| Whenever singer John Mayer sings his | | | | different mission. Chak refers to them |
| romantic song, "Your Body is a | | | | as "Browsers, Evaluators, Transactors |
| Wonderland", I can't help but think of | | | | and Customers."Math and science found |
| web sites and usability. As a usability | | | | inspiration on Cubism and the notion of |
| consultant, I see the devotion to his | | | | "continuous dimension of consciousness" |
| lover, and the time he spent uncovering | | | | or what we call three or even four |
| every detail of her being, as the way | | | | dimensions. Jason Edward Kaufman writes |
| most web site designers think we | | | | in his essay, Pioneering Cubism, "More |
| approach their web sites. When the | | | | specifically, Einstein's general theory |
| lyrics arrive at "Take all your big | | | | of relativity found its first artistic |
| plans; And break 'em; This is bound to | | | | expression Cubist art. The plotting of |
| be a while", I start giggling. It makes | | | | an object in a field consisting of and |
| me think of I'll explain why.Do You | | | | defined by the artist's moving point of |
| Have Three Hours To Browse?Amazon's | | | | view suggests, as Einstein posited, a |
| jigsaw puzzle-like homepage greets me | | | | 'time-space continuum' whose makeup is |
| personally by name, which is smooth | | | | contingent on point of point of |
| talking salesmanship. We've obviously | | | | view."The idea of being able to bring |
| "met" before. It has "recommendations" | | | | different experiences to art, and enter |
| for me. There's a nifty advertisement | | | | a painting from different areas based |
| that unfolds like those movie screens in | | | | upon your experience is something that |
| school auditoriums where you know you're | | | | can apply to web sites as well as cubist |
| about to see something either cool, or | | | | art. How do you plan a web site's |
| gross, in front of all your friends. | | | | "continuous dimension of consciousness?" |
| This ad doesn't tell me what I should do | | | | In other words, how do you keep people |
| to get it to go away. When I click it, | | | | on your web site, no matter what their |
| I'm instantly taken inside the web site | | | | original intent is? Regardless of |
| to a targeted area. There's my Gold Box, | | | | whether their intent is just to browse, |
| and my Wish List, and 15,459 links to | | | | or to evaluate the site? Or to conduct a |
| things I might want to buy. All this is | | | | transaction, or to return as a |
| displayed in the first few seconds of my | | | | customer?That can be done during the web |
| arrival.Whenever a web site presents me | | | | site planning stage, by taking the |
| with an onslaught of too much, too soon, | | | | helpful steps of assigning business, |
| I often feel overwhelmed, or angry, and | | | | user and web site goals. Write them out |
| leave the site. If Amazon was a human | | | | in detail. You can title those "My Web |
| being with an actual body, I probably | | | | Site Requirements" if you'd like. Having |
| wouldn't like him or her for very long. | | | | them on paper can be very helpful.As you |
| I would find the physical Amazon pushy, | | | | move towards finishing your web site, |
| invasive, greedy, egotistical, and | | | | you can test it to make sure it met |
| likely a hypochondriac. Yet, I did most | | | | those original requirements, and didn't |
| of my Christmas shopping there last | | | | stray. Selling custom furniture on your |
| year. Why? What is it about Amazon that | | | | web site is a business requirement that |
| makes it such a compelling experience?To | | | | might not be met if you also have Google |
| understand the theory behind the type of | | | | ads on your homepage. While the ads may |
| design Amazon uses, which is copied by | | | | make money, they will send away |
| thousands of ecommerce web sites, I | | | | potential customers for the furniture |
| turned to a different way of seeing and | | | | you offer.Also consider whose point of |
| a different kind of art. The type of | | | | view you are designing for. Is it yours |
| Cubist art that Pablo Picasso painted | | | | or your web site visitors? While an |
| seemed to fit.The Experience of | | | | artist paints from within, rather than |
| SeeingPeople react to web sites the same | | | | focusing upon who is going to see the |
| way they respond to art. They come with | | | | finished product or what they'll do with |
| an expectation. They see what they want | | | | it, a web site owner has to be concerned |
| to see. It's up to the web site design | | | | with the reactions of the viewers who |
| to show them what they did not come to | | | | see the site. The designer has to |
| find, or what they may not know they | | | | consider who the visitors are and what |
| were looking for.I recently attended an | | | | they want to do on your web site.How do |
| opening night art gallery reception. I | | | | you assign business, user, and web site |
| know the artist and his family. Standing | | | | goals? Think in terms of creating tasks, |
