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Blogging By the Dashboard Light  

:: Monday, May 10, 2004 ::

Google, which now owns Blogger, has upgraded the look, feel and functionality of its blog software. As a usability tester, this is fun for me. I look for many things. When switching from one interface to a new user interface, there is a risk of confusing or frustrating users who are used to the old way of doing things. A lot has changed.

The first thing is the new blogger homepage (for Pro users, which I'm using). Its called "Dashboard". From there, I can find things I'm used to finding, though they've been moved around or perhaps there's a cute icon to click instead of text. Once inside, I like that they font face is large on the navigation tabs, and large enough on sub-navigation. Other blog software I use (two others, for blogs I'm a guest poster for), have cluttered interfaces with small text or too many functions clamoring for my attention at once. The new blogger is still simple and basic.

Instead of Post or Post and Publish or Publish options,you either Save as Draft (which is the old Post) or Publish Post (which is the old Publish). The removed the old middle Post and Publish, which was annoying to use.

For more about the details, SearchDay spills the beans here in SearchDay #786 - Google Overhauls Blogger. Now, you can post via email and PDA. And, by the dashboard light of your car, if necessary.



Usability:

Jakob Nielson is going to freak out a few folks with his latest usability rules in Guidelines for Visualizing Links Here are some attempts to remove some of the fun in web design:

"You should generally avoid color for text unless it's a link. However, assuming it differs from the link color, you can sometimes use colored text without causing major usability problems."

"There is no need to use special colors or other visualizations when the cursor hovers over a link. Doing so only makes the page appear more cluttered as the user moves the mouse across the screen. "

"Don't use tiny text for links."

I agree when he says you don't want your users to overlook "important" links, but he doesn't always back up this list with new research on today's designs.

For example, the Usability for Senior Citizens is interesting, but "old" by Internet design standards. And, usage had changed. For example, that article states "In our study, email was the main Internet application used by seniors." I doubt it. In the USA, for example, senior citizens are clamoring online to purchase affordable medications online. As they become more comfortable with the Internet, and the population of US citizens is increasingly over age 50, I think computer usage and usability is rapidly changing and seniors have adapted well.

:: posted by Kim Krause Berg on 5/10/2004 11:03:51 AM

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