All Questions
6
votes
2answers
240 views
Mixing languages on a blog : cute or worst idea ever?
I want to create a blog where posts can be in various languages. In the current version, I have 209 posts total, with 29 in English and 1 in Italian (the rest is in French).
I've read that Google ...
2
votes
4answers
226 views
is better to use price ranges displayed with $ symbol or actual prices?
I am building a web restaurant listing, and I am concerned about the clarity of the message between the design simplicity of showing price ranges like ...
139
votes
10answers
7k views
Should a sentence ending with a URL terminate with a period?
Suppose my web service needs to send a password recovery e-mail message to the user. The message will contain a link (with some disposable token). Something like:
To reset your password please ...
0
votes
6answers
218 views
Appropriate icon for: Activate [closed]
In an application were developing there is a window containing a table holding 2-5 rows.
A metaphor for the context could be that the table identifies a gearbox of a car and each row is a gear in the ...
0
votes
2answers
942 views
Is Facebook's Timeline layout usable? [closed]
I feel that the double-column is confusing, and the lack of a exhaustive time-sorted list of my actions somehow frustrating.
I wonder if this is just a reaction to change and a smart idea or just bad ...
9
votes
3answers
471 views
Why do Video Players Use the Space Bar to Pause?
Is there any good reason when creating an online video player to use the space bar as a pause control only when the user is fullscreen?
I notice quite a few big video sites follow the space used as ...
2
votes
1answer
92 views
How do you deal with multi-part labels along an axis of a bar chart?
I am developing mockups for several charts that we need to display. One of the recurring problems I encounter is that the labels for the category axis (y-axis in this case) are actually made of of ...
4
votes
2answers
181 views
What indicates Zoom uniquely?
While reading a slideshow on How People Really Use the iPhone. It seemed a lot of users are confused when looking for a "zoom" icon; finding the magnifying glass to mean "search" and the plus sign to ...
8
votes
3answers
171 views
If there is a known error in a feature should we warn our users or just turn off the feature?
In this example, Facebook Connect (technically Facebook Login) has an open bug that prevents IE8 users from connecting. It send error messages, and it isn't clear to users that the error is with ...
10
votes
2answers
10k views
Windows 8 Metro Design Examples / Guidelines [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
Where can I find style guide for metro UI for web applications?
Not a technical question about how to build an app (I'm just going to use DevExpress Tiles, mostly ...
0
votes
1answer
285 views
Design large web form for entry mode
At my company I am developing and designing a web app(one man effort :( ) for entering data for a directory , basically the directory structure is as follows :
Categories
-> Offices (>=1)
...
0
votes
1answer
211 views
Use case scenarios and the use of screenshots?
I have been asked to create an use case scenarios for the project I am currently in .Though there are some excellent templates on the internet about how to structure a use case scenario,I was confused ...
3
votes
2answers
249 views
Are there any UI pattern sites with a bookmarklet / selective screen capture (think Skitch) tool?
For over a year now I've been trying to get into all of these UI pattern sites, but the fundamental flaw I've found across the board is the level of effort it takes to create/post styles you come ...
4
votes
1answer
88 views
Repeating elements of a page to ensure they're noticed?
Does anyone have any experience with the effects of repeating an element on a page to ensure it is noticed (and hopefully used!).
In my case, it's the search function I want to bring to light - ...
2
votes
2answers
313 views
What is the best practice for displaying mixed data in a single data grid?
We have a complex database application and would like to display mixed data in a data grid. By mixed data, I mean objects that roll-up to a single category (vehicles) but have unique properties (truck ...
17
votes
12answers
2k views
Is this hard to read?
This is a snippet on a site i have just been building. I considered the readability etc, and the corporate colours, and tried to work with them.
Actually, I find it quite relaxing to read and view, ...
4
votes
3answers
134 views
How do I inform the user a component has stopped working?
This is my design challenge:
The idea is to have a separate component integrated into a website, displaying data retrieved from another system.
When a problem occurs with this other system, we are ...
