The Web underwent drastic changes throughout the years. It has evolved from a static information resource to a dynamic, interactive and collective playground leading to changes in user behavior (as e.g. in the way we read). ‘Users do not navigate on sites searching for information, but rather interact with an online application to complete a certain task’ [1].
Articles in Interaction design
Web Use and its Effects on User Behavior (1)
Little things: introduction out of the way
The Boxee homepage elegantly solves one of the problems with introduction videos on a homepage. Users first scan or skim for essential information: what is this? And only then decide whether to invest any time and attention in watching a video.
User ratings: the user’s point of view
Nowadays it seems that – as an internet user – there is the opportunity to rate a product, service or piece of information whenever and wherever you want. From clothing to handymen and from articles to restaurants.
Little things: solving the repeat email address form issue. Maybe.
I’ve always wondered whether the repeating of an email address in form actually reduces the likelyhood of mistakes. And if so, if this is all we’ve got? Many people just cut, copy and paste. Often without seeing a mistake. Or just retype. And sigh. Userglue proposes some interesting alternatives
The ‘fun’ in ‘funnel’
While reviewing the car insurance funnels from some Dutch online insurance companies I found a nice little trick that made me grin. All companies use your license plate number to retrieve information about your car. Nothing special (or fun) there.
Online processes: less is not always more
There seems to be a tendency to try and keep online processes (registration, checkout, etcetera) as short and flat as possible. This could have grown from the false notion that “people won’t click more than three times”, or the idea that longer processes lead to higher drop-off rates. The latter often being true, certainly when the process contains unnecessary steps: you might feel you really need a user’s net income when she is subscribing to your newsletter, she might very well feel differently.