| in front of one of his vibrantly | | | | both in-house and for users. A business |
| colorful pieces, a scene of someone | | | | requirement may be to get sales leads. |
| entering a store from a busy New York | | | | The task is to design a form, or provide |
| City street, he pointed things out to | | | | "call to action" click paths to products |
| me. "The brown brush strokes over here | | | | that inspire purchases, such as sale |
| are the back of woman's head as the | | | | items.A user's task may be to find a |
| person enters the store. Note the hand | | | | customer representative at the company |
| on the door handle." The colorful canvas | | | | to speak with about a product. You may |
| portrays glimpses of city life, such as | | | | have anticipated this email or phone |
| signs, lights, clothing, people, and | | | | call, and made a contact form, and put |
| buildings. I began to imagine cars | | | | your phone number on the site. But how |
| honking and that I'm breathing city | | | | easy did you make it for the customer to |
| smog. Amazingly, none of the | | | | identify and describe a page and product |
| illustrations are clearly defined. The | | | | on a page so that customers who call-in |
| artist drops clues and the rest is left | | | | or email can communicate properly? Don't |
| to your imagination and emotions. You | | | | make them say, "It's 5 clicks into that |
| see what you want to see. I know I'm | | | | category after you go to the second |
| seeing the painting differently than the | | | | section from the third button on the |
| other people viewing it because I can | | | | left." That will not only confuse your |
| hear their remarks.Then, my artist | | | | customer, but also the customer service |
| friend says, "Ever since my Dad's | | | | representative.The web site's goal is to |
| experience, I see everything | | | | persuade and make any task easy to find |
| differently."A few years ago, at the age | | | | and perform. No matter how busy the |
| of 19, my friend came home to find his | | | | design appears, if tasks are obvious, |
| father nearly bleeding to death from | | | | and easy to understand and use, the |
| botched major surgery in which he was | | | | visitor will remain. By focusing on |
| discharged too early from the hospital. | | | | their actions and reactions by creating |
| His chest literally opened back up and | | | | task assignments, you manage to make |
| my friend held it together with his bare | | | | both a salad or buffet approach easy to |
| hands while family members got medical | | | | use.What a Lovely Hat You're WearingHow |
| help. He saved his father's life. Since | | | | do you get someone to see your site the |
| then, his artwork took on a new form. | | | | way artists like people to experience |
| From this artist's point of view, | | | | their art? You bring the user into the |
| everything is present, in the moment, | | | | scene. You give the web site |
| all the time. We normally see it in bits | | | | substance.At first glance, when we meet |
| and pieces, and then miss most of what's | | | | someone, we scan his or her appearance. |
| around us.This struck a chord with me. | | | | We make some judgments as to the who and |
| Should a homepage, for example, present | | | | what the person is, and maybe where |
| everything the web site offers all at | | | | they're from. We have less to go on for |
| once? Is there a way to do this by | | | | the how and why. Dating helps. So does a |
| offering clever clues or gentle nudges | | | | drink at the local pub. For each page of |
| that leave enough to the imagination to | | | | your web site, an introductory paragraph |
| make the visitor want to stay on the | | | | that quickly and simply answers these |
| page until it all comes "into | | | | questions will suffice.Google does it |
| focus"?This was one of the experiences | | | | with "I'm Feeling Lucky". They've |
| that brought me to link Pablo Picasso | | | | instantly invited you inside, with that |
| and web design. Pablo Picasso felt that | | | | little teasing gesture. The happy colors |
| only by means of our awareness do things | | | | logo doesn't hurt either. Those big |
| come into being. We're normally unaware | | | | "O's" look like eyes, don't they?Amazon |
| of something until it matters to | | | | does everything but prepare me a cup of |
| us.Awareness, Experience and Persuasive | | | | espresso. Their homepage addresses me by |
| ArchitectureImpressionist art is not | | | | name at least 5 times. Other words are |
| about painting objects as they are seen, | | | | "your" as in "your new releases" and |
| but more about the experience of seeing | | | | "new for you". Most web sites use |
| them.Andrew Chak writes in his book, | | | | "what's new" and "we". Amazon likes me, |
| Submit Now: Designing Persuasive Web | | | | so I buy stuff from them. It's that |
| Sites, "What our users see are the web | | | | simple.Blog writers also captivate us by |
| pages in front of them at the very | | | | pulling us into their world and giving |
