We love design, UX, and everything that enables technology to help make our life easier. We want to inspire and encourage future designers to continue to improve the user experience across all the devices and applications that we use. We hope these examples will inspire and help others through describing these 'challenging' moments, when you think I wish it would just do x instead of y …
When Windows 8 Removed the Start Button
Apple are often considered to be a more innovative, design led company but in many ways they're quite conservative particularly when it comes to their OS. A user of OS X from ten years ago would still find their way around the last version. Changes tend to small and incremental.
On the other hand, recently Microsoft have made changes to their core UX - often at the expense of the user. Anyone using a Windows PC has, from the beginning , used the desktop and Start menu as the hub from which to navigate tasks and the file system.
With Windows 8, Microsoft designed an OS that would be both click and touch friendly; but the experience was generally unsatisfactory in both contexts. By removing the Start menu and the default Desktop screen, they pulled the rug from under users who, over years of use, were ingrained in opening applications and files in a particular way.
This all had to be relearned and caused enormous frustration for even the most loyal Windows fan. Thankfully the Start button was re-introduced in 8.1 but not before many had downgraded to Windows 7.
It's a good example of the perils of developing a novel new design at the expense of users and possibly ignoring user testing.
ATMs: Do they really need to return the card just because they don't have the amount I asked for?
If you can't give the amount requested it's ok. Just ask me for a new amount. You don't need to send me back to the start or cancel the transaction and give me my card back.
Spotify App: Please Help Me Find Other Albums More Easily
When I'm in an album and I want to search for another one, surely there has to be a better way to do this rather than going back a couple of screens.
A universal search button or action would seem to be useful here.
Why Do 'Immersive' Ads Slow Down Players?
So-called 'immersive adverts' that just slow things down e.g. the current Trocaire advert on the RTE Player - every time it comes on it just slows the adverts/stream down and I click out.
You Know My Name - Why Not Use It?
Companies that reply with 'Dear Subscriber'. I recently had a problem with a Wired magazine subscription. I was involved in some email tennis with a nice enough guy who managed to get things sorted for me but every email came back as 'Dear Subscriber' on the back of my last email.
As soon as I get my confirmed account details I'm cancelling my subscription
Mobile Popup Ads That Fill the Screen (With No Easy to Find 'X')
Companies that don't realise we are truly mobile consumers and insist on having pop up adverts that take up the full screen on a phone and you can't find the minimise 'x'. I'm not sure if that's a phone thing or a business decision, but it's a great way to makes users feel stupid.
USB: Remind Me Which Way is the Right Way Up (Again)?
How many times have you tried to insert a USB key upside down? I do it about 50% of the time.
Of course, there are well-established solutions to this type of problem. For more than a hundred years power outlets have an obvious socket orientation that makes it difficult to get wrong.
Even better: design a plug that doesn't matter which way it's plugged (nod to lightning cables).
Forgetful Forms
Accidentally hitting the back button or otherwise navigating away from a long web form before submitting it, and have to enter everything again. This can easily be avoided with localStorage in JavaScript.
This one is a killer and has driven us all mad at some point!
Browser Password Stores
Usually a good thing, until you run into a web form that asks for only one field and your browser tries to save it as a password without a username.
Project Scope Creep and Improper Requirements
An insurance website once spent 20 months developing a new website based around mobile first and spent in excess of €180k (over $200k). When the site was finally launched, the dimensions for desktop/laptop were constrained by mobile/tablet dimensions so desktop screens were not utilised effectively.
Even worse, the first release of site was not mobile ready! Less than 12 months later, a brand new website was rolled out.
Continue reading %Epic UX Fails (and the Lessons We Can Learn)%
by Simon Cocking & the Digital Skills Academy Team via SitePoint
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