Re: the Nielsen book (was: Modern Contemporary Web Site)

by "Karin Ransdell" <kransdell(at)squishedmosquito.com>

 Date:  Thu, 31 May 2001 10:06:26 -0500
 To:  <hwg-style(at)hwg.org>
 References:  aol
  todo: View Thread, Original

----- Original Message -----
From: <MauraZebra(at)aol.com>
To: <kransdell(at)squishedmosquito.com>; <hwg-style(at)hwg.org>
Sent: Thursday, May 31, 2001 7:08 AM
Subject: Re: the Nielsen book (was: Modern Contemporary Web Site)


> << All of which is -- or at least should be -- common sense.  I always
find it

> Nielsen's book provides me with more than MY common sense would ever come
up
> with.  But my point is - he gives you ammunition.  Statistics.  Research
> approaches.  Ways to sell your customer your common sense.  I could not
write
> his book without doing the spadework he has done - if then.

Yes, the stats are good.  Another great place for ammo is evolt.org.

Some people took my message wrong.  Heck, I own this book, too.  Our
business site has Nielsen quotes prominently placed throughout the screens.
But the bottom line is that Nielsen's message is "less is more" and "the
message is the medium", both of which are absurdly simple, at least once you
see someone else saying what your common sense has been telling you.

But then I'm reminded of the wonderful homily "common sense isn't"  ;-D

There is a wonderful article at
http://www.siliconvalley.com/docs/news/svfront/short033001.htm .  I
appreciate the comment
"It happens because you cannot wipe your brain; you cannot pretend not to
know something that you do know. The exception is if you're a professional
usability expert. It's our job to put ourselves into the mind of the user."

Web developers should strive to become that professional usability expert.
Put yourself in the user's shoes and then it all becomes.... common sense.

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