As software and technology becomes cheaper, it has become ever easier to “add another feature”. However this can be at the cost of usability.

A quick scan of highly successful products reveals the most successful as the simplest or those known for leaving things out! It might be a design feature or functionality. It is a question of focusing on what is essential to achieving a defined goal efficiently and effectively.

Usability has always been important—even long before software, websites, UX design and user testing—”the customer is always right!” Simply  put, usability comes down to a measure of customer satisfaction, which can also be effectively measured for websites.

Customer satisfaction and ISO 9241

sat·is·fac·tion n. A thing that satisfies desire or gratifies feeling.

The word “satisfaction” used in the ISO 9241 definition of usability might sound weak—“just good enough”—which is hardly a design goal worth mentioning. But satisfaction as defined in the Dictionary is “the feeling of pleasure that comes when a need or desire is fulfilled”.

A definition for Usability: “Extent to which a product can be used by specified users to achieve specified goals with effectiveness, efficiency and satisfaction in a specified context of use” —ISO 9241.

• Effectiveness
  Accuracy and completeness with which users achieve specified goals
• Efficiency
  Resources expended in relation to the accuracy and completeness with which users achieve goals
• Satisfaction
  Freedom from discomfort, and positive attitudes towards the use of the product.

Why is Usability = Business Strategy?

How are you measuring your usability? A simple customer satisfaction index can be used and applied to your website. It is also not always important what you ask, but that you are asking questions.

Using a scale of 1 to 10 you can get clear feedback and a measure of usability on your website. Even though this is a simple indicator, usability is something to be taken as seriously as strategy. Take a closer look at your usability and customer satisfaction as a good Business Strategy for your Website.

Five users and 15 minutes of user testing

In a recent client Project, five users were invited for 15 minutes of user testing. This quickly and efficiently highlighted the (different) ways users interacted with the website. Insights which were used to optimise the design, links and text.

For more information about usability, testing and effective design and development: Contact »

Simplify, simplify.”

—Henry David Thoreau

iThank you Steve

“Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to…love what you do. – Your time is limited. Don’t waste it living someone else’s life”.

—Steve Jobs

Amazon #1 best seller: "Go the Fuck to Sleep"

A book that is not yet published is #1 on the Amazon best sellers list: “Go the Fuck to Sleep” [PDF].

Book publishing is a changing Business. ”Go the Fuck to Sleep” by Adam Mansbach was released as PDF in a viral campaign, grabbing headlines in a storybook for Parents.

Use the link above and enjoy a very recognisable situation for parents.

Making the case for Copy&Paste or Social Media “like/share”

In a way it is odd that a book should reach this status and still be a month ahead of its publish date; I mean I have already read it. Yet the real thing in your hands is always different. I can fully understand the need to buy.

Go the Fuck to Sleep

The really interesting thing here, is the new Publishing Model created. Give it all away does not mean no sales! In fact it probably gave a big boost.

The catchy title just says it all though, I remember the frustrations of settling youngsters—and of falling asleep myself in the process.

“Social networks are these intricate things of beauty, and they’re so elaborate and so complex and so ubiquitous, in fact, that one has to ask what purpose they serve. Why are we embedded in social networks? I mean, how do they form? How do they operate? And how do they effect us?”

“The hidden influence of social networks”

“I started to see the world in a whole new way, like pairs of people connected to each other. And then I that these individuals would be connected into foursomes with other pairs of people nearby. And then, in fact, these people were embedded in other sorts of relationships, marriage and spousal and friendship and other sorts of ties. And that, in fact, these connections were vast, and that we were all embedded in this broad set of connections with each other. So I started to see the world in a completely new way, and I became obsessed with this. I became obsessed with how it might be that we’re embedded in these social networks, and how they effect our lives.”

“Social networks are these intricate things of beauty”

“I’m connected to you”

“I’m connected to you and you to her, on out endlessly into the distance — this fabric is actually like an old-fashioned American quilt, and it has patches on it, happy and unhappy patches. And whether you become happy or not depends in part on whether you occupy a happy patch.”

Spread the good Word. Make more connections

“I think we form social networks because the benefits of a connected life outweigh the costs… So the spread of good and valuable things is required to sustain and nourish social networks. Similarly, social networks are required for the spread of good and valuable things like love and kindness and happiness and altruism and ideas.”

