 April will see the release of my next book and podcast season. The book will be entitled “Client Centric Design” and introduces a different attitude towards working with clients, one that is in direct conflict with the prevailing attitude I currently see in the web design community.

I have just finished the initial draft and wanted to share with you the preface I have written. I feel it confronts a worrying trend that is making me increasingly angry and frustrated. I would love to know whether you agree. Post your thoughts in the comments.

Preface

I should begin by confessing that the motivation behind this book is one of anger and frustration.

I feel so strongly that I am departing from my normal habit of writing for website owners. Instead this book will be aimed squarely at web designers and the broader web design community.

The source of my frustration and anger is a growing attitude within the web design community that client work is a second rate choice.

Many are rejecting client work to embrace building web apps. This is not because they have a desperate need to build web applications, but rather as a way to avoid client work.

In itself I have no problem with this. If a web designer feels unable to have a good working relationship with clients and wants instead to work on web applications that is their decision. However, I do take issue when they imply that client work is in some way inferior.

I also take exception to web designers who treat their clients as a cash cow to fund their application development.

I love working with clients. I find nothing more rewarding than being dropped into a new organisation, in a new sector and wrapping my head around their unique problems before finding an elegant web solution.

I love working with clients in a collaborative relationship to produce something truly amazing and unique. I love solving real world business problems in a way that meets the needs of both the client and the target audience.

For me nothing is more fulfilling.

If you do not share my feelings, but are not yet ready to give up on client work, then this is the book for you. In these pages I seek to inspire and equip you to turn client work from a job into a stimulating, exciting and rewarding path that will transform your career.

See a sneak peek of Client Centric Design

Tell me when its available or download chapter 1 for free.

Thanks for subscribing to Boagworld; a web design blog, forum and podcast run by Paul Boag and friends.

If you are new to my feed may I recommend also:

]]> http://boagworld.com/working-in-web-design/im-angry-and-frustrated/feed/ 11 Time to improve your print stylesheet http://boagworld.com/tumblog/time-to-improve-your-print-stylesheet/ http://boagworld.com/tumblog/time-to-improve-your-print-stylesheet/#comments Mon, 13 Feb 2012 10:13:10 +0000 Paul Boag http://boagworld.com/?p=7407 I have set myself a challenge this week and I want you to join me. I am going to improve my print stylesheet.

I have done a fair amount of work on it already but there is still improvements that can be made. What about yours?

In today’s audio tip I talk a little about how print stylesheets can be improved to make them a more pleasurable reading experience.

I also recommend checking out this article on the Web Designers Depot that provides ten tips to improving your print stylesheet.

Thanks for subscribing to Boagworld; a web design blog, forum and podcast run by Paul Boag and friends.

If you are new to my feed may I recommend also:

]]> http://boagworld.com/tumblog/time-to-improve-your-print-stylesheet/feed/ 2 I have set myself a challenge this week and I want you to join me. I am going to improve my print stylesheet. I have done a fair amount of work on it already but there is still improvements that can be made. What about yours? I have set myself a challenge this week and I want you to join me. I am going to improve my print stylesheet. I have done a fair amount of work on it already but there is still improvements that can be made. What about yours? In today’s audio tip I talk a little about how print stylesheets can be improved to make them a more pleasurable reading experience. I also recommend checking out this article on the Web Designers Depot that provides ten tips to improving your print stylesheet. Boagworld no 4:52 Icons as fonts http://boagworld.com/tumblog/icons-as-fonts/ http://boagworld.com/tumblog/icons-as-fonts/#comments Wed, 08 Feb 2012 17:20:15 +0000 Paul Boag http://boagworld.com/?p=7391 Two of the biggest changes on the web recently are custom fonts (thanks to font-face) and responsive design.

One of the problems with responsive design are resizable images and by extension icons. When the interface adapts and changes size this can make displaying crisply rendered icons difficult.

Fortunately a few smart people have turned to font-face for the answer. By turning icons into fonts they become styleable with CSS, are infinitely scalable and are a smaller file size than imagery.

If you are interested in adopting this technique there are two options available to you.

