Apple User Interface Fail

UPDATE - POST REVISED AT THE BOTTOM

It’s extremely rare that I have anything to complain about while using a Mac, Apple’s user interface design and copy is always top notch and totally clear. I rarely have to pause for a moment to work out what I’m supposed to be doing.

However, I recently began looking at ways to speed up startup and took a look at the applications that start on login:

Now, check boxes are usually used to say yes to something, when you agree with something or when you’re activating something. The text ‘These items will open automatically when you log in’ suggests that the items that you check will open when you log in.

The opposite is the case, since the checkbox column title says ‘Hide’. The un-ticked items are actually the ones that will open when you login.

How it should be done:

Less text and less confusion, I hope you’ll agree!

UPDATE

I was alerted by Dave Joyce’s tweet that my interpretation of this interface was actually incorrect, and I’d misunderstood what the tick boxes do. He says: “I disagree Matt. *All* the items in the list open when you login. The checked ones are open too, they’re just hidden.”

Although this was a mistake on my part, I didn’t understand the interface at the time and neither did several of my followers who agreed with my point, so I still think it’s too confusing.

Here’s a revision, the increase in copy isn’t ideal but is a worthwhile sacrifice for the extra clarity in my eyes. Let me know on Twitter if you think this is better, or if I’m still missing the point!

Twitter’s ‘New Follower’ Email Redesign

In May, Twitter redesigned it’s ‘New Follower’ email - we got follower/following numbers, a tweet count and a prettier email.

A step in the right direction, but ultimately the lack of information means I still have to visit the user’s Twitter page before deciding whether I want to follow back, which makes the email fairly useless.

Here’s a concept redesign for the email, which aims to change that:

We now have:

1. The user’s Location, Website and Bio, as on Twitter.
2. Following/Follower counts.
3. Average number of tweets per day (excluding @replies), based on the last 30 days.
4. Number of users you follow, that also follow this person.
5. Their 6 latest tweets that would actually appear in your Twitter stream (i.e. not irrelevant @replies)
6. Links to follow back or block the user from within the email.

The focus here is on functionality and making the content more useful, let’s try to forget for a moment that coding this for email clients powered by Microsoft Word would be a nightmare.

How would you make it better? Is this an improvement in your eyes?

I don’t want to ‘Sign Up’

Web conventions enable users to feel comfortable on the web because page elements on a new found site are similar to sites they already know. This is a good thing.

However, website owners often settle on conventions which could be appropriately adapted for the benefit of the experience. One such convention, in my opinion, is the term ‘Sign up’ and it’s siblings ‘Register’ ‘Join now’ and ‘Create Account’.

I have no statistical information to back this up, but I know that users hate signing up and hate filling in long forms. Some users decide against trying a new service or app purely because they can’t be bothered with the signup.

‘Sign up’ and it’s siblings automatically suggest filling in tedious forms with the same information you’ve already entered on 10 other sites this week. It’s a turn off.

Users don’t want to sign up, they want to DO.

If you’re a new Flickr user, you don’t want to create your account, you want to start uploading photos, so the ‘Sign Up’ button should reflect this.

If you’re a new Delicious user, you don’t want to register, you want to start bookmarking.

If you’re a new Facebook user you don’t want to Sign Up, you want to connect with your friends.

Changing the language like this is a huge step forward in my opinion, but might be seen as tricking the user if the button leads to the same sign up form anyway. Something I’ve noticed recently is sites that ask for signup after you’ve done what you want to do.

Airbed ‘n’ Breakfast

Airbed ‘n’ Breakfast have three links in the top right, exactly where you’d expect a Sign Up button if you were looking. They have a Sign Up button, but also have a big ‘Post a Room’ button. I’d be surprised if many people click Sign Up over ‘Post a Room’, because they all want to do the latter. Clicking ‘Sign Up’ presents you with a typical sign up form, but clicking ‘Post a Room’ enables you to enter the details of your room, then enter your sign up details. Users are much happier to give you their details if they’ve already done what they want to do.

Gumtree

On Gumtree (similar to Craigslist) there’s no sign up button at all, just an invitation to Post an Ad. Yes, that’s what I want, to post an ad! Of course, after you’ve written the ad you need to add your sign up info anyway, but this way you get to do what you want to do first.

This comes down to the fact that users hate filling in sign up forms, and particularly hate having to fill in all those forms before they’ve even had a chance to use the app or service. It’s a huge barrier to entry and on lots of sites it’s unclear why I need to hand over all these details just to have a look inside.

So, be creative with your ‘Sign Up’ buttons and use wording relevant to the app, but maybe include a text based ‘Sign Up’ link additionally in the top right, for those who are looking. Secondly, if possible, ask for sign up details as late as possible and let users do as much as possible without requiring all that info. I reckon your user numbers will benefit.

What do you think?

Three year plans are bullshit, Dragons’ Den

I’m a big fan of the BBC’s Dragons’ Den. For anyone unfamiliar, the program consists of wannabe entrepreneurs pitching their business ideas to five hugely successful serial entrepreneurs with a view to secure investment for an equity stake in their business.

In every pitch, the Dragons demand a 3-5 year plan for estimated revenue and profit each year - those who fail to deliver these figures are looked on as unprofessional, disorganised and in most cases a bad investment. However, if the budding entrepreneurs predict revenue which increases fairly substantially year on year, without being too absurd, the Dragons are usually happy.

This annoys me for two reasons. Firstly, the majority of pitchers in the Den have no business experience whatsoever - they just have an idea that they think might be popular. They’re all looking for a cash injection but most of them also need the experience and knowledge that each Dragon holds, and their revenue predictions are usually an over-optimistic random guess.

Secondly, I believe a revenue plan for any business is a big guess. Sure, in some circumstances if you’re extremely experienced with the type of business and have tons of research behind you, you can probably make a fairly accurate guess, but in most cases it’s still a guess. This is hammered home in 37Signal’s “Let’s just call plans what they are: guesses”.

The Dragons need to stop getting so frustrated when those who stand before them don’t have an ‘accurate’ revenue plan, and start understanding that these are people with great ideas and not necessarily great business minds.