4
votes
7answers
759 views
How do I choose between disabled input fields and plain text for a read only view?
For displaying a readonly details views of a certain item on a website, is there a general rule to choose between disabled input fields or labels/plain text?
In this situation, first an overview of ...
2
votes
1answer
79 views
Testing with current clients
I'm working on improving a product that rarely gets new customers (since it targets a very small specialized niche), and I'm not sure how usability testing would work here. I assume that current ...
4
votes
2answers
217 views
What original sources have research on how long it takes a visitor to decide whether to stay on the site?
I've seen many statistics referenced along the lines of:
Visitors decide where to stay on or leave a website within [7, 2, 11, 0.8 seconds] of seeing it.
Typically the statistic is used when ...
0
votes
2answers
1k views
What's a safe serif font for an eBook read on iPad?
I'm currently working on a document which I expect to be read as a PDF eBook on iPad. The primary font family is Times New Roman which is just fine until it's presented in either italics or bold at ...
13
votes
8answers
462 views
Is “magic” an appropriate label for a sorting option?
Heuristic-based analysis is pretty common in certain applications, and Apple has gone so far as to create their own user-language to describe the hard computery stuff: "Genius". I don't know anyone ...
18
votes
10answers
2k views
Is it ok to require certain users to have JavaScript enabled?
I am a firm believer sites should work perfectly fine for people who choose to disable Javascript while browsing any and all of the content.
However, when it comes to higher-level interaction (such ...
4
votes
5answers
202 views
How to handle older/non-compatible browsers viewing your online app?
Say your app works well on modern browsers, but has features that don't work so well on older browsers (e.g. IE). How do you handle this?
I see three possibilities:
Ask IE 6-8 users to download ...
0
votes
2answers
79 views
If logged in to an online app, should the main site url lead to the sign-up/in page or directly to the app?
For example, if logged in to Workflowy, workflowy.com leads you straight to the app.
On the other hand, if logged in to Asana, asana.com leads you to the home page regardless. Clicking "Log In" logs ...
6
votes
6answers
695 views
Better Term for “Web Design and Development” Company
What term do you use to refer to a company / organization that helps other companies / organizations in the following areas?
Working with the product owner / manager to formulate abstract ideas into ...
4
votes
5answers
538 views
Scrolling vs. Pagination for a Mobile Order Form
Ok here is my windows mobile application for ordering system. As client requested i added a next page button (the button after the +). This turns a page with preferences of a product. However most of ...
0
votes
0answers
125 views
Awesome sources to see great UIs and usability [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
Must-read User Interface Book?
As an outsider (aka. not a designer) and due to the lack of time to innovate, I want to create great UIs and great usability by example, ...
2
votes
3answers
112 views
When is it appropriate to combine “help/support” with “contact us”?
Suppose we have a horizontal menu at the top of our website like this:
products | pricing | help | login | 800-555-1234
When is it appropriate to combine help/support with contact us?
We want to ...
4
votes
4answers
252 views
How can I promote a value/ feature in a UI
I would to promote certain features/ values of my application throughout all its UI/ look and feel.
Edit: That is, through my application UI I want to place small hints that my company has certain ...
5
votes
2answers
355 views
Handling images larger than viewport in carousel-based gallery
I'm trying to figure out the best way to design an image gallery embedded in a lightbox. The gallery has thumbnail versions of each image in a carousel, and clicking a thumbnail brings that image ...
5
votes
1answer
118 views
How important are views and votes counters on StackExchange lists of questions?
If StackExchange were to remove the views and votes counters from their lists of questions (homepage, active, newest, etc) as a trade-off for a cleaner design would this bother you?
Those items would ...
4
votes
3answers
112 views
What Defines “On a Device”?
I'm currently working on a user experience problem that involves a user's multiple devices (smart phone, tablet, laptop, etc.)
What I'm trying to accomplish is that the app "intuitively senses" when ...
16
votes
6answers
476 views
Should validating an email automatically sign someone into an application?