You can download and use one of the royalty free font sets out there such as Modern Pictogram or IcoMoon.

pictos icon hosting

Alternatively you can use a hosted service like Pictos. This is similar to Fontdeck and so has an annual fee associated with it.

My preference is to use a royalty free icon set that I can host myself. This will perform better than relying on a third party service.

Either way, I suspect font-face is the future of icons.

Update: As @wez have pointed out on Twitter, this approach is not currently without its problems. In particular the current use of fonts for icons is not accessible. This is a fair comment although not insurmountable. I am sure this will improve over time and as I conclude “I suspect font-face is the future of icons.

Thanks for subscribing to Boagworld; a web design blog, forum and podcast run by Paul Boag and friends.

If you are new to my feed may I recommend also:

]]> http://boagworld.com/tumblog/icons-as-fonts/feed/ 6 Don’t limit your options when wireframing http://boagworld.com/tumblog/dont-limit-your-options-when-wireframing/ http://boagworld.com/tumblog/dont-limit-your-options-when-wireframing/#comments Wed, 08 Feb 2012 16:36:30 +0000 Paul Boag http://boagworld.com/?p=7385 When it comes to wireframing it’s time to branch out. Too many of us wireframe two or three versions of a page template before giving up. A better approach is to sketch out as many different versions as possible before narrowing the selection down.

But what do you do when you run out of ideas? How do you keep going?

Start by trying to wireframe the template for different audiences. What would your template look like if it only had to appeal to one user group? Now repeat the process for a second user group and so on. You will quickly build up a picture of each users unique requirements.

You might also try wireframing with an emphasis on different calls to action. You could wireframes for different use cases (e.g. “what if the homepage was primarily focused on its shop” or “what would the homepage look like if the emphasis was placed on the blog?”)

You will end up with a large number of wireframes for a particular template. These can be gradually refined until you have a clear vision for the page.

Thanks for subscribing to Boagworld; a web design blog, forum and podcast run by Paul Boag and friends.

If you are new to my feed may I recommend also:

]]> http://boagworld.com/tumblog/dont-limit-your-options-when-wireframing/feed/ 3 When it comes to wireframing it's time to branch out. Too many of us wireframe two or three versions of a page template before giving up. A better approach is to sketch out as many different versions as possible before narrowing the selection down. When it comes to wireframing it's time to branch out. Too many of us wireframe two or three versions of a page template before giving up. A better approach is to sketch out as many different versions as possible before narrowing the selection down. Producing large numbers of wireframes does not need to be time consuming. Pen and paper sketches of a few boxes is all it takes. But what do you do when you run out of ideas? How do you keep going? Start by trying to wireframe the template for different audiences. What would your template look like if it only had to appeal to one user group? Now repeat the process for a second user group and so on. You will quickly build up a picture of each users unique requirements. You might also try wireframing with an emphasis on different calls to action. You could wireframes for different use cases (e.g. "what if the homepage was primarily focused on its shop" or "what would the homepage look like if the emphasis was placed on the blog?") You will end up with a large number of wireframes for a particular template. These can be gradually refined until you have a clear vision for the page. Boagworld no 4:11 When it comes to colour, test http://boagworld.com/design/when-it-comes-to-colour-test/ http://boagworld.com/design/when-it-comes-to-colour-test/#comments Tue, 07 Feb 2012 14:44:42 +0000 Paul Boag http://boagworld.com/?p=7376 Colour is not something I have spoken about before on my daily audio tips. However it is something I have blogged about in the past.

Colour is an amazingly controversial subjects and the causes many design projects to be delayed. The reason for this is that colour is so subjective. Our opinions about colour can be influenced by things such as:

  • Childhood experiences.
  • Cultural influences.
  • How we physically perceive colour.
  • The medium through which we are viewing colour.

In this audio tip I share some ways to deal with colour. I mention subjects like:

Making decisions about colour needs to be more than a personal opinion. Good colour choices are based on solid theory or/and tested thoroughly with the chosen target audience.

Thanks for subscribing to Boagworld; a web design blog, forum and podcast run by Paul Boag and friends.

