No. Not a 100% user-centered design. The beta.fastcompany is an example of too many features/parameters and too little text-content & (small) pictures. I don't think scrolling down the page is a good way to get to content. Most people are unpatient. I actually am unsure whether this is the right place to post this comment, as there is too many groups/postings/comments-options... Fast company is a web-site I would like to visit once in a while and therefore I don't take the time to 'construct' my own website. I think I am a typical reader, but maybe I'm not...
We need to be idea led but user informed... in a fast changing world (Fast Company!) we will only find out what is the next needed increment; innovators need to know the next game changing insight!
looking at Jan's note reminded me of John Maeda and Simplicity plus this quote
Five years ago, Google's home page contained 50 words, 11 links, and zero ads. Today, it contains 49 words, 17 links, and zero ads.
Makes you think doesn't it.
Thanks all for your responses. Jan you bring up some excellent points. There is a lot of activity on the site, but it's a way of bringing the Company of Friends together with the magazine and exclusive content on the site, including the blogs. Not everyone will be drawn in by the same elements. Not sure whether you saw how our magazine and article pages look.
See magazine:http://beta.fastcompany.com/magazine/121/index.html
You can still read content uninterrupted by anything else. The topic home pages and main home page design you see just offers a river of content in a blog chronological style. Most recent content curated by our editors. The user gets to choose what they want.
We will definitely look into your concerns though.
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Lynne d Johnson
Senior Editor, FastCompany.com
Depends on what you are building. Are you building an ecommerce site, an application, a social site, a marketing site, a content site? Having your users in mind is always required, but should you be goal centered, task centered, user centered, activity centered, social object centered? In the end your site should facilitate whatever the user is trying to do. The interaction should be frictionless and valuable.
What your website should not be is a reflection of your organization or the egos of your managers. People don't care and they will go somewhere else. Even if you are the most famous company in the world, you do not have the "right" to succeed. You have to earn it.
A balance needs to be stuck between user centric and information dissemination and guide to navigation on the site.
First must say any news specific for the subscriber /member, then what is new , then topic wise based on the general usage so far and popularity and usefulness. More graphics and picts with artcles. Regards= Dr M S Mamik
Definitely user-centered design the best way to go when building a website - is there any other way to get good results? As the industry has matured, the ROI of using UCD is well documented. To measure success, it must perform. And to perform, you have to have a good set of requirements to work. And to have a good set of requirements, you need to understand your business proposition and your audiences. It's like any other technology project - without doing your homework, you run the risk of having one of those ERP nightmare projects on your hands.
Share your ideas
Answers | 7 Total
January 13, 2008 at 5:24am
Jan JensenNo. Not a 100% user-centered design. The beta.fastcompany is an example of too many features/parameters and too little text-content & (small) pictures. I don't think scrolling down the page is a good way to get to content. Most people are unpatient. I actually am unsure whether this is the right place to post this comment, as there is too many groups/postings/comments-options... Fast company is a web-site I would like to visit once in a while and therefore I don't take the time to 'construct' my own website. I think I am a typical reader, but maybe I'm not...
January 13, 2008 at 12:34pm
Jim RaitWe need to be idea led but user informed... in a fast changing world (Fast Company!) we will only find out what is the next needed increment; innovators need to know the next game changing insight!
January 13, 2008 at 12:37pm
Jim Raitlooking at Jan's note reminded me of John Maeda and Simplicity plus this quote
Five years ago, Google's home page contained 50 words, 11 links, and zero ads. Today, it contains 49 words, 17 links, and zero ads.
Makes you think doesn't it.
January 18, 2008 at 8:11pm
Lynne d JohnsonThanks all for your responses. Jan you bring up some excellent points. There is a lot of activity on the site, but it's a way of bringing the Company of Friends together with the magazine and exclusive content on the site, including the blogs. Not everyone will be drawn in by the same elements. Not sure whether you saw how our magazine and article pages look.
See magazine:http://beta.fastcompany.com/magazine/121/index.html
An article page: http://beta.fastcompany.com/magazine/121/a-mad-man-gets-his-head-togethe...
You can still read content uninterrupted by anything else. The topic home pages and main home page design you see just offers a river of content in a blog chronological style. Most recent content curated by our editors. The user gets to choose what they want.
We will definitely look into your concerns though.
--
__
Lynne d Johnson
Senior Editor, FastCompany.com
January 24, 2008 at 10:48pm
m pDepends on what you are building. Are you building an ecommerce site, an application, a social site, a marketing site, a content site? Having your users in mind is always required, but should you be goal centered, task centered, user centered, activity centered, social object centered? In the end your site should facilitate whatever the user is trying to do. The interaction should be frictionless and valuable.
What your website should not be is a reflection of your organization or the egos of your managers. People don't care and they will go somewhere else. Even if you are the most famous company in the world, you do not have the "right" to succeed. You have to earn it.
My 7 cents (inflation),
mTp
January 27, 2008 at 2:33pm
Dr Mani Singh MamikA balance needs to be stuck between user centric and information dissemination and guide to navigation on the site.
First must say any news specific for the subscriber /member, then what is new , then topic wise based on the general usage so far and popularity and usefulness. More graphics and picts with artcles. Regards= Dr M S Mamik
February 24, 2008 at 2:08pm
Rahel BailieDefinitely user-centered design the best way to go when building a website - is there any other way to get good results? As the industry has matured, the ROI of using UCD is well documented. To measure success, it must perform. And to perform, you have to have a good set of requirements to work. And to have a good set of requirements, you need to understand your business proposition and your audiences. It's like any other technology project - without doing your homework, you run the risk of having one of those ERP nightmare projects on your hands.
Share your ideas