When signing up for a new account with a web application, it is standard to send a validation email. I don't want to go into the pros and cons of the validation email though.
When receiving a ...
29
votes
4answers
2k views
Where should the GUI light source come from?
I know that historically the light source on GUIs is in the upper left, casting a shadow on the bottom-right of buttons and the upper left of fields. Now, I see some places (like Apple) use a top ...
2
votes
4answers
1k views
Use subdomains or directory structure for URLs?
I'm curious if it's considered better practice to use a subdomain (e.g. store.website.com) or a directory (e.g. www.website.com/store) when linking to separate sections of a site.
Assuming both ...
3
votes
1answer
101 views
Recommended time to show an interstitial before it closes itself?
What would be an optimal amount of time to show an interstitial before it closes automatically? Bearing in mind both the information is succesfully conveyed and the frustration of the user is ...
6
votes
3answers
319 views
Best way to link to PDFs/Word docs/etc?
I need to include links to PDFs, Word docs and other document types on a web page. A lot of sites display an icon for the file type, plus the file size. I'm inclined to remove both the icon and file ...
3
votes
1answer
304 views
Examples of good use of animation on web pages
I'm currently redesigning our company's Magento theme, with the aim of increasing our conversion rate as much as possible (obviously :-) ). I have what I feel to be a good overall layout with the eye ...
0
votes
1answer
127 views
How do you deal with technologically impaired and ignorant clients? [closed]
I got an email today from my parents, that the navigation in their website/shop (Prestashop) is broken and they get an error if they click it. I had a look, and it turns out they manually deleted at ...
10
votes
2answers
508 views
Are users comfortable with the term 'portal'?
I am building a site for managing datasets. The home page will be a portal displaying summary info about the user's datasets and other datasets in the system. I'm trying to decide what to call this ...
2
votes
1answer
138 views
Order of items in a list, like the Stack Exchange “all sites” list
I've asked this question at Meta Programmers regarding the order that sites are listed in the StackExchange -> All sites menu on all the SE sites, and the answer confused me...
Press Stack Exchange ...
0
votes
1answer
176 views
Is there a scale to measure ones proficiency in software? [closed]
I've often wondered why there is no general scale to visually show a persons proficiency in technology/hardware/software. Is there such a thing?
Something like... I could fill-out a questionnaire ...
3
votes
2answers
165 views
How to convey the notion of urgency and impact via symbols and/or ux
I'm creating an interface for help desk solution where users must define an urgency and impact for the case they are creating.
I thought about a slider like this Smiley Slider but the smiley doesn't ...
10
votes
2answers
197 views
Please recommend Improvments to the SE Menu Structure
Over at Programmers Meta we are haveing a discussion about the SE Menu Structure. Someone recommend we ask the Pro's over here for recommendations.
So, What could\Should be done to Improve the SE ...
0
votes
1answer
93 views
What is a good visual format for a “show” page?
Let's say the user clicks on something that is an entity in the system. In my case, it's a template for a course that students take.
On this screen, I want to show various properties of the template ...
2
votes
2answers
824 views
Placement of a Change language button
Where would you place a Change language button/Country selector (or dropdown) on a web page? In a footer menu or in a utility menu in the top right corner of a web page or somewhere else on the page? ...
5
votes
4answers
185 views
Could gamification of training database work in a manufacturing environment?
I made a WPF app which contains and shows lots of training resources. The thing is, people aren't very motivated to just open something and start reading/learning.
Does anyone have experience with ...
1
vote
2answers
136 views
Authentication pop up on a desktop app: what if it is much bigger than main app window?
I am working on a desktop app that requires authentication. It allows federated authentication using different services, Google among them. Most probably, we'll use a pop up with a browser window to ...
5
votes
1answer
251 views
What is the name of the technique where an article quotes itself in large text?
This technique comes from print media, and I'm sure that if I'd ever taken a typography class I'd know it. I tried googling but couldn't find anything helpful.
What is it called when an article ...