If you are new to my feed may I recommend also:

]]> http://boagworld.com/design/when-it-comes-to-colour-test/feed/ 2 Colour is not something I have spoken about before on my daily audio tips. However it is something I have blogged about in the past. Colour is an amazingly controversial subjects and the causes many design projects to be delayed. Colour is not something I have spoken about before on my daily audio tips. However it is something I have blogged about in the past. Colour is an amazingly controversial subjects and the causes many design projects to be delayed. The reason for this is that colour is so subjective. Our opinions about colour can be influenced by things such as: Childhood experiences. Cultural influences. How we physically perceive colour. The medium through which we are viewing colour. In this audio tip I share some ways to deal with colour. I mention subjects like: Colour theory. Colour testing. Books on colour including the superb Colour image scale. Colour palette creators. Making decisions about colour needs to be more than a personal opinion. Good colour choices are based on solid theory or/and tested thoroughly with the chosen target audience. Boagworld no 4:37 The Benefits associated with calls to action http://boagworld.com/tumblog/the-benefits-associated-with-calls-to-action/ http://boagworld.com/tumblog/the-benefits-associated-with-calls-to-action/#comments Tue, 31 Jan 2012 16:00:00 +0000 Paul Boag http://boagworld.com/?p=7351 It is not enough to create strong calls to action on your website. If the user doesn’t understand the benefits of completing that call to action they will ignore it.

Before you call a user to action, first clearly describe what they will receive in return.

Take Skype for example. Skype has a very clear call to action on its homepage (download). However, that action is associated with a strong reason to do so.

Skype Homepage

Look at your own website and ask yourself whether the benefits of completing a call to action are obvious.

Thanks for subscribing to Boagworld; a web design blog, forum and podcast run by Paul Boag and friends.

If you are new to my feed may I recommend also:

]]> http://boagworld.com/tumblog/the-benefits-associated-with-calls-to-action/feed/ 1 It is not enough to create strong calls to action on your website. If the user doesn't understand the benefits of completing that call to action they will ignore it. - Before you call a user to action, first clearly describe what they will receive in ... It is not enough to create strong calls to action on your website. If the user doesn't understand the benefits of completing that call to action they will ignore it. Before you call a user to action, first clearly describe what they will receive in return. Take Skype for example. Skype has a very clear call to action on its homepage (download). However, that action is associated with a strong reason to do so. Look at your own website and ask yourself whether the benefits of completing a call to action are obvious. Boagworld no 3:09 Earn £500 by finding our perfect team members http://boagworld.com/tumblog/earn-500-by-finding-our-perfect-team-members/ http://boagworld.com/tumblog/earn-500-by-finding-our-perfect-team-members/#comments Tue, 31 Jan 2012 14:46:45 +0000 Paul Boag http://boagworld.com/?p=7360 Did you know Headscape are still looking to recruit two web developers? Even if you aren’t a web developer yourself, read on as we are offering a £500 reward if you find us the perfect person.

We have been looking for a while and despite loads of applicants, we are yet to find the perfect fit for our team. I therefore want to encourage you to take another look.

One thing we have changed is that we are accepting applicants from anywhere in the south of England, even if that means they cannot commute to our offices everyday. It is more important to find the right person than for them to be office bound.

Also, don’t be put off if you lack .NET experience. That can be learnt. What cannot be learnt is the right personality for our culture or a passion for your work. These are the things we value the most.

Who we are looking for

You will be a server-side developer that loves finding innovative solutions to problems, enjoys working as part of a creative team and excels under pressure.

You will probably be a graduate with a computer science or similar background, preferably with a first or upper second degree.

The majority of Headscape’s projects are based on .NET so our ideal candidate would have .NET / C# expertise. However, in recent projects we have used PHP-based technologies such as WordPress, Expression Engine and Magento so if you have PHP experience and would like to acquire .NET skills we would also be interested in hearing from you.

