Alex around the World

An easy-to-read article on how to build easy-to-use, user-friendly and intuitive (web) applications interfaces. A must read for all developers. If you don’t want to read all of it, go straight to the last paragraph:

First, reduce actual complexity by eliminating unnecessary features and then hiding what you can’t eliminate. Secondly, reduce perceived complexity by minimizing visual noise and reusing elements. And finally, use the blank state to help orient users.

Minimizing complexity in the user interface will help people learn your application more quickly, use it more effectively and be happier all the while. As jazz musician Charles Mingus said, “Making the simple complicated is commonplace; making the complicated simple, awesomely simple, that’s creativity.”

Here’s the original article: http://www.smashingmagazine.com/2009/10/07/minimizing-complexity-in-user-interfaces/

Web comms managers, the truth about websites is out there.

Paul Boag’s article on corporate websites posted on Smashing Magazine should be mandatory if you plan to manage a webteam.

Thank you Paul!

Robert Hoekman, about error handling in web apps: “The best way to handle errors is to prevent them from ever occurring.”
Excerpt from his book titled “designing the obvious”.

A nice article describing (some of the) skills needed to become a good designer, found on Luke Wroblewski’s blog.