| moment they are trying to do something. | | | | us everything. They share all, from |
| Each page either helps them move forward | | | | piercing their navel to what they think |
| in the process or puts them a step back. | | | | of their neighbor's motorcycle shocking |
| If you have gaps in your functionality | | | | them out of bed at 6:30 am every |
| or you don't provide guidance to your | | | | morning. They describe these things so |
| users, you can't expect them to just | | | | exquisitely that you squirm at the |
| figure it out."One solution for guiding | | | | thought of the poor belly button and you |
| web site visitors to important pages or | | | | can hear the Harley rumble in your head. |
| items is through the use of persuasion | | | | We love our personal dramas. We think, |
| and making a site desirable. For | | | | no, we KNOW, everyone else does too.Like |
| example, when a product is designed, | | | | Picasso's art, and that of others, you |
| some thought is also given to the human | | | | want to know something about it, even if |
| response to it or the experience of | | | | at first you don't understand it.What |
| using it. The same can be true for web | | | | The Artists Taught MeFor months I've |
| sites.Amazon utilizes persuasive | | | | been trying to find "that something" |
| techniques. Remember that "movie screen" | | | | that's been bothering me about web site |
| ad? When clicked on, it deliberately | | | | usability, specifically the age-old |
| took me deeper into the web site. Other | | | | question, "Why do some web sites sell |
| web sites use marketing content expertly | | | | and others don't? "I came close when I |
| written to keep you interested enough to | | | | began using user personas during |
| keep browsing. Even better are embedded | | | | usability testing. By watching my |
| links within that text.By comparison, | | | | process, my clients realize how |
| Google's homepage interface is | | | | important their web site visitor is When |
| minimalistic and simple. Yet someone | | | | someone can't order what he or she needs |
| realized it wasn't bringing everything | | | | from a laptop and cell phone during a |
| Google does out into the open, so they | | | | twenty-minute bumpy train ride to work, |
| designed Soople.com, which efficiently | | | | this is a potential lost sale.Picasso |
| lists everything on one page. No extra | | | | helped me see how we can direct |
| clicks. No navigation to learn. The | | | | someone's attention even when there are |
| obvious tasks are presented at once, for | | | | many layers of thought streaming in.When |
| instant access. Someone at Google forgot | | | | my artist friend said, "I see the things |
| to read Andrew Chak's Principle #4 - | | | | most people miss" during the most |
| "You know everything about your site, | | | | mundane of tasks, such as opening a |
| but your users know nothing."Both the | | | | door, or as in his painting of a view |
| Soople and Amazon design approach | | | | from a toy story window, I began to |
| quickly bring the user into the web | | | | understand. His paintings put back the |
| environment, to experience it, not just | | | | missing pieces from our view that we |
| stare at it and figure out how it works | | | | skim over every day. His art, like |
| first. This is how we also like to | | | | Picasso's, does it with layers, with |
| experience art.Task, Task TaskWhich | | | | hints of things that make you curious, |
| design is best for your web site? Do you | | | | and with details that bring you into the |
| offer up the mixed salad and plop some | | | | moment.Persuasiveness and desirability |
| tomatoes on top or do you lay out a | | | | in web site design are in the details. |
| buffet-style table of dishes, organized | | | | They're in the point of view and in the |
| by food group, and let people | | | | delivery, and more than anything else, |
| choose?Picasso once said, "I paint | | | | in the experience of interaction. They |
| objects as I think them, not as I see | | | | are that inner cosmic connection between |
| them." The development of Cubism allowed | | | | the web site and site visitor.This is |
| an overlapping and interpenetrating of | | | | what distinguishes web sites from one |
| planes on a canvas. This is how Picasso | | | | another and makes some of them |
| offered glimpses of his subject, and how | | | | functional and productive pieces of |
| my artist friend could paint and capture | | | | art.Usability Consultant, Kimberly |
| layers upon layers of human life on an 8 | | | | Krause Berg, is the owner of |
| x 8 piece of material. It's not always | | | | UsabilityEffect.com, Her background in |
| easy to know where to "enter" a Picasso | | | | organic search engine optimization, |
| painting. The point of view is simply | | | | combined with web site usability |
| "everything, all at once".It's not | | | | consulting, offers unique insight into |
| always easy to know where to enter a web | | | | web site development. |
| site either. Every visitor has a | | | | |