What we can offer

Headscape has a lot to offer employees. Benefits include…

  • A great working environment at our offices in a converted barn in the Hampshire countryside
  • The chance to attend industry conferences
  • A holiday allowance that increases with length of employment at Headscape
  • The opportunity to work with an amazingly talented team
  • Challenging work that will stretch your skills
  • Some great client work to add to your CV
  • Our development team uses tools including Visual Studio 2010 Pro, GIT, CruiseControl and CodeBase.
  • The ability to build your reputation within the sector through Headscape’s active engagement with the broader web community.

As for salary – our approach is to pay competitively. We also share the benefits of success in the form of discretionary bonuses.

Interested?

So are you interested? If so (and you are not a recruitment agency) then email your CV to chris.scott@headscape.co.uk.

Thanks for subscribing to Boagworld; a web design blog, forum and podcast run by Paul Boag and friends.

If you are new to my feed may I recommend also:

]]> http://boagworld.com/tumblog/earn-500-by-finding-our-perfect-team-members/feed/ 1 Should we wait for Windows? http://boagworld.com/tumblog/should-we-wait-for-windows/ http://boagworld.com/tumblog/should-we-wait-for-windows/#comments Tue, 31 Jan 2012 12:17:00 +0000 Rob Borley http://boagworld.com/tumblog/should-we-wait-for-windows/ Whether or not there is a consumer tablet market at all, beyond the iPad, is still up for debate but in enterprise Microsoft is still a powerhouse. With the decline of RIM and the inability of Android to gain any serious traction I have long been an advocate of the rise of Windows in the mobile space. However, they do seem to be leaving it a little late.

iPad for enterprise is a call which is being raised with increased vigour and so the question needs to be asked; is apple about to take over the enterprise space?
This is an interesting short article on the wait for the Windows.

Thanks for subscribing to Boagworld; a web design blog, forum and podcast run by Paul Boag and friends.

If you are new to my feed may I recommend also:

]]> http://boagworld.com/tumblog/should-we-wait-for-windows/feed/ 4 Tips for getting design signoff http://boagworld.com/tumblog/tips-for-getting-design-signoff/ http://boagworld.com/tumblog/tips-for-getting-design-signoff/#comments Mon, 30 Jan 2012 16:00:00 +0000 Paul Boag http://boagworld.com/?p=7346 Getting approval for a design concept can be difficult especially within larger organisations where there are multiple stakeholders.

In this audioboo I share some of the techniques I have included in my upcoming book “Client Centric Design”. Ideas include:

  • Avoiding personal opinion by asking for specific feedback.
  • Focusing the stakeholder on user needs and business objectives.
  • Using video as a presentation tool.
  • Alternatives to design by committee.

Thanks for subscribing to Boagworld; a web design blog, forum and podcast run by Paul Boag and friends.

If you are new to my feed may I recommend also:

]]> http://boagworld.com/tumblog/tips-for-getting-design-signoff/feed/ 1 Getting approval for a design concept can be difficult especially within larger organisations where there are multiple stakeholders. - In this audioboo I share some of the techniques I have included in my upcoming book “Client Centric Design”. Getting approval for a design concept can be difficult especially within larger organisations where there are multiple stakeholders. In this audioboo I share some of the techniques I have included in my upcoming book “Client Centric Design”. Ideas include: Avoiding personal opinion by asking for specific feedback. Focusing the stakeholder on user needs and business objectives. Using video as a presentation tool. Alternatives to design by committee. Boagworld no 4:37 Wireframing for responsive design http://boagworld.com/design/wireframing-for-responsive-design/ http://boagworld.com/design/wireframing-for-responsive-design/#comments Fri, 27 Jan 2012 15:30:26 +0000 Leigh Howells http://boagworld.com/?p=7262 I’m conscious that some people in the web industry, including myself(!) may be getting tired of hearing the word ‘responsive’ in everything they read.  We shouldn’t be, because I don’t think it’s going to change any time soon (not until the next big web paradigm shift at least) and mobile will only become more important as time goes on and the device numbers grow and they technology evolves.

Get used to it. We, the content designers, have to be just as responsive as the interfaces we create, adapting to change as it happens. To do this we need to learn to think differently.

