The Trouble with Gerrold: Clickability
February 1, 2012 —
(Page 1 of 3)
Over the years, I’ve discovered that every time I decide to redesign my website, it quickly becomes an obsession—one of those things ends up consuming weeks or even months of time until, finally, I give up in exhaustion.
Possibly it’s because I consider a website to be like an interactive book that you explore in real time, and like every other book I’ve ever written, it’s never been finished, only abandoned. (Some of my critics think I should abandon my books before I write them, but that’s a different conversation.)
I used to be that way with software I wrote too, whether it was for myself or anyone else. It not only had to be idiot-proof, it had to be genius-proof as well—just in case I made a genius-level mistake.
But as time-consuming as obsession is, it also produces experience and expertise. You learn things. You come back from the adventure with new insights. And the next time you have to tackle a project, you don’t make the same mistakes; you get to make new mistakes.
Last month, I talked about the history of how the software interface evolved from the command line to the menu. Most programs today have a menu bar across the top, usually with File, Edit, View, Tools and Help options, or some variation specific to the needs of the program.
The Microsoft Ribbon is an evolutionary step, and the jury is still deliberating as to whether or not it’s a good one. Microsoft loves the ribbon, and it is the new standard for all Microsoft products. Some users hate the ribbon, others shrug and say they can use it. I haven’t heard anyone say they love it, so I have my doubts about any other software publisher adopting the ribbon idea.
The issue is not the ribbon, nor is it even the menu bar. The issue is the whole idea of how an interface should work. The user wants to be able to get from here to there in as few clicks as possible. The ideal program would have only one button: “Do What I Want.” But software doesn’t work that way, and neither do husbands. This is why both programmers and divorce lawyers can afford to send their children to good schools.
Related Search Term(s): Web design, clickability
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