“I think, in fact, that if we realized how valuable social networks are, we’d spend a lot more time nourishing them and sustaining them because I think social networks are fundamentally related to goodness, and what I think the world needs now is more connections.”

Getting Real

Copywriting is interface design. Great interfaces are written. If you think every pixel, every icon, every typeface matters, then you also need to believe every letter matters. When you’re writing your interface, always put yourself in the shoes of the person who’s reading your interface. What do they need to know? How you can explain it succinctly and clearly?

Do you label a button Submit or Save or Update or New or Create? That’s copywriting. Do you write three sentences or five? Do you explain with general examples or with details? Do you label content New or Updated or Recently Updated or Modified? Is it There are new messages: 5 or There are 5 new messages or is it 5 or five or messages or posts? All of this matters.

You need to speak the same language as your audience too. Just because you’re writing a web app doesn’t mean you can get away with technical jargon. Think about your customers and think about what those buttons and words mean to them. Don’t use acronyms or words that most people don’t understand. Don’t use internal lingo. Don’t sound like an engineer talking to another engineer. Keep it short and sweet. Say what you need to and no more.

Good writing is good design. It’s a rare exception where words don’t accompany design. Icons with names, form fields with examples, buttons with labels, step by step instructions in a process, a clear explanation of your refund policy. These are all interface design.

Download sample chapter from Getting Real »

Chip Conley inspires you to do what you love, from this years TED2010. And more than that, take a look at what you are measuring, what you count.

What counts? In your life?

When does PPC-Driven Traffic to Stick Around & Shop for Awhile?

Back to the Heatmap testing to see why!

Heatmap (pre)testing proves to be a powerful tool in this test.

One of the most important factors for PPC conversions is to build trust as quickly as possible. This is most easily done using your logo—especially for a familiar (brand) name.

Other factors are important to assist conversion. Like as little clutter as possible. Clear focus on the call to action.

Version A Heatmap

◄ Back

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Picture 1 of 4

Version A

Heatmap analysis of Version A shows clear scanning of the logo.

Heatmap version A

Version B

Heatmap analysis of Version B whilst keeping focus on the call to action, seems distracted by the faces. Missing the logo all together.

Heatmap version B

A review of “Delivering Happiness—a path to profits, passion and purpose” and my thoughts after reading this book. I received a pre-publish copy to read and review and an extra free copy to give away—sharing a little Happiness with a friend.

Delivering Happiness & Do more Great Work

A journey to Why!

In a recent TED talk, Simon Sinek spoke about his discovery of how Great leaders inspire action (also read his book “Start with Why“).

Tony Hsieh writes about how he learnt to connect to the Why that led to the success behind Zappos.com as summoned up in 3 phases he described in his book:

• Profits
• Profits & Passion
• Profits, Passion & Purpose

How to get there

What we learn is the hardest thing we do, yet doing “what’s next” could not be easier when we know Why.

Another cross reference I would like to make is to Michael Bungay Stanier’s “Do More Great Work” which reveals to me the connection to How (as shown in the diagram above).

Click here to view the embedded video.

What is Happiness?

Zappos.com describes happiness as being about “WOW”—creating (very) memorable experiences for customers—Whenever and Wherever you meet them. A remarkable achievement for an online store.

What’s next!

• Why?
• How?
• What?

This little idea explains why some organizations and some leaders are able to inspire where others aren’t.” —Simon Sinek

The golden circle Why? How? What?

“This little idea explains why some organizations and some leaders are able to inspire where others aren’t… very, very few people or organizations know why they do what they do. And by “why” I don’t mean “to make a profit.” That’s a result. It’s always a result”.

By “why” I mean: what’s your purpose? What’s your cause? What’s your belief? Why does your organization exist? Why do you get out of bed in the morning? And why should anyone care?”

Why Apple: “Everything we do, we believe in challenging the status quo. We believe in thinking differently. The way we challenge the status quo is by making our products beautifully designed, simple to use and user friendly. We just happen to make great computers.”

This is Biology & Human behaviour

This is about biology. Not psychology: “If you look at a cross-section of the human brain, looking from the top down, What you see is the human brain is actually broken into three major components that correlate perfectly with the golden circle”.

1. The Neocortex: “what” level
2. The limbic brains: “how” level and decision-making
3. Why connecting feelings and all human behavior.

Dr. Martin Luther King gave us the “I have a dream” speech, not the “I have a plan” speech. That moved the civil rights movement: connecting people to Why!