Responsive thinking

We now have to design and think responsively.  Our layouts and our pages need to gracefully fit the device they are being viewed on. Whilst they don’t necessarily have to be perfect in all browsers across all devices, they do have to look good and present a better user experience when compared to pinching and zooming a mobile browser rendering our pages at desktop size. With statistics on mobile browsing indicating that more people will soon be accessing the web from mobile than from desktop, we have to think carefully right from the beginning of any new site we design.

This presents a new challenge.  If we are going to wireframe our site designs, then we need to think and therefore wireframe them polymorphically, i.e. they will change shape in different situations. As we consider and add elements to what is basically the blueprint for our design, we have to ensure that everything can morph gracefully to higher and lower resolutions. Changing layout as necessary, making use of wider resolutions more effectively and possibly omitting some of the content altogether at lower resolutions (a last resort of course).

Therefore, if we wireframe this…

Website elements on desktop

then we really need to also show this in our wireframes for a portrait 768pixel wide table view:

Portrait Tablet View

down to this on a mobile phone portrait width:

Movile phone view

We can’t just make assumptions about how the site will adapt and leave clients in the dark about these decisions as we continue development regardless.

Mobile first

We can’t continue to think through the wire framing process from a blinkered desktop perspective.  It’s not going to be easy though. Many of us spent years advocating fixing width or maximum 960px width designs. The thought of our previously rigid designs suddenly being unbuckled and able to jump around and change layout can be unsettling.

Really, we need to start our wireframing from narrow widths outwards, or ‘mobile first’ ensuring that we can serve our content to the lowest common denominator and expand on this progressively as more resolution becomes available to work with on wider screens.

From now on we need to mentally deconstruct our site as we create our wireframes, mentally breaking it down into columns and elements that can not only exist side by side, but also above and below each other. There is no fixed interelationship any more. By starting with narrow screen devices we can ensure we solve narrow width problems first rather than running into them later on when time may be short.

Design constraints

Try as we might, there is no getting away from the fact that responsive thinking challenges our design options and certain approaches will not be as easy to implement as easily as others. Strong grid designs morph more readily as we down-sample the grid to single columns more easily than a more organic design. Also, even numbers of columns provide easier wrapping options than odd numbers of columns. For example, expanding a single column narrow site to a wide design with 5 columns could present more of a challenge than a design which expands to 6 columns. A 6 column design allows column steps of 1 X 6, 2 X 3, 3X2, then 6 X 1 columns… whereas a 5 columns would be uneven – 1 X 5, 5 X 1 with no even steps in between. Of course, we have every opportunity to switch our grid at different breakpoints, but this inflicts a further development overhead.

Wireframing compromises

If our desktop layout has a major call to action in the right hand column, where the middle column isn’t actually as important as either column 1 or the call to action:

Page element demo 1

is it necessarily right that we mechanically do this?

Page element demo 2

This may be the natural response of stacking columns left to right and this may be the result if there is little thought applied to how things transpire in a narrow resolution. This may be a more appropriate solution:

Page element demo 3

In addition to considering it ourselves and any html consequences of moving content around at different breakpoints, we also need to demonstrate to our clients that this has been thought through during the architectural process of the site design and not just arisen as a consequence of changing the layout. Thinking through the best way of presenting a site is more important than the practical considerations of swapping content with media queries.

Compromises are inevitable

In the example above, what if the call to action element was an advert? Will advertisers consider that it’s position at the bottom of the page content be as prominent as it was before? Again, we need to decide in collaboration with the client and demonstrate on the wireframe how everything will appear and agree on the inevitable compromises that must occur. Advertisers will undoubtedly be much happier with this situation:

Compromises

Conclusion

There is no getting away from it, to show a complex website on a narrow screen device such as a mobile, there will have to be compromises. If comprises aren’t made in the content (i.e. we are still giving the whole site without removing content), then compromises will inevitably occur in positioning of the content. On a mobile page there are really only 2 hot areas, the header and the footer, both of which will need to carry important navigation options for our site. Everything in between is fairly equally weighted. Let’s hope noone ever starts referring to the ‘fold’ when it comes to mobile, or things are going to get very complicated indeed.

Whatever our solutions, we need to quickly wireframe our intentions to demonstrate both to our clients and to ourselves that we are thinking mobile first, ensuring that width problems are all solvable from the outset and that as we scale our wireframing upwards content can neatly and evenly adapt to fit desktop widths.

Thanks for subscribing to Boagworld; a web design blog, forum and podcast run by Paul Boag and friends.

If you are new to my feed may I recommend also:

]]> http://boagworld.com/design/wireframing-for-responsive-design/feed/ 3 Responsive Design Sketchbook http://boagworld.com/design/responsive-design-sketchbook/ http://boagworld.com/design/responsive-design-sketchbook/#comments Fri, 27 Jan 2012 08:18:34 +0000 Leigh Howells http://boagworld.com/?p=7333 I really like the look of this carefully thought out sketch pad:

http://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0064/4612/products/responsive-blueprint_grande.png?100729

I can imagine how this could benefit the design thinking process, helping designers to remember and consider that site design should be working at many widths.

Want.

Thanks for subscribing to Boagworld; a web design blog, forum and podcast run by Paul Boag and friends.

If you are new to my feed may I recommend also:

]]> http://boagworld.com/design/responsive-design-sketchbook/feed/ 0 Pen and paper wireframing without the hassle http://boagworld.com/tumblog/pen-and-paper-wireframing-without-the-hassle/ http://boagworld.com/tumblog/pen-and-paper-wireframing-without-the-hassle/#comments Thu, 26 Jan 2012 16:08:00 +0000 Paul Boag http://boagworld.com/?p=7320 I love wireframing by hand especially when working collaboratively with the client. When you work on a computer only one person can wireframe at a time, but with pen and paper we can all wireframe together.

The problem is that pen and paper wireframing takes a lot of redrawing. You find yourself constantly drawing and redrawing screen elements, which proves time consuming. This is not a problem on a computer where you can copy and paste.

Apparently I am not alone in my desire to combine the best of computer based wireframing and good old pen and paper. Nat from Lanyrd feels the same and has solved the problem in a simple, yet elegant way.

Thanks for subscribing to Boagworld; a web design blog, forum and podcast run by Paul Boag and friends.

If you are new to my feed may I recommend also:

]]> http://boagworld.com/tumblog/pen-and-paper-wireframing-without-the-hassle/feed/ 3 What internal web teams can learn from the European Commission http://boagworld.com/tumblog/what-internal-web-teams-can-learn-from-the-european-commission/ http://boagworld.com/tumblog/what-internal-web-teams-can-learn-from-the-european-commission/#comments Wed, 25 Jan 2012 16:07:22 +0000 Paul Boag http://boagworld.com/?p=7318 Last week I was invited by the web community at the European Commission to visit them in Brussels.

As you can imagine working in an organisation the size of the European Commission has some unique challenges. With over 400 websites, tens of thousands of pages and 23 languages to accommodate, it is hard to get things done.

Amazingly, despite being faced with such overwhelming challenges the web community there is very proactive, positive and forward thinking. They come together regularly to share ideas and find ways to work collaboratively. They also run a series of masterclasses (hence my visit).

They asked me to give a talk based on my Fight The System presentation, although to be honest things moved a long way from that starting point.

A taster of the Fight The System Presentation.

The guys at the European Parliament attended and have written up a comprehensive post of the discussion. If you work for a large organisation then check it out. It has some useful discussion points for any internal web team.

I also think there is a lot to be learnt from the European Commissions web team. The community they have built is inspiring. Many of the web teams I encounter in large organisations are beaten down and overwhelmed. However, the guys at the European Commission have maintained an incredibly positive and proactive attitude despite an overwhelming task. I found them inspirational.

Thanks for subscribing to Boagworld; a web design blog, forum and podcast run by Paul Boag and friends.

If you are new to my feed may I recommend also:

]]> http://boagworld.com/tumblog/what-internal-web-teams-can-learn-from-the-european-commission